Drunk
Inspired by true events, a story that follows a young couple whose relationship suddenly turns violent as they attempt to cope with the loss of their infant son.
Interview with Actor/Writer/Director/Producer Danielle Stritmatter
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made this film because I wanted to bring awareness to all the people, especially women, who experience domestic violence and break the stigma that sometimes surrounds it. This film is told from the victim's point of view, and it also includes real domestic violence survivor testimonials at the end that give insight into what it's like to find yourself in this situation. It's easy for other people to tell someone to just leave or walk away if your partner suddenly starts to show signs of abuse, and many times people get judged or blamed for staying, but for the victim sometimes the answer isn't so black and white.
Sometimes other factors such as having children involved or having something that ties you to this person makes it more difficult to walk away. In this case, it's the grief that ties these two people together and we see the struggle of the main character of staying because she feels like her husband needs her and that she still needs him regardless of how he's treating her. She also feels like no one understands her and she's being judged by her friends, which is a common feeling among people in this situation, and it isn't until the end when she finds other people who have been in her same situation that she realizes she's actually not as alone in this as she thought, and that she doesn't need him as much as she believed she did.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
People should watch this film to get an insight into the every day life of someone who's living in an abusive situation. The more we understand what people are going through, the easier it is to help them get out of it. So many people who are in this situation often feel isolated and misunderstood, and the message that I want audience members and anyone who has gone through or is going through this type of thing to understand is that they are not alone, and that help is always going to be there when you reach out for it.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
This film is obviously deeply personal to me as someone who experienced this type of thing in a relationship before, and I never spoke up about it out of fear of judgement or somehow feeling like it was my fault. The universal theme here is that no matter what it is you're going through in life, it is guaranteed that there is someone else out there who has also gone through it and has felt in some way whatever it is that you are feeling. There are so many things in life that make people feel isolated, wondering why this is happening to them or feeling like there's no one who could possibly understand what they're going through. If you just reach out and look for resources, whether it's a support group, grief counseling, or just opening up to a friend, you will often find that you're not the only one feeling these things.
So many people never get the help that they need and that often has tragic consequences, so if this film can make even one person realize that there is always help and they are never alone and it can inspire them to pull themselves out of a bad situation, then it has served its purpose.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script didn't change all that much than when I first wrote it, other than getting some feedback about making it more showing rather than telling. But when I wrote this, I knew exactly what I was going for. My co-producer, Jill Awbrey, was a huge help in editing down the script and making it focused on what it needed to be, so it really just came down to what was most integral to the story telling and getting the message across in a way that would make the audience feel the emotion that we were trying to go for.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Everyone who I had showed the film to initially had pretty emotional reactions, and I wasn't expecting to make my friends and family cry (that was never my intention), but for a filmmaker it'll always move you to see strong emotions from your viewers. I have also gotten pretty good feedback from the festivals I have submitted to, and the film even won Best First Time Short Film at the Berlin Short Film Festival.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It did surprise me a bit to see such strong and positive reactions. As a first time director, and especially making a film about such a powerful and raw subject, I wasn't sure how it would be received, but I'm happy it's been successful and I just hope it continues to make some type of impact.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Well, of course I want to get this film seen as much as possible, and if I could find a buyer or distributor who wanted to help get this film out there, that would be ideal. I also wouldn't be opposed if a bigger production company wanted to use the premise to turn it into a full length feature film. Either way, I just want people to be touched by the message and for this film to reach as many people as it can, and I am also excited to get my work out there for people to see what kind of projects I am able to create.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I would honestly love to have all of the above!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like this film to have a huge impact on people struggling to get out of dangerous or violent situations. If someone who sees this film is going through a situation they are afraid to pull themselves out of, or knows someone who might be going through it, I hope this film will encourage them to get the help they need before it's too late, and for them to choose themselves and their own safety over anything else.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
The most common question survivors receive is- why did you stay? Why did you let it go this far? Why didn't you just leave at the first sign of abuse? Instead of being so quick to pass judgement, I want people to actually try to help someone instead of making them feel like it's somehow their own fault.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Well, I am always writing and creating and looking to make my next project. In addition to making personal films like this one, I also own a horror film production company called Dead Mermaid Entertainment and me and the co-owner of that company, Daniel Rosas, are also getting ready to put out a few new horror films in addition to our most recent film, Deceivers, which is now making it's way around film festivals.
Interview: August 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
Drunk
Length:
13:20
Writer/Director/Producer
DANIELLE STRITMATTER is a writer, producer, director, and actress who has been working in the film industry for over 15 years and decided to start creating her own films to tell stories that will bring awareness to important issues, especially for women. "Drunk" is her directorial debut and is inspired by her own story as well as several other strong amazing survivors.
Key cast:
Danielle Stritmatter, Anthony Stanley, Laura Eletel
Looking for:
distributors, buyers, journalists
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/daniellestrit00
Instagram:
http://instagram.com/daniellestrit00