To Be Forgotten

August 10, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

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)

Focus on AFI Conservatory - So Long

August 10, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

“So Long” is an attempt to discuss the in-between and what one chooses to display in public vs private. It is also ultimately a story about identity, grief, mourning, and rituals. How does one mourn or grieve the loss of someone, when that period is over, or when you’re at a distance?

Interview with Cinematographer / Director Jo Jo Lam

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I’ve been fascinated with exploring the notion of grief more in-depth for a while. Specifically - how to grieve a loved one from a distance? And how do we do that in a foreign land with foreign cultures? Grief naturally comes with lots of traditions and those rituals and traditions whilst performative also give the mourner a way to express their grief since it’s something hard to describe or share. I wanted to portray this experience visually as the grieving process itself is so loaded with symbolism and significance that a 3-minute film felt like a perfect way to explore it. ( though it could’ve been longer!)

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Grief is a universal subject and we all have had losses in some ways. Yet it remains to be a very taboo topic that we never talk about. I believe by confronting it and sharing these experiences will maybe help us feel a little less alone in the process and grieving is probably the loneliest experience I’ve ever personally experienced. I would say if you’d like to feel less alone then watch this film! Also if you’re a fan of films shot on 35mm celluloid!

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

“So Long” is an attempt to discuss the in-between and what one chooses to display in public vs private. It is also ultimately a story about identity, traditions, mourning, and rituals.

Those themes work visually in the film and I attempted to explore that through the transient nature of the location by the sea at sunset, the car wash, and the props. All of these locations or objects are impermanent and fleeting which reflects the very experience itself.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The script and shot list went through multiple iterations. As it is a film made by cinematographers - I really wanted to challenge myself in terms of how can we tell this universal story with the least amount of “setup” possible in such a short time. We relied heavily on natural light and by location scouting multiple times to be extremely precise with timing.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Feedback thus far has been great and people shared really personal stories with me about either their losses or their own experiences and I feel extremely privileged to hear some of these stories.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Definitely! I am a pretty harsh critic of my own work and I wanted to hear from people who didn’t connect with the film in which case usually is because they felt confused. This definitely challenges me to rethink how can we better improve at visual storytelling and how can we transcend through cultures and traditions that are perhaps less universal and more specific.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

We are moving stories features such incredible projects that I hope people will discover our short by reading and watching other projects on the platform?

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I’d be so honored and proud if a select few feel less alone by watching this film. Honestly that would be the best impact I can ask for.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

How do we mourn or grieve the loss of someone, when that period is over, or when we’re at a distance? What kind of traditions do you choose to abandon or keep?

So Long Cinematographer / Director Jo Jo Lam

Would you like to add anything else?

I wanted to give a huge shout-out to my cast and crew who without this film wouldn’t have been made possible! And also to Carmela for featuring us!

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I’m currently prepping my feature debut as a DOP and we are shooting in early September in Boston. I also have some short projects coming out after the summer and in general, looking forward to connecting with new directors on new narrative projects!

Interview: August 2021

So Long

Length:

3:00

Writer/Director

Jo Jo Lam is an emerging cinematographer born and raised in Hong Kong who has since lived and worked in Australia, the UK, and France. She's based between Los Angeles and Paris and speaks Chinese, English, and French fluently. The projects she lensed have had numerous successes in festivals such as Newfest LGBT Film festival and Kustendorf Film Festival.

With her unique experience of living internationally and versatile storytelling sensibilities, Jo Jo hopes to use the language of images to tell bold and different stories internationally with others who strive for the same. Jo Jo holds a MFA in Cinematography from the AFI Conservatory and is also a recent recipient of the Kodak Vision Award for Excellence in Cinematography.

Producers

Guo Guo: Based in LA and holds an MFA in producing at the AFI Conservatory, Guo Guo’s producing credits include the Palme d’Or nominated AYKA, winner of Best Actress at 2018 Cannes; 12 CITIZENS, the first Chinese feature film to win best picture at the 2015 Rome International Film Festival; MEIDUO, a 2020 Shanghai International Film Festival Media Award nominee, filmed on location in Tibet, Beijing and Lebanon; as well as 44-episode Chinese TV Series BE WITH YOU that has enjoyed over 1 billion views. A current participant in 2020 BAFTA LA Newcomers program, Women In Film 2020 Mentoring Program, Guo Guo is able to communicate fluently in English and Mandarin.

Katherine D. May is a producer/writer based in Los Angeles and a recent graduate of the American Film Institute Conservatory with an MFA in Producing.
She has a background in Marketing and Branded Content, and has worked at NBCUniversal, Hulu and Snap Inc. where she produced a wide range of projects, from marketing campaigns for studios and global brands, to augmented reality experiences. Most recently, Katherine has produced several award-winning shorts that have screened in multiple festivals around the globe. She is currently developing her first feature.

Key cast:

Nancy Ma

Looking for:

distributors, sales agents, journalists, film festival directors, buyers

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jo.lam127/

Instagram:

instagram.com/jojolamdop/

Hashtags used:

#cinematography #womeninfilm #femaledp #panavision #kodakshootfilm #bts #panaflex #cinematography #directorofphotography #setlife #womenbehindthecamera #camerawoman #freethework #femalecinematographer #onset

More info:

https://www.jojo-lam.com/selectedwork/solong

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory

Hippopotamus

August 07, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

A punk girl tries to play a show in public and faces pushback from the police.

Interview with Writer/Director Ari Gold

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I was biking past a parking lot in Venice and saw a makeshift show by a homeless future star named YumiSoCute.com, who was living in her car since she’d come out from New Orleans. I was super inspired by her, and offered to make her a music video.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

I hope it brings you energy. Yumi writes: “My aspiration is to wake people up to their power. My music is the anthem, and my existence is the proof that it’s possible to be free. I want to bring punk back to black. Being an alternative woman of color everyone looked at me funny, but respected me because I was true to myself. I want to be that role model, that icon, who creates personal freedom for those who listen, through my music and my energy.”

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Yumi's song is about being true to yourself despite being surrounded by people who aren't true to their word. She and the video express a a joyful fury, that feeling of having nothing to lose, which is universal to many young people, especially artists and those who our society pushes to the edge.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

We ended up with Park Rangers shutting down our no-budget shoot, with flashing lights and handcuffs, so the punk angry energy of the song ended up with just the right foil.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

People seem super energized and inspired by Yumi. A small number of older people were offended or scared or sad, when faced with the fury of the video, but younger people, and older punks, have felt the joy in the fury.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

It's always interesting - I made a decision to have a little "not-nice" moment of our heroes stealing a joint from a hippie (played by Greg Cipes) - and that kind of moment is always polarizing. Some understand it as a reaction to the police a few minutes before - action/reaction, without judgement. Some wanted me to make them "nicer."

