A Chance
When Mia and Caroline reunite in a city park, they soon find out that the past is not always quite past. Conflicts are resurrected, sparks fly - and then things get complicated.
Interview with Writer/director/producer/actor Jillie Simon
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you so much!
The original script of the short play that this film came out of ("Be Still"), is a very interesting and well-written slice of life, of a meeting between two exes whose relationship had failed but who still had strong feelings for - and chemistry with - each-other. When Ange Arabatzsis, the playwright, asked me to play the role of one of the characters, which had been written as Man & Woman, he also asked Karen Irwin to play the other character, saying, "Your energies are so different, I'd love to see you two as the ex-lovers". And I thought how great to make the characters same-sex lovers, making it an LGBTQ story...as sharing more stories of less well-represented and more marginalized people is a very good thing.
I felt that it could make a terrific short film if we had flashbacks of what led up to this moment in time, and if we could get them off the park bench, create more action, and he liked those ideas and agreed to all of it.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You should watch this if you like human stories, relationship stories that have twists and turns, great music and a tempo that builds and builds to the unexpected conclusion.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
"A Chance" highlights the universal nature of love and relationships struggling through turbulence. Love isn’t easy, sometimes things get messy and ultimately, if lovers are to make it through, they each need to rise to it. If they truly love each-other, they need to take care of each-other.
And, as Mia says to the homophobic bullies who are harassing the two women in a flashback scene, "it's just about love". Love is love, regardless of gender.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Though I had written a couple of the flashback scenes, most of them were created through improvisation. We worked those scenes by starting with the initiating idea for what the scene was about, and then having the other actors improvise the scene with me.
I love when I've been asked to improvise at the end of scenes in comedic films and web-series, or asked to improv a scene in rehearsal for theater (and have done improv shows at the Upright Citizen's Brigade and with the GrownUps Playground) - and the other actors who were in the improvised scenes with me, Karen, Marija Juliette Abney and Valentine Aprile were terrific to play with. In fact, Valentine's audition for her role was an improv of the scene and she nailed it - and her line from the audition became part of the script. It ended up working very well for the film, to create those flashback scenes in that way. And the park bench scene, which was taken verbatim from the play, was rehearsed like a play, prior to the shoot.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I've received some beautiful feedback, such as, at the Through Women's Eyes Film Festival in Sarasota, Florida, when an audience member came up to me with tears in her eyes, and thanked me, saying how good it was to see gay women represented on screen. And I received funny feedback from an audience member at - I think it was the Big Apple Film Festival, NYC -who came up to me, and said with a smile, "Through most of that I just wanted to strangle you!" But then he added "Ooh, that was so good. Well done."
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Feedback is always fascinating...I was not surprised that there is a hunger for film with LGBTQ protagonists, nor that it resonates with all audience regardless of sexuality. And nobody has challenged the points of view of the film. At one Q&A I was asked about the sexuality of the actors, and while I am simply an LGBTQ ally, several cast members are LGBTQ (as are members of the crew and post-production team as well) - and I was very glad in the pre-production stages to hear the script was well-received and resonated with them all.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
To spread the word about the film and the wonderful work of all involved in it so it gets to be seen by many. Which would also share the message that we are all one, we all love -and we all need to care for each-other and love one another. (-And we need to make sure everyone has their human rights to love whoever they choose!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We'd be very happy to hear from any journalists, distributors, film festival directors or buyers.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
A powerful impact and a positive reception!
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Is it better for the spark or flame between two people to be ignored when they have a history of being bad for each-other? -I like that the film seems to provoke conversation about relationships, and the nature of love.
Would you like to add anything else?
It was a pleasure to work with such a wonderful cast and crew, and on a meaty, complex character such as Mia. And Thomas did an amazing job with the beautiful score and the editing as well as the cinematography. This film also had many challenges to get it all shot and finished, so as with our first film "Hungry", I learned a tremendous amount through the process of it. ["Hungry" which co-stars Eric Roberts, is currently streaming on numerous sites- here's the link to that http://www.hungry.movie ]
- and as to where "A Chance" will be found next, after our Other Venice Film Festival screening, please check back on the "A Chance" facebook page, we will post updates --and latest update is that we just received an Award of Merit / Honorable Mention at the Awareness Festival, L.A.!
-"A Chance" has also been honored to receive awards for Best LGBT Short or Feature (Action on Film Festival, Las Vegas), Outstanding Actress: Jillie Simon and Best Drama ( X World International Film Festival, Rome), Best Ensemble (The Brightside Film Festival, Jersey City) and Best LGBT Short (Skiptown International Film Festival, L.A.) as well as numerous nominations.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Jillie: I just finished work acting in "SkyLife", a proof-of-concept short film for a tv series, an exciting thriller by MarvaLee Peart. I play one of the ensemble lead roles, Diana Spenser, senior flight attendant. I'm also working on the script of a new short film and feature film- continuing the story of our short film "Hungry". And just got asked to play the lead female in a new comedy, a play by Tim Young, which we will do a developmental reading/workshopping of, later this fall.
Thomas Simon: I'm currently editing a few music videos, putting together a follow-up album with my latest project "Sonar Atmosfera" which is with Brazilian producer Joao Milet Meirelles of Baiana System. We'd released our debut album in April 2020 and due to not being able to tour because of the pandemic, began performing a weekly session online, playing together apart, which we still do most Saturdays. And I'm planning, with Jillie, to make a new music video of our new single "Save Our Planet". https://jilliesimon.hearnow.com/
Interview: September 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
A Chance
Length:
15:50
Writer
Ange Arabatzsis and Jillie Simon
Writer/actor ANGE ARABATZSIS wrote short play, "Be Still", that the screenplay "A Chance" is based on. His plays have been performed Off-Broadway and in short play festivals in New York and Melbourne.
JILLIE SIMON, actor-singer-songwriter, whose previous screenplay "Hungry" became a multi-award-winning short film, was cast in "Be Still" and suggested it could make a great short film. She created the screenplay together with Ange.
Director
Jillie Simon and Ange Arabatzsis
ANGE ARABATZSIS came from Australia to NYC for two days of the shoot in November and directed the park scenes and party scenes. JILLIE SIMON, earlier that summer, had shot the flashback scenes that needed a warm weather setting. And then shot the rest of the scenes with the help of Producer/DP/Composer/Editor Thomas Simon, who'd co-directed their first short, "Hungry". They'd also co-directed two multi-award-winning music videos, of their band Musiciens Sans Frontieres.
Producer
Jillie Simon and Thomas Simon
Key cast:
Jillie Simon (Mia), Karen Irwin (Caroline), Alexandra Foucard (Fiance/Cyclist), Valentine Aprile (Val), Gisela Chipe (Threesome Woman), Jezabel Montero (Bartender), Chris Lazzaro (Bible-Spouting Bully), Steven Anderson (LoverBoy Bully), Ken Dillon (Drunken Bully), Marija Juliet Abney (Lu/Mia's friend)
Looking for:
distributors, film festival directors, buyers
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/AChanceFilm
Instagram:
http://instagram.com/jilliesimon
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/jilliesimon
Hashtags used:
#lgbtqfilm, #awardwinning, #loveislove #femalefilmmaker #shortfilms #filmfestivals, #drama, #indiefilm, #filmproducer, #madeinnyc, #diversityandinclusion
More info:
http://www.jilliesimon.com
Made in association with:
Where can I watch it now?
Other Venice Film Festival/ Beyond Baroque, Venice, California - October 2nd, 2021