Tortoise
A desperate young woman must overcome amnesia in order to understand her strange surroundings and finally be reunited with her daughter.
Interview with Writer/Director Alexandra Maher
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! Since reading Mary Rose by JM Barrie as a teenager, I have been fascinated by ideas of ageing, existence and role-reversal. Tortoise was inspired by a 2016 high court battle in which a 14 year-old cancer patient won the right to be cryogenically frozen upon her death.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Tortoise takes the audience on a strange and moving journey, during which preconceptions of what to expect from life, and when, are challenged. It has fantastic performances from Emily Beecham, Eileen Davies and Freya Jones, plus some beautiful cinematography from Karl Poyzer.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The mother/ daughter relationship at the heart of this film encompasses themes of maternal love and unbreakable bonds. The sci-fi aspect explores ideas around life, death and scientific intervention.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I started working on the script in 2016. In its first iteration, it was a caper-comedy called Lola. Over the course of 3 years, it evolved enormously through a process of workshopping with actors, the BFI team and my wonderful script editors, Abee McAllum and Jessica Jones. The core premise stayed the same but the script changed almost beyond recognition. In production and post-production, the input of the whole team, who came with all of their talents, brought the script to life, leading to the finished product we have today. The magical score by Erland Cooper came in near the end of the process and really took the film to the next level.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The film has played at Manchester International Film Festival, LA Shorts International Film Festival, Jane Austen International Film Festival, Uppsala International Short Film Festival and Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival. It has won a 'Best Original Concept' award and is awaiting response from a number of further festival applications. People I know who have seen the film often comment that they found it to be a very emotional experience; this response is especially common amongst those who are parents to young children.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I can't say that it has, to be honest!
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I'd love for the film to play at more festivals and to open up conversations with industry professionals who find the work interesting.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Now that the film is complete, it's all about reaching an audience and sharing the work as widely as possible. Distributors, festival directors and journalists could all help to make that happen.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I'd like this film to provoke thoughts on the topic of cryogenics. I believe the film can remind us to value our loved ones and savour the time we spend together. I'd like the reception to include plaudits for all the actors, especially Emily Beecham, who gives an award-worthy performance in a very challenging role.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
There are two: 1. Would you consider being cryogenically frozen upon your death? 2. Can you imagine a situation in which your unconditional love for your own child would be put to the test?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you so much for the opportunity to be seen on your platform! It’s all because of our producer, Victoria Hollup, that we’re here and, indeed, at any of the festivals. The hard work of the producer is never-ending, it seems, and takes enormous energy, so hats off to that. Huge thanks, also, to our funders BFI Network, Film Hub Midlands and Stefan Allesch Taylor; without their generous support, we could not have made the film.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I think everyone is busy. We were lucky to have an excellent team across the board, so they're all in hot demand! Post-pandemic has been a very active time for film and TV. I shot my second short, The Cunning, this summer. It is about a young woman with Downs syndrome who is accused of witchcraft in 1724. It stars Gemma Arterton and Bethany Asher. My third short, Arias, has a wonderful BAFTA-winning actress attached and will shoot next summer. Meanwhile, I am developing a comedy-drama for TV and working on the second draft of my first feature.
Interview: November 2021
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
Tortoise
Length:
0:13
Writer/Director
Alexandra Maher
ALEXANDRA trained as an actress at RADA and played various roles on stage at theatres including The Lyric Hammersmith, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and The National Theatre.
She has been writing professionally since 2013 when she won ‘Best Show’ in the Funny Women Awards at the Edinburgh Festival. This, for her debut stand-up hour, HOPE & GLORIA. Her self-produced spec television pilot, PREMATURE, was shortlisted for the Test Card Award at the 2018 Edinburgh Television Festival.
TORTOISE is her first short film as writer/ director. Her second, THE CUNNING, starring Gemma Arterton, is currently in post-production. A third and final short, ARIAS, will follow.
Producer
Victoria Hollup
VICTORIA's 2018 directorial debut GERRY starring Joan Collins screened at several BAFTA and Academy qualifying festivals worldwide. The film secured Joan the Best Actress award at LA Int. Short Film Festival, won Best UK Short at Manchester Int. Film Festival and was long listed for a BAFTA.
GERRY was picked up for sales representation by SND Films and was recently selected by Amazon Prime for their Shortz Collection.
TORTOISE is the first film from her new production company Persona Pictures. Victoria’s debut feature, based on her first short GERRY, is currently in development.
Key cast:
Emily Beecham (Anna), Eileen Davies (Mim)
Looking for:
sales agents, distributors, journalists, buyers
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/tortoise_film