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

To help Yumi get exposure for her music.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Music journalists.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

Waking up the market for a new wave of punk, particularly Black punk.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What is punk?

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you!

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I'm pitching an action-adventure tv series dealing with a joyful reaction to society's collapse - feels like Yumi's energy works with that!

Interview: August 2021

Hippopotamus

Length:

3:33

Writer/Director

Ari Gold has won over fifty prizes for his films, including best film at SXSW twice, the Student Oscar, and Best Director at the American Cinematheque / ARPA. His films have screened at Sundance, Karlovy-Vary, Rio, and won prizes on every continent except Antarctica. (He is working on that.) Ari’s most unusual distinctions include a High Times Magazine "Stoner of the Year" award, and a Guinness World Record for commanding the largest air-drum ensemble on earth.

His romantic drama "The Song of Sway Lake" played 52 international film festivals, winning Best Feature at over a dozen of these, and features Rory Culkin, Robert Sheehan (“Umbrella Academy”), and Mary Beth Peil. His air-drum cult comedy "Adventures of Power" ("One of the funniest films in recent years" - NY Magazine), with Jane Lynch, Michael McKean, Nick Kroll, and Adrian Grenier, is currently being re-released, with monthly online "watch parties" with rock stars.

Ari is in post-production on his third feature, "Helicopter,” which expands on his student-Oscar-winning short film about his mother’s death, and features legendary director Alejandro Jodorowsky.

Producer

Michelle Stratton

Key cast:

Yumi So Cute, Novi, Greg Cipes

Looking for:

Journalists

Facebook:

http://facebook.com/arigoldfilms

Instagram:

http://instagram.com/arigold

Twitter

http://twitter.com/arigold

Hashtags used:

#hypocrites #punkrock #fuckinghypocrites #venicebeach

More info:

AriGoldFilms.com/yumi

Focus on AFI Conservatory - Like Us

August 07, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

A lonely woman saves an alien who cannot experience emotions. As she tries to teach it what love is, she discovers that you can’t teach what you don’t know yourself.

Interview with Writer/Director Mikhail Saburov

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

My filmmaking almost always originates from an intellectual place. I guess it's no wonder I was very good at math! With all seriousness, though, Like Us began as an experiment of sorts - what would happen if someone was raised completely removed from society? Would they have the full spectrum of emotions as a "normal" person? And if they don't, would we as society attempt to understand and accept them or change them to something we are used to?

That is the underlying argument that created the structure of the story. Later on I found the characters and personal experiences that could make the concept into a story for others to watch. One of the main characters of the film is Kathie's husband - Jim. He's been fully paralyzed for a few years now and has no means of communication except for his eyes. The dynamic between Kathie, the alien (Rogl) and Jim became the main driving force of the story - that element I took from my own life as my grandfather was temporary paralyzed a few month before passing away.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

I want to believe the film manages to marry an entertaining and accessible narrative with some deeper underlying themes. If you're into sci-fi films that play on a more mainstream level, yet ask uncomfortable questions - Like Us might be the right fit for you!

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

It's always a mixture of both. Every film I make always starts with a specific premise - a thesis that I am to prove in the film. That what makes its bare-bone structure and guides me in choosing the right characters. The emotionality and humanity of the film comes in the next phase of development -- which is very much based on my own experiences (or experiences of the people I know) that would bring the concept to life and make it relatable.

Cause at the end of the day no one wants to watch a "message" or a "lesson", or even a concept. We all go to the movies to ride an emotional rollercoaster - my job is to marry the two so everyone can find something entertaining, yet thought-provoking in the stories I tell.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

As David Fincher once said, "Writer is only limited by their imagination. As a director - I have laws of physics to deal with". Since I'm both the writer and the director of this film, I surely experienced the both sides of the process. Trying to make a sci-fi believable under scheduling and budgetary constraints is a huge task and it would've been impossible without a great team, that luckily I had.

As far as the story itself goes - I went through many drafts trying to find the right balance and structure, juggling different characters and playing with various circumstances until I finally landed on a small, almost chamber-like piece that involved just three characters (and a cat).

What type of feedback have you received so far?

It was generally favourable, although there's much to improve in my own filmmaking in future projects. I'm always very emotional when the story touches someone on the deepest level, and I had a pleasure to experience it with this film. I can't be happier that the film will be available on DUST in the fall for a world-wide audience!

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

We had a privilege of screening the film in various stages of post-production to different focus groups - and that feedback was absolutely invaluable in getting the film to where it is today. In general, I think the biggest surprise was a very distinct love-hate response from the audience - either people bought into the story (and the sci-fi elements of it) and truly experienced and enjoyed it, or they felt completely disconnected. There was no middle-ground. One thing for sure - the film seems to leave no one indifferent. And that's a win in my book.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Reach a wider audience! I'm not an auteur director and I never aspired to be one. My ideal film is something that a person from any country, background or culture can enjoy - and I strive to make my films with that audience in mind.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Sales agents, buyers, film festival directors, journalists and distributors - everyone is more than welcome!

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I want it to be memorable. In the ocean of content we have available to us right now, a film that you remember a month after you watched it - is a huge achievement. And hopefully that "memorability" would also make you question what love truly means for you.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What is love? Do we accept a person if they're definition of love is vastly different from our own? Or do we pressure them into accepting our own view?

Yes, the film uses an alien to illustrate this debate, but it's a truly human story from the beginning to the end.

Would you like to add anything else?

I can't be more grateful for the opportunity to talk about Like Us. Thank you, We Are Moving Stories!

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I've been working on quite a few features and TV shows - some of which are in the sci-fi genre. I'm also developing a new short film that I hope to release next year. We'll see what happens!

Interview: July 2021

Like Us

Length:

18:49

Writer/Director

Mikhail Saburov

Born and raised in Russia, MIKHAIL started performing at a local theater at a young age, later on becoming director’s assistant and eventually directing short plays.

Determined to transition into film, MIKHAIL moved to NYC and graduated from School of Visual Arts. Since then MIKHAIL has written and directed several award-winning short films in both Russia and the US.

MIKHAIL currently works as a writer/director in LA after completing his MFA at AFI Conservatory.

