To Be Forgotten
A recovering addict trying to erase the online records of his past transgressions gets a call from a mysterious company that claims it can help him be forgotten—not only by the Internet, but by all the people that ever knew him and by the natural world itself.
Interview with Writer/Director Masa Gibson
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I read about laws in place in the EU that protect an individual's right to "be forgotten" online—in other words, the right to have certain Internet search results expunged—and became interested in the idea of taking that to an extreme. What if someone's entire existence could be expunged? What kind of person would seek that out? That question in turn led me to think about the worsening opioid epidemic in our country and the ways in which certain people can slip through the cracks and "be forgotten" by society.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I would recommend this film to anyone who likes sci-fi that sneaks up on its characters and, in turn, on the viewer. This film could actually be classified as sci-fi or not, depending on your interpretation of the events depicted in it.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
On a more personal level, I have watched people I know and love struggle with some of the same issues as Shane, the film's protagonist. Thematically, the film also poses questions about a society's responsibilities towards those of its members who need help but who are difficult to reach.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The biggest changes that occurred had to do with the sequence in which scenes were presented; the order of scenes in the final edit was quite different from the order originally dictated by the script.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Feedback has been generally positive, with fans of "genre" films appreciating its subtlety relative to other VFX-heavy, action-packed films alongside which it often gets screened. It's also been gratifying to witness audience laughter in certain moments during an otherwise dark story.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Some viewers have questioned Shane's affect, given his tragic backstory; but I believe that different people respond to loss in different ways, and that if you go back and track where Shane is at the beginning of the film after knowing what is revealed at the end of the film, his affect is reasonable.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
As is probably true for most filmmakers, I'm always looking for ways to get my work (and the work of all those involved in bringing the film to life) seen by more people!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
If any distributors or festival directors are interested in the film, they should by all means contact me!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
This film was made and released pre-COVID-19, but more than ever it seems relevant to ask questions about the relationships between individuals and society and who gets to dictate the terms of individuals' places in society.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
If someone wants to be forgotten, should they be granted that wish, no questions asked?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
My creative partner, Abby J. Smith, and I just released a 2020 lockdown short film, which we shot and starred in ourselves. The entire thing was shot on a mobile phone on the roof of our apartment building. The film is making the festival rounds now.
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
To Be Forgotten
Length:
24:23
Writer/Director
MASA GIBSON (they/them) holds a BA in Music from Rutgers University and a PhD in Linguistics from Cornell University. They are a classically trained singer and a Meisner-trained actor. After spending time on set as an actor, they migrated over to the other side of the camera to try their hand at filmmaking, co-founding Marked Pictures (markedpictures.com) with Abby J. Smith in 2013.
Producer
Masa Gibson, Abby J. Smith
Key cast:
Ryan Kay
Looking for:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ToBeForgottenTheFilm
More info:
https://www.masagibson.com/to-be-forgotten
Where can I watch it:
GeekFest Film Fest (dates and times TBA)