Zasady
In a dystopian world, what are the rules for survival?
Interview with Writer/Producer/Director Amanda Renee Knox
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Zasady, The Rules, was made out of a deep desire to create something in response to the global turmoil of 2023. The poem that narrates the film A Song on the End of the World is a poem that was written by Czeslaw Milosz just before the Warsaw uprising. According to scholar Steven Ward, Milosz's poem wrestles with how immense catastrophe doesn’t always arrive in the form we expect. I felt that this could be applied to the circumstances of the world today. The black figure could be realistic or metaphoric, is the world she’s created an internal manifestation of her fears or is this a dystopian world where she is forced to cope with her circumstances?
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
To experience a thought-provoking visually poetic film that challenges you to consider your active engagement or complacency in your current circumstances.
Zasady
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The themes of war, fear, oppression and overcoming circumstances are all at work in the project. The poem, A Song on the End of the World was written in the 40's during World War II but is still relevant today and asks the question: On the day the world ends, what will you be doing? It makes us consider that while we are all just going about our lives, living out our own stories seemingly oblivious to any external force that could instantly put us on another track.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Because the film is experimental in nature, Zasady evolved during each phase of the production process. We knew what we wanted to begin with but then it began to take shape and fully form during the post-production process with each department having a voice and contributing to the creation of the project.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We have received very positive feedback from filmmakers and festivals, our World Premiere will be at Oscar Qualifying Kortfilmfestivalen in a Special Program of Horror Delights.
Zasady
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I always invite feedback because it engages people in ways that they might not normally think about a certain topic. We are at the beginning of our festival run but I imagine the subject matter will encourage open and honest sharing.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We would love to have the film have a broad platform, screening in as many festivals as possible.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Journalists and festival directors would be nice! The film is a 9-minute short film so distributors and sales agents might not be interested but I am open if someone wants to take the project and provide a larger platform for it.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
With all of my films, I strive to allow the audience to have whatever reaction they are going to have without imposing anything on them. I always hate when I come out of a theater and feel overtly emotionally manipulated by the filmmaker. I would rather experience a film in my own way, form my own opinions and hope to feel moved by a project. This is a standard I have on my own. I also, always love the discussions after the film!
Zasady
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How does Czeslaw Milosz's poem A Song on the End of the World apply to the events of the world today? How do our actions evoke fears that either haunt us or emancipate us?
Would you like to add anything else?
I would like to thank the creatives who worked on this project, we came together during the WGA/SAGAFTRA strike in 2023 to really just have fun and create something meaningful.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Amanda Renee Knox is currently collaborating with Buffalo 8 on her first feature film Steven's Pass, an action-adventure/thriller film about climate change. Mojtaba Mirshekari is editing the series Wicked City available on Amazon Prime. Taylor Owen is the creator of the Viral Tick Tok series If Real Life Was Succession and has appeared on Abbott Elementary, Dave and Veep.
Zasady poster
Interview: May 2024
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Zasady
In a dystopian world, what are the rules for survival?
Length: 8:54
Director: Amanda Renee Knox
Producer: Amanda Renee Knox
Writer: Amanda Renee Knox
About the writer, director and producer:
AMANDA RENEE KNOX is an award-winning director whose work is supported by Film Independent, Panavision, The Caucus and The Annenberg Foundation. In 2022, Amanda participated in Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program with her film The Errand, she was in consideration for a 2019 Live Action Short Academy Award and was awarded a Student DGA Jury Award for her short film Night Call screened in over 85 festivals worldwide winning 42. Additionally, Night Call has aired on PBS, locally and nationally and had a limited theatrical run curated by Washington Post Chief Film Critic, Ann Hornaday. In 2020, she participated in the Ryan Murphy Half Initiative and was named a Finalist in the NBC Female Forward program in 2022. Nate Kohn, Ebertfest Director, describes her work as “really well made, powerful work”. She is represented by Yasmin Felice Morris.
Key cast: Taylor Owen (Hanna), Danuta Hinc (Hanna Narration), Renata Dyhouse (Agnes Voice)
Looking for: film festival directors, sales agents, distributors
Instagram: @amandareneeknox
Hashtags used: #shotonkodak #16mm
Website: Amanda Renee Knox
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: tenksound
Funders: Self Funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the 77th Cannes Film Festival curated by The American Pavilion sponsored by Gold House, Alumni Screenings: Thursday, May 23rd 10:00am-12:00pm
Kortfilmfestivalen/Norwegian Short Film Festival (Oscar Qualifying)
World Premiere
June 12th-16th, Grimstad, Norway