Producer

Timur Khanachet

TIMUR is a graduate of Wesleyan University. He began his career at Curious Pictures, working on a variety of projects including stop-motion animation for EUREKA's special "Do You See What I See." He worked for four years in Dubai, UAE, producing content for the pay-TV network OSN, Emirates airline, TGI Fridays and WWE. Returning to America, he has worked on independent short films, web series and branded content for WWE and Hyundai.

Key cast:

Looking for:

sales agents, distributors, journalists, film festival directors, buyers

More info:
https://www.likeusfilm.org/

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory

Where can I watch it now?

DUST streaming platform - available this fall (date TBA).

MDFF 2021 - Nanna Power: The Story of the Gloucester Knitting Nannas

August 06, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

What could cause a great grandmother to lock herself to a fence?
The Gloucester Knitting Nannas formed during the regional New South Wales town’s fight against AGL, which made national headlines.
'When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty' is the motivation behind four grandmothers who protest against gas and greed in Australia.

Interview with Directors Anne Keen, Pete White

Watch Nanna Power: The Story of the Gloucester Knitting Nannas here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

ANNE KEEN: I found the group of women involved in the Gloucester Knitting Nannas empowering and inspiring. I wanted to know why they did what they did and believed that the story of these older women advocating for social justice was an important one to tell.

PETE WHITE: Firstly it was to see if Anne and I could work together making a film without killing each other. (We can.) Secondly, I personally love the idea that a great granny can get so passionate and upset about the destruction of her local area by corporate giants that she chains herself to a bloody gate to stop the trucks! Who does that! I wish I had the guts to. I don’t. But they do. And we wanted to tell their story.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

ANNE KEEN: When you think of protesters - people who chain themselves to fences for hours upon hours - do you imagine them to be grandmothers or great grandmothers? The story of these women may change the way you think about activism. These are educated women putting their lives on the line for social justice. They are breaking down the stereotypes of who people believe environmental activists to be.

Nanna Power: The Story of the Gloucester Knitting Nannas

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

ANNE KEEN: This film is about protecting the planet and how far people are willing to go to secure a healthy planet for the future. It’s about the strength of women and their desire to ensure there is a planet for future generations.

PETE WHITE: I suppose in the end it's about the planet and what a shit job we are doing in taking care of it. In Australia’s case, the first Australians lived here for tens of thousands of years and hardly left a mark on the joint. In just 200 odd years the ugly scars of the European settlement are plain for the eye to see.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

ANNE KEEN: The story that I set out to tell - well, I mean, the story that I thought I was going to tell evolved as I got to know the women. In my mind, I believe they were part of the flower power generation that protested through the 60s and 70s, but that wasn’t the case at all. Some only started protesting as a senior.

PETE WHITE: I think the personalities of our hero nannas really came into focus as I was editing the film. Before that, it is really just questions on a page. But when you see how passionate, and bloody funny these gals are, it makes my job a bit easier to make it engaging to watch.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

ANNE KEEN: It has been well received with people really loving our Nannas

PETE WHITE: Really positive so far. Who doesn’t love a pissed off Nanna!

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

ANNE KEEN: No. I reiterate what Pete said!

PETE WHITE: Not really. I think both Anne and I believed in their cause from the start. I don’t think we would have made it otherwise.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

ANNE KEEN: It's a really good story of amazing, strong women that more people need to see. You're never too old or part of the wrong demographic to make change happen.

PETE WHITE: On a purely selfish note, Anne and I would simply love to keep making documentaries. As they say in sport, you are only as good as your last game, so we are hoping people will like what they see in Nanna Power and ask us to make another. But more importantly, I think this film shows that the passion and commitment to keep our planet clean and safe never wavers with age. In fact, with these women, it is strong and truly alive. They are amazing.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

ANNE KEEN: Buyers, distributors and journalists.

PETE WHITE: Journos and distributors I suppose. Because climate change is a global issue. It’s not going away. The more stories people hear, the more everyone takes it seriously and gets involved, the more pressure gets put on leaders and who knows, we may still be able to leave something of this planet to our grandkids to inherit that's not totally toxic.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

ANNE KEEN: It would be good to help raise awareness of people power and how standing up for what you believe in can have an impact. It would also be good to inspire other women, of all ages, to feel empowered and able to act on things they feel are important.

PETE WHITE: Just for people to think about the health of our planet. From memory one of the nannas says that if they can change just one person's mind, or at least challenge their point of view, they are one small step closer to saving the planet. Everybody has to do their bit. They are certainly doing theirs.
Also, just a reminder that when you reach the back end of your time on this planet, you can still have a voice, still have passion, and still make a difference.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

ANNE KEEN: What could cause a great grandmother to lock herself to a fence?

PETE WHITE: Don’t leave it up to your nanna to fix the fucked state of this planet. Get off your arse and do something.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

We are in the post production stage of a new doco about a local stockman.

Interview: August 2021

Nanna Power: The Story of the Gloucester Knitting Nannas

Length:

20:29

Writer/Director/Producer

ANNE KEEN
Anne Keen is a journalist working for Australian Community Media, a writer working on publishing her first novel, and a documentarian. Anne recently reconnected with her passion for visual storytelling. Her first documentary and solo project, Undermining a Community was selected for the 2020 Far South Film Festival. Later that year, she co-founded Treechange Films with Pete White which completed its first documentary in January 2021, Nanna Power: The story of the Gloucester Knitting Nannas.

Key cast:

Gloucester Knitting Nannas are: Carol Bennett, Elizabeth Bartlett, Kate Fry and Pippa Robinson

Looking for:

distributors, buyers

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TreechangeFilms

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/treechange_films/

Hashtags used:

#treechangefilms #knittingnannas #nannapower

More info:

Where can I watch it now?

Far South Film Festival - The Picture Show Man Cinema, Merimbula, NSW Australia Saturday, August 21
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival - Cinema Nova, Carlton, VIC Australia Tuesday September 14 (COVID delayed - should have been July 31)

Focus on AFI Conservatory - Black Boys Can't

August 06, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

Javion is a dutiful and loving black father. He is the protector and provider of the family, including his wife, daughter, and grandmother. However, he is haunted by a secret that he continues to bury in silence. Not knowing how to deal with the trauma, he attempts to hide the behemoth inside him that is trying to break out. But not until tonight when he is finally overwhelmed, and he attacks his family while he ultimately comes face-to-face with his painful past. Only the prayerful hands of his grandmother can help channel his buried emotion from taking control.

