Seven Days
Seven Days is an anthology of seven women, a homeless teacher, wealthy housewife, single mother, social activist, polyamorist, sex worker and same-sex partner, a tour-de-force performance all played by one actress.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Corey Kupfer
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Seven Days began in my first meeting Ellyn Jameson, where we found ourselves quickly partitioned off from our friends and mutually spewing our love for acting and directing method, covering everything from Stanislavsky to Cassavetes and beyond. We also shared in mutual frustration with where we were at in our career paths, and with the kinds of projects and roles we were made subject to in order to make money. Ellyn was especially frustrated with the female roles presented to her, almost always bordering on or fully offensive, even in the wake of the Me Too movement. Within two weeks Ellyn and I had begun plans for Seven Days, an exploration of acting and directing methods, and characters that aren't bound by strong or weak, good or bad, but have the kind of depth and complexity that represents any person's story.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Seven Days is independent in the truest sense, made by two artists who love film so much it sits at the surface of our very being. We strung this film together for a mere $40,000 of our own money over two and a half years of filming, and I promise you it does not look like it. The quality of this film stands up against anything in the independent market.
I always say I set out to make work that doesn't reinforce what audiences already know to be true, but challenges expectations. There is a gap within mainstream film, lacking femininity, and that doesn't just mean female artists or female characters but an entirely different way of experiencing story that isn't driven by action or plot as is currently taught, but a receptive experience with emotional and intellectual journeys, among other things. Not having to abide by either the conventions of feature film, or short film, gave us a lot of freedom to start experimenting with new ways of telling stories. It was an honor to work in close collaboration with Ellyn Jameson, whose performances are nothing short of brilliant, capable of the complexity and subtlety necessary to start experimenting with these modes, and whose talents far exceed what you see in front of camera. Seven Days is far from the turnkey answer to any widespread social conflict but we are grateful to have been able to dip our toes in the waters of what we want the future of film to be.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The number one question I get is how someone born male approaches working with not one, but seven female characters. Of course, all films are a collaboration, and there are some things you have to take the artist responsibility of asking for help with, things a biological male can never understand. But in all honestly, I am rarely driven to tell male stories, because I want to tell emotional and intellectual stories, and speaking all too broadly, most men's emotions are bound up so deeply beneath a facade of toxic masculinity, what would there be to watch? While with my next project I am challenging myself to bring a more feminine filmmaking approach to male characters as a way to help my fellow men, at the point of making Seven Days I'd always felt more comfortable with the feminine when it came to the things in life that mattered most.
Every one of these women has a part of me in them, and often times I find myself putting my own flaws into characters and putting them in situations that draw compassion, as a way of forgiving my own imperfection. The universally positive and engaged responses I've seen with every screening audience so far supports that gender is a fluid concept, we all have masculine and feminine within us that manifest in unique ways that make us who we are. Shame, isolation, guilt, sacrifice, overwhelm, loneliness, and fear are things everyone has some connection with.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
In the couple in-person film festivals I've been able to do the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I've had three Q&A sessions cut short to move people out of the cinema, only to unofficially continue in the lobby. I love seeing audiences respond to my work; and there's an extra special validation from filmmakers and film professionals seeking me out at festivals to share their being inspired by the project as well.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Absolutely! I admit the popular discourse that modern audiences have lost their patience, are spoiled by the contrived structure of television and super hero films, young audiences have no attention span because of social media... you hear it enough, and you're so dissatisfied with the film industry, you begin to believe it. But it's NOT TRUE. I never thought anyone would be able to sit through seven portraits without conventional action, plot or structure but instead hinges on emotional journeys, and so far from ages seventeen to seventy, everyone has been deeply engaged, and intellectually responsive. You just have to give people a chance. We all want to be challenged.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope to see the kind of conversations that I'm having about this film, and our expectations of films in general, to spread to more audiences and filmmakers.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Seven Days is open to any/all sales agents/buyers/distributors. We will always accept taking it to more festivals for the chance of connecting to more audiences, especially since so many of our festivals were effected by covid. I myself, Corey Kupfer am seeking manager/agent representation for writing and directing. I am also interested in partnering with producers on my next feature projects.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want to see a shift away from current conventions and see an era of independent film flourish again. I want people to see how much more a couple of truly passionate filmmakers who are masters of their craft can do with a mere $40,000 than some films do with millions.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Corey Kupfer has a finished script seeking development that is a modern homage to Psycho, telling the story of a politician's daughter that is taken down by our predatory and prejudiced systems when she takes the matter of her missing girlfriend and a suspect billionaire into her own hands. Corey is also currently writing another screenplay about a retired father's battles with his own toxic masculinity, taking Corey's affinity for more feminine storytelling to help his fellow men.
Interview: September 2022
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
Seven Days
Length:
1:40:00
Writer/Director
COREY KUPFER, a Wisconsin native and NYU MFA alumni, began in experimental film and mixed media installation before making his turn to narrative film. He remains committed to work that doesn’t reinforce but calls into question audience’s expectations. His first feature film Seven Days, an anthology of seven women characters, has garnered ten festival laurels to date.
Producer
Corey Kupfer & Ellyn Jameson
Key cast:
Ellyn Jameson (Missy; Amie; Allie; Erin; Alex; Becca/Nadia; Mara)
Looking for:
sales agents, distributors, journalists, film festival directors, producers, buyers
Instagram:
@goldenmilefilm
More info:
Where can I watch it now?
Hollywood Reel Film Festival/Los Angeles - September 6th; Catalina Film Festival/Long Beach and Catalina - TBD