Interview with Cinematographer Robert L. Hunter and Writer/Director Victor Gabriel

Watch Black Boys Can’t Cry on Vimeo

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

ROBERT HUNTER: I've always wanted to make a film that explored the power of medicine. Not medicine in the traditional western sense, but medicine in a more personal, cultural sense. As an indigenous person, the idea of medicine can take many forms. Song is medicine, family is medicine, a grandmas healing touch is medicine. These are universal concepts that I think we can all relate to. Who doesn't feel better after hearing their favorite song? Who doesn't feel better after seeing their family?
The Visual Essay program at AFI gave me an opportunity to begin my exploration - Although I didn't quite have a story yet. That's where I brought in my brother Victor, a screenwriting fellow at AFI.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

ROBERT HUNTER: I'll be honest in saying that I don't think this film is for everyone although I'm sure most people can appreciate it. It's a heavy film that unpacks a lot of trauma in just under 5 minutes. But it's also a hopeful film.

VICTOR GABRIEL: Black males are not allowed to cry. Because of this, they do not know how to. So much violence in my community occurs because of the shame that our men hold. The shame and fear that I've held, and internalized since a child that then turned into rage and extreme pain. This movie is about me, my family, the men I've worked with as a therapist, and the thousands of black boys who have suffered traumatic injuries in silence with no one to hear their hidden tears. I made BLACK BOYS CAN'T CRY with the hope that one day, those who are weary and heavy-laden will find rest for their souls.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

ROBERT HUNTER: We wanted to keep it real and by doing so we tried to subvert the audiences expectations of darkness and light. Sometimes in the real world the ugliest and most horrible things happen in broad daylight. As a society we are conditioned to perceive darkness as bad and scary - but that may only be because we don't understand its power all around us. Some of the most beautiful, healing moments happen in darkness if we allow ourselves to get past the fear.
I believe that's what our family in this film is experiencing and because of that it was important for Vic and I to treat the making of this film like a ceremony of sorts. Walk gently, and create an atmosphere of sweetness, gentleness and kindness and always remember to be grateful that we get to tell this story.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

ROBERT HUNTER: I came to Vic with a concept and mood board. Our cultures and home communities share many parallels and because of that we felt we could tell a story that was universal.
One example is the power of touch and song. The ceremonial songs from my community and the spirituals from his community have the ability to make a grown man buckle to his knees and break down in tears. The songs combined with a family matriarch creates an impenetrable wall that no amount of evil can break through. After a few discussions Vic knew exactly which story he wanted to tell.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

ROBERT HUNTER: I feel the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The film is nearing the end of its festival run and many audiences have responded well to the performance of Phrederic Semaj. He brought so much to the character.

VICTOR GABRIEL: We have received great feedback so far and even won The Social Impact Award @ HollyShorts. It has been humbling, surprising and also motivating to keep working.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

ROBERT HUNTER: There were moments throughout the development where certain elements of our story came into question. However Vic and I needed to stay true to our intentions for the story to work the way we saw it. We are dealing with a complex subject matter and it may not be everyones cup of tea.

VICTOR GABRIEL: The feedback has not surprised me, we swung for the fences in terms of subject matter and there are going to be people who love it and those who would rather not see it. And both are okay. I think we knew on some level that what the response would be, whether it was “this is too much” or “this is incredible”.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

VICTOR GABRIEL: Selfishly more exposure. And also, because of the type of film it is, the conversation that can be garnered concerning black male trauma is necessary.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

VICTOR GABRIEL: We need journalists, producers and film festival directors to help us spread our film into the world.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

VICTOR GABRIEL: On a social level I would say I want the world to connect to black male suffering and black male triumph. Too often we are the scapegoats of the black community, the black male image is reviled and desecrated and I am not sure black men are even allowed to acknowledge that.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

VICTOR GABRIEL: Do we actually care about what happens to black men or do we perform faux outrage when we get murdered by police?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

VICTOR GABRIEL: We are in post production for a proof of concept short film that will be leading into a feature film called The Incredible Heist Of Hallelujah Jones. It’s about a black boy in Compton CA who is a bookworm who is planning to steal a very important book from a high end auction house.

Interview: July 2021

Black Boys Can't Cry

Length:

4:34

Writer/Director

VICTOR GABRIEL is an African-American writer/director in Compton CA and is a recent MFA graduate of AFI Conservatory. He holds a BA in Sociology and an MA in Clinical Psychology and has been working as a therapist with survivors of trauma for the past several years. Growing up in poverty and experiencing severe abuse and abandonment pushed him to attempt to help others heal and soon he turned to filmmaking as another way for him to wrestle with suffering.

Cinematographer

ROBERT L. HUNTER — of Blackfeet, Sho-Pai and Washoe descent — is a storyteller currently based in Los Angeles, CA. He firmly believes our optics have the power to inform our culture and the societal narrative. His commitment is to use that power in service to community. Hunters 35mm short film recently won the Social Impact Award at the Oscar Qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival. He is a recent Cinematography graduate at the American Film Institute.

Producer

JORDAN TYNER graduated from Ohio University with a BS in Communications and a Business Administration minor. In 2014, he moved to Los Angeles to attend the inaugural OHIO-In-LA film program. He worked as a Production Assistant for HBO, ABC, TNT and Amazon. He has also worked as an Actor's Assistant on AMERICAN CRIME STORY and AMERICAN HORROR STORY. Last summer, he served as the Producer's Assistant on an upcoming film shot in New Orleans. Tyner has produced one short film, a web series pilot and recently completed principal photography as producer on the feature-length film THROUGH THE BLINDS.

Key cast:

Phrederic Semaj, Tysonia Sichinga, Adrienne Bratton, La’Croiz Locke, Elliott Williams

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blackboyscantcry/

Hashtags used:

#shareblackstories

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory

Fizzle

August 05, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

Eight strangers, one party, social pitfalls and a host of inhibitions intertwine in a comic take on the states of being we see in ourselves and others.

Interview with Producer Ingrid Saxon and Writer Gilbert Girion

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Fizzle is originally a play by Gilbert Girion, who was invited by Robert Woodruff at The Bay Area Playwrights Festival to attend an Invited Writers Workshop led by Sam Shepard. The following year, Girion was invited back to the festival as Playwright-In-Residence. In addition to Palm 90, which he co-wrote, he wrote and directed Fizzle.

Fizzle was later done at The West Bank Cafe in New York City. It was very well received and brought back by popular demand. Among the other very fine actors, Julianne Moore had the distinguished role of Simply The Maid.

Enter Ingrid Saxon (Producer, Actress, Singer & Vocal Instructor) who is very familiar with Girion's work. When she first read Fizzle, she immediately envisioned it as a film and felt compelled to make it. She tapped the incredible Jeremiah Kipp to direct and assembled a stellar team of actors that began with Peter Friedman, Geoffrey Owens, Caitlin O'Connell and James Strouse. Following that she enlisted Steve Coats, Marisa Brau, Jennifer Plotzke and herself to round out the cast!

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

If you’ve found yourself in a social situation or a party, where you felt awkward and uncomfortable, then you just might recognize yourself in our film. Gilbert Girion’s writing follows these characters in their stuck worlds, and somehow makes it funny.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The recognition of seeing our characters going through their experiences underneath the facades that they put up, allows the audience member to feel that they are not alone.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Gilbert originally wrote and directed this at the Bay Area Playwrights Festival with a much lighter comedic feel. It was then done at the West Bank Cafe in NY (with Julianne Moore in the role of Simply The Maid). When I decided to make it into a film, I sent the script to Jeremiah Kipp. He took it to a much deeper level, which really enhanced the piece.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

As far as feedback, here’s a great quote from a recent review by Richard Propes which says so beautifully a lot of the feedback that we’ve received - "In fact, Fizzle is the best kind of comedy because it’s laughs are genuine and true, and borne out of real life in all its weirdest and quirkiest and darkest moments when we so often become defined by our obsessions and controlled by our stuckness in this thing we call the human condition."

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Not really. We are happy that for the most part, people are “getting” what we intended. And that’s a good feeling.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

We are interested in distribution and streaming options for Fizzle, so that more people have the opportunity to see it. We are also looking for collaborators, producers, and angels for our future projects.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

We are always interested in reviews and interviews for Fizzle and future projects. We would love to ultimately see Fizzle find a home on one of the larger streaming platforms, including Netflix, Amazon and Criterion.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

We are proud of our film. From the writing, directing, acting, cinematography, lighting, sound, music, editing, and coloring.

We feel that the feel and look of our film is like another character. We want people to see themselves, and to feel that they’re not alone. We are also interested in visibility for Gilbert Girion’s work. He is a prolific writer, and we have many projects that we would like to see realized with creatives who we really resonate with.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film

How comfortable are you in your own skin? Have you ever felt that you just don’t fit in?

Would you like to add anything else?

I just want to thank everyone involved in creating Fizzle. A shout out to our Line Producer, Camden Elizabeth, who helped us put together such a great team. And especially our Associate Producers Jennifer Plotzke and Marisa Reyes-Brau, for their beautiful performances and also for their expertise and support. I realize how important it is to be surrounded by a gifted and like-minded team.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Ingrid is currently in Pre-Production for her first feature length film, Mountain Of Night, by Gilbert Girion, which takes place in a Mobile Home Retirement Community in Cathedral City, CA. Director Jeremiah Kipp's feature film Slapface recently had its World Premiere at Cinequest Film Festival and will have its UK Premiere at the Arrow Video FrightFest 2021.

Interview: July 2021

Fizzle

Length:

29:35

Writer

Gilbert Girion is a playwright and screenwriter. He has been commissioned to write plays by New Writers, Overtones Theatre and the New York Shakespeare Festival (NYSF). Nominated by the NYSF, he was the recipient of a Drama League Grant. Girion wrote the film American Blue Note which was released in 1992. His short film Let Go premiered at the 1997 Hamptons Film Festival. He has collaborated with Wayne Wang, Joseph Chaikin, and Bill Hart. He received a 1997/1998 Playwriting Commission from Playwrights Horizons and was invited by Robert Woodruff to the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, where he served as Playwright-in-Residence. Girion taught Screenwriting and Storytelling at Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts.

Director

Jeremiah Kipp - Award Winning writer, producer and director with over ten years experience creating narrative and commercial films. Through his work, he has the proven ability to provide the highest level of visual direction, story development and work with actors. His latest feature Slapface recently had its world premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival.

Producer

Ingrid Saxon - Actress, Singer, Vocal Coach, and Producer. Most recently she produced and acted in Gilbert Girion's play The Last Word. Currently in talks for her first Feature Film.

Key cast:

Peter Friedman (Man Who Bores), Geoffrey Owens (Man Who Sneezes), Ingrid Saxon (Woman Who Yearns Twice), Jennifer Plotzke (Woman Who Watches), Caitlin O'Connell (Woman Who Feels Pinned), James Strouse (Man Who Wasn't Invited), Steve Coats (Man Who Plays Piano), Marisa Brau (Simply, the Maid).

Looking for:
distributors

Social media

http://facebook.com/fizzlebygilbertgirion

http://twitter.com/fizzlethefilm

http://instagram.com/fizzlethefilm

Hashtags used:

#fizzle #fizzlethefilm

Where can I watch it?

Action on Film International Film festival, Las Vegas: 7/28 11 am

Focus on AFI Conservatory - Under the flag

August 05, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

A driven and conscientious girl at China’s premier dance school gets the lead position in a prestigious performance but struggles to accept it after she learns that her mother has bribed the teacher to buy her the part.

Interview with Writer/Director Jiawei Cheng

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

As a young, Chinese director, I’ve always been fascinated by the clash between the individual and the social system that commands the individual’s obedience. I met a group of 14 year old dancers in a rigorous and demanding dance program at one of the best art schools in China. I really felt for the girls, most of whom had been pushed into dance by their families and who were now under tremendous pressure to excel at dance, because they had missed out on a normal education that would have given them basic survival skills. I wanted to capture the moment in which an individual rises against this system of corrupt, cut-throat competition, and in the defeat of that individual by the system, I wanted to remind people of a time in which they may have resisted the injustice of whatever system they lived in, only to be defeated and absorbed by the system’s power.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

The world of Chinese education is fresh and has never been depicted authentically in film -- it is therefore a plunge into a unique world. It also highlights the cost of total subservience to social pressures, and is therefore a compelling watch.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The story is personal to me as that of a young girl being pinballed around by the pressures of a winner-takes-all social machinery. And since we all know what it feels to be outsiders, trying to fit into a world that makes demands of us, my protagonist's struggle becomes a universal struggle.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The script was developed over a year at AFI; our mentors guided us through various drafts of the story. We eventually settled for the high-octane world of Chinese dance, because we found it to be visually stunning.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We have gotten into many film festivals --

— Winner, Student M.A. Award, Bolton International Film Festival
— Nominated for awards at the Prague Independent Indie Film Festival
— Screened at AFI Fest
— Selected to screen at the 17th In the Palace International Film Festival
— Selected to screen at New Jersey Film Festival
— Selected to screen at Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival
— Selected to screen at Orlando Film Festival
— Selected to screen at the 10th Pune Short Film Festival
— Selected to screen at the SJFF’s 31st Film Festival

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

We are grateful that the film has been well received, that people are connecting with this world and this struggle.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I'd like to share this story with as many people as possible, and to have people with diverse viewpoints appreciate the moral nuances of this world.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I would like for this film to get people to question social systems, to wonder whether it's worth sacrificing your identity in order to fit into a system.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Should one simply be what others want you to be? Or should one strive to maintain one's own morality and individualism when pushed by social forces?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

YOUR BOY - Dramedy, feature

A disaffected fisherman in small-town China seeks fame and fortune in the world of rap music; He self-funds the superstar life to project the image required to climb the industry ladder, trying to stay afloat in a plastic world as he struggles to find himself.

Interview: July 2021

Under the flag

Length:

15:00

Writer

JIAWEI CHENG graduated from AFI with an MFA degree in Directing. She is also a graduate of New York University’s Tisch Film and TV program (Class of 2016). Her thesis film, ‘NEW YEAR’ won Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actor at the Wasserman Award of NYU's First Run Film Festival. In 2017, Jiawei collaborated with Academy Award®-nominated documentary director Christine Choy for the film ‘LEGAL SMUGGLING’, which was selected in the 2016 New York Film Festival.

DHRUV KANUNGO graduated from AFI with an MFA degree in Screenwriting. He studied law in Mumbai and practiced real estate litigation before deciding to pursue a career in film and television. His feature screenplay, ’UNTOUCHABLE’ was a semi-finalist in the Universal Writers Program and in the Cinestory Feature Fellowship, and a finalist in the ScreenCraft Drama Screenplay Contest.

Director

Producer

Danwen Lei

Key cast:

Michelle Chung (Yiyi)

Looking for:

sales agents, journalists, producers, buyers

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory

Turf Nation

August 04, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

Turfing is an Oakland-born dance form that combines roots in gang culture with elements of tutting, gliding and bone breaking; Turf Nation follows the street dancers perform on BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) trains, as they pave their own paths towards freedom and independence.

Interview with Director/Producer Jun Bae

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I made this film while I was a graduate student at Stanford's Documentary Film MFA program. I lived in Oakland for the summer and met the dancers at a local dance battle in West Oakland. The following week they asked me to film their BART Shows on the train and that was enough confirmation for me to start making my thesis film. I am a Bboy and although I come from a different style of dance, getting to know turfing was so fresh to me as I have not seen this style before moving to the Bay Area. The goal of this film is to highlight street dancer's lifestyle and the cultural impact it has on the youths.

I would love the film to elevate the dignity of those that created the culture that everyone is affected by. Even if you don't dance on a daily basis, you are still influenced by these cultural waves through music, mass media and news. These waves are fresh, unapologetic and ultimately shape the future generation.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

You might have seen the street dancers perform on trains and different platforms in the city but how often do you get to know their back story? I wanted people to understand the essence of street performing and how it is not only a vital source of income to the street dancers but also a platform to showcase their talent that can lead to bigger opportunities, such as getting booked for TV Shows and Music Videos

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Most people can relate to Lavish's ambition to strive for a better version of themselves everyday. He says, "I still ain't made it to my goal." I think most people can relate to this because we are naturally born with some kind of ambition and goals.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Bay Area is a cultural capital. With its rich history rooted in authenticity, the dance form turfing emerged in Oakland, California in the early 2000. The unique landscape of Oakland with its glories and issues gave birth to a new form of dance that is practiced worldwide. It combines various elements of dance styles such as Flexing (also known as bone-breaking, a Brooklyn-born style), Tutting, and Gliding that draws inspiration from ballet. It has reached cultures overseas including UK and Mexico and Japan. But the dance is still in its infancy with pioneers of the form still actively developing the language as we speak.

Initially the film was going to focus on the dance style itself but I became more interested in the dancer's lifestyle. Eventually I wanted the film to provide an intimate portrait of street dancers in the Bay Area.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I received a lot of great feedback and the most common questions I get are - "Are they all double-jointed?" Actually most of them have regular joints but train to bone-break in that way.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Feedback is always interesting and helps me shape the next film in line. I don't make films based on people's feedback but I do definitely take them into consideration to expand my point of view. The challenging feedback was "The film needs more of a structured storyline" and I can only agree.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I hope that more people can find and watch Turf Nation and get to know the street dancer's lifestyle told through the street dancer's perspective.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Sales agents and distributors who can recognize the audience of the film so that it can be streamed on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, STARZ...etc.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

It is my hope and intention that the film inspire audience to believe in their own ambitions and pursue their own dreams.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Can street dancers become successful?

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you for taking the time to review my work and I look forward to working with collaborators on your platform to amplify the film's exposure to a greater international audience.

Dance continues to evolve and it is ultimately an expression of freedom for those it is not granted. It is a form that is sought out and is inherent to the human condition. It is a reaction to the environment and action at the same time.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I am currently cutting a documentary film about a street dancer depicted in the film, Frenchiebabyy who was recently on the new season of America's Got Talent. The film focuses on the street dancer's lifestyle in Los Angeles and his ambition to fame as an artist from a street dancer.

Interview: July 2021

Turf Nation

Length:

13:27

Writer/Director

Jun Bae is a Tokyo-born Korean Director. His award-winning films have screened in film festivals around the world. He holds an MFA in Documentary Film and Video from Stanford University. He is currently based in Los Angeles directing films, music videos and commercials. He is the founder of the creative studio Prizm Vision.

Key cast:

Philip Mays (Yung Phil), Donald Brooks (Lavish), Denzel Harris (Zel), Raphael Jackson (Yung Raph)

Looking for:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/junbaeofficial

Instagram:

http://instagram.com/turfnationfilm

Hashtags used:

turfnationfilm, turfnation

More info:

junbae.com/turf-nation

Focus on AFI Conservatory - Haunt

August 04, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

Docked pay by her unethical boss, Nora must take a job at a local Halloween haunt in order to stay afloat.

Interview with Writer/Director Nikki Born

Watch Haunt here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

In my early twenties, I worked at a haunted house in the Bay Area for three years as a scare actress and a make-up artist. Working there in such a creative and exciting atmosphere changed my life forever in that it inspired me to go for my dream of being a filmmaker! I always knew I would make a movie/show about it one day, and so we did. But it's not all clown giggles and fake blood over here--this film was cathartic for me after having been through sexual assault. I wanted to make a female-revenge film and so these two ideas merged into one film and now we have Haunt :)

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Because you're craving a new Halloween movie to fall in love with and watch year after year. Because you love to see women win/get revenge. Because you love the idea of going behind the scenes of a haunted house attraction and because you love to be entertained!!

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I think we all crave catharsis and justice. In a haunt, you can put on a mask and scream in the faces of the very same people who were just bitching to your manager at your day job.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Well this was made a couple years ago now, so I can hardly remember how each draft evolved but I will say that this has gone from a short film to something I'm developing with another writer as a television show!

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Honestly, people seem to love this film! A real crowd pleaser. It's one of the best thing's I've had the pleasure of working on--our entire team was amazing.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

The only thing the feedback has challenged is my own sense of imposter-syndrome. Like, maybe there is a seat at the table for me in this industry? Maybe I CAN do this, ya know?

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

All I've ever wanted for Haunt is more eyes on it. I just want people to be able to enjoy it as much as I do.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Distributors, buyers, producers, agents, journalists. Anyone who can help take this film and future spinoffs to the next level can call me ANY TIME.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

The dream is just to have it be one of those films that people always want to watch around Halloween, like Hocus Pocus or Halloweentown or maybe a South Park Halloween special.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

"What do you think the shit was made out of?"

Would you like to add anything else?

We are so grateful for the opportunity to be on your site! Thank you so much!!

Interview: July 2021

Haunt

Length:

13:20

Writer

Nikki Born and Marc Sedaka

NIKKI is a writer/director from the Bay Area and a graduate of AFI for Directing. She currently is developing multiple projects from tv shows to features to kids books!

MARC received his BA from Cornell University and MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where he wrote, directed and edited numerous short films including the Emmy award-winning THE WORLD AGAINST JASE. His professional writing credits for film and TV include OVERNIGHT DELIVERY starring Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd, and two seasons on CBS’s THE KING OF QUEENS. As an editor, Marc has cut three feature films in addition to nine short films at the American Film Institute Conservatory where he received a second MFA in Film Editing.

Director

Nikki Born

Producer

Asia Coleman

ASIA is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, with a BA in Critical Studies, and graduated from the American Film Institute Producing Program with a Masters in Producing. She is also a recipient of the Producer’s Guild Debra Hill Fellowship.

Currently, Asia is the Senior Coordinator for the American Film Institute’s Producing Program and the Head of Roger Dodger Studios, a California-based Development Company that looks to diversify content in front of and behind the screen.

Key cast:

Carly Stewart (Nora), Mathew Herman (Dan), Melanie Glickman (Marie), Alexander Crow (Guy/Slider Dude), Mark Coyan (Louie)

Looking for:

distributors, producers

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/hauntthemovie

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory

Where can I watch it now?

Will be on Alter and Curia soon but they haven't told us when yet!

Hekademia

August 03, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

In the near future, an isolated teenage girl attends a virtual reality high school.

Interview with Writer/Director Gloria Mercer

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I was inspired to make this film while reading about radical pedagogical experiments in the twentieth century. Things like eliminating power structures from classrooms and taking new approaches to children's learning environments. Thinking about that in a modern context, I was fascinated by how these principles would be affected by technology like virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

With those concepts as a background, the film became a coming-of-age story about a lonely teenage girl's first romantic experience. I decided to set it in the near future because I think the adolescent relationship to the climate crisis is so heartbreaking and compelling, so the loneliness of Marion's apartment became more stifling and heartbreaking because we know she lives in a world that is becoming more and more uninhabitable.

I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Hekademia breaks new ground because it delves into social science fiction from the perspective of a teenage girl. Science fiction is so often from a male-dominated, heteronormative perspective, and this film moves beyond that into new territory. It also asks questions about the adolescent relationship to technology that have become increasingly relevant, especially after over a year spent relying on technology as our primary mode of communication.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

My films generally focus on women's relationships and explore loneliness and the struggle to connect with those around you. I like to have strong but idiosyncratic female characters in my films; women who are flawed and real. I guess these characters end up feeling isolated from those around them by design, because they feel like they don't fit in with the world around them.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

I developed the script slowly over a few years, working on it when I had time. Originally the story was going to be about younger children, but it obviously evolved into a teenage coming-of-age story.

Now I'm actually developing the story into a one-hour teen drama series with my partner, Aidan West, who was a producer on the short. He is an amazingly talented writer, so it's been great collaborating with him on what a long form version of Hekademia might look like, and exploring that world in deeper ways.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We've been really lucky to be have been quite well-received so far. We made the film before the pandemic started, and it ended up being unfortunately prescient. It has been particularly gratifying to the film resonate with young people who relate to Marion's struggles.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

With every film, people see things or interpret things in ways that surprise me, but luckily it's usually in a positive way. With science fiction, there are so many mysteries about the world, which means people will draw their own conclusions. I also purposefully like to end things on ambiguous notes, which leads to people having theories and questions. It's great! I love when films ask more questions than they answer.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I think We Are Moving Stories is a great concept. Giving filmmakers the opportunity to talk about their work in depth is such a gift. I'm just happy if audience members read about the film and are compelled to watch it.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

At this stage we have secured a Canadian broadcast on the CBC for December of this year. However, we would love to have distributors come on board to reach other international markets. I would absolutely love to have a European streaming home for Hekademia.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

Representation is important to me, so I hope that this film will impact young girls who see themselves in this film. I tend to make quiet films that explore character and inner conflict. My hope is that girls who are struggling with loneliness, whether that's caused by isolation from the pandemic or feeling alone because of the grim state of the world, will connect with Hekademia and feel like they're less alone. Or that they'll see a women-centric science fiction film and be inspired to pursue sci-fi storytelling themselves!

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What does authentic connection look like in a world where so many of our interactions take place in virtual spaces?

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you so much for interviewing me about this project. I am so proud of everyone on the Hekademia team, and it means a lot to get to speak about the process of making the film.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Myself and Aidan West are currently in pre-production on a short film called "Smoke Eater", based on Aidan's feature script of the same name. We were lucky to be one of only three projects to receive the Harold Greenberg "shorts to features" fund. Smoke Eater is set in a 1981 fire hall, and explores a day in the life of one of the first female fire fighters at the time. Beyond that, we are also developing an indie feature feminist thriller titled "A Safe Distance", which we hope to film in the interior of BC, Canada in 2022.

Producer Andy Wong is currently producing a project called the "Quarantine Qapsule", a collection of artworks by Asian Canadians that reflect on life during the pandemic. He also owns Lonely Artist Productions, a film company where he produces independent films.

Interview: July 2021

Hekademia

Length:

16:01

Writer/Director

GLORIA MERCER is a filmmaker from Vancouver, which is located on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Her award-winning short films have screened at international festivals worldwide. She is an alumni of the Simon Fraser University Film Program and the Women in the Director's Chair program. Her next short film, Smoke Eater, received funding from the prestigious Harold Greenberg Fund.

Producers

ANDY WONG is an Asian-Canadian filmmaker from Vancouver who has a passion for telling complicated stories with heart. His projects have gone on to win awards at film festivals such as Hollyshorts Film Festival, Vancouver Asian Film Festival, and FlickerFest. He aspires to connect the BIPOC community who are passionate at telling stories, hoping to be a part of the changing climate in Hollywood.

AIDAN WEST is a writer and filmmaker. He is an alumnus of the SFU undergraduate film program and the MFA screenwriting program at UCLA's School of Theatre, Film, and Television. His award-winning screenplays have placed in the second round at the Austin Film Festival, and have won awards through the California Film Awards, Canada International Film Festival, and placed as a quarter-finalist at the Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition.

Key cast:

Emma Soothill (Marion), Serena Crouse (Cassidy), Lissa Neptuno (Joanne)

Looking for:

distributors, buyers

Social media:

https://www.facebook.com/hekademiafilm

https://twitter.com/hekademiafilm

https://www.instagram.com/hekademiafilm/

Hashtags used:

#hekademia #seehorsefilms

More info:

https://vimeo.com/seehorsefilms

Where can I watch it:

Vancouver Queer Film Festival / Vancouver, Canada - Aug 12th-22nd; Dublin Feminist Film Festival / Dublin, Ireland - Aug 20th-22nd

Focus on AFI Conservatory - Spaceship

August 03, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

When a Latina transwoman in East LA is on the verge of losing her daughter to child services, she begins to unravel as she is forced to confront her buried traumas and fears.

Interview with Writer/Director Jorge G. Camarena

Watch Spaceship here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

"I want to be free, not brave." This is what a sign I saw during a protest in my hometown said, and it encompasses how Maria, the protagonist of Spaceship, feels. It is also how my mother felt when she had to raise me while having a professional job and demanding career at a time where it wasn’t socially approved that women worked, especially in Guadalajara Mexico where I was born and raised.

She took me to her job because there wasn’t anyone available to take care of me. Her passion and dedication to her career and family had a huge impact on me, especially her strength to pull everything together in order to raise me. I could see that she struggled although she did a very good job in hiding it. The bond I have with my mother is what is fueling this story.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

The idea is to submerge in to one moment of Maria’s life where we experience the complexity of the human condition through the eyes of a mother whose identity forces her into a central role in the much needed paradigm shift of the social institutions. It’s about how each of us fights and deals with our own battles in a unique way and discovering ourselves within the mess of our own chaos.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Growing up being an introverted person who has deeply struggled to find a sense of belonging, I’m drawn into narratives that are hidden in plain sight or that are constantly ignored. The beauty of broken things and how they compose and connect us.

When I moved to LA, I found the Latino communities struggling with the same social strictures that prevent people back home from being who they really are. All of this cultural phenomena is constantly evolving and in the middle of that tornado, Maria, is fighting her own battle.

The film dances between the environment and character and how they affect each other. A contrast between the micro cosmos of the inner universe of our character and the macro cosmos of the universe through the analogy of space travel.

Spaceship explores the intimate bond of a mother-child relationship in combination with a society that invalidates Maria’s capacity for being a mother. Maria is on a quest to find a place that acknowledges her existence.

A place to call home.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

I met Fabiola, a latina transwoman who emigrated to the USA and has a son. Her experience and struggle connected universally to a story I wanted to tell about my mother and me, so she became a source of inspiration and a consultant for our project.

The whole team and I went through exhaustive research, first with the general trans community in Los Angeles and then more specifically with the latin and POC trans community. We talked to the women of The TransLatin@ Coalition and The Trans Wellness Center (TWC) in Los Angeles. They introduced us to the community composed of resilient women who kindly shared their experience with us. The TWC program manager MARIANA MARROQUIN served as a consultant for the film and has helped us all along the way.

I met KASE PEÑA, a latina transwoman filmmaker, based in East LA, who became our story editor, consultant and mentor or as she would say: our “madrina” (godmother). We could not have made this film with out her.

I worked very closely with Carlie Guevara, our lead, to ensure we were portraying Maria’s inner and outer struggle along with the specific nuances in the best way possible.

Esme Jackson (Production Designer) created an authentic world by crafting every single detail into each element, each a world of its own but that together told the story. Kadri Koop (cinematographer) went through thorough planning and research to portray a realistic environment in a doc style merged with magical realism, making sure that every shot and scene had meaning and told the story through the subtext. Victor Gabriel (co-writer) brought his huge heart, point of view and vulnerability unto the writing process. Roxanne Griffith (Producer) was not only on top of the chaotic environment of production, but also in the creative process always trying to make the film better. Mengyao Mia Zhang (editor) was involved through the whole process from the first outline of the script until the final mastering, bringing her incredible talent unto the film. Kase Peña (story editor) opened not only about her personal experience but also filmmaking secrets she has gathered through the years of making her amazing films.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The film hasn’t premiered yet so feedback has been mostly from our peers and mentors at the AFI and a small group of people who have seen the film. Overall people seem to engage with the characters and themes in film, so it has been very positive feedback so far. NPR’s Weekend Edition selected our short for their student showcase and we did a small interview with Lulu Garcia-Navarro, which was an amazing experience.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

So far the feedback that we have had as a team during all the stages of production has been the most life changing experience for me. As a Director I always try to collaborate with filmmakers that have strong character and that will not take anything for granted, collaborators that push me to be the best storyteller that I can be and that understand that there is a huge responsibility not just to ourselves but to what we are saying and representing.

The idea was to push the story to its best form by being vulnerable, sincere and passionate. By merging our different experiences and views of the world as a team and with member of the latin trans community not only made our story more powerful it also taught each of us something about each other and for me, filmmaking is an exploration not only with the world that you are submerging yourself into but also the collaboration experience that enhances the story and ultimately ourselves.

One of the most beautiful things about filmmaking is how the process of making a film changes you as a person. The people that you meet, the life experiences that you share and the intimate bond that is created has a deep impact on me. It became necessary to translate this experience into Spaceship.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Just as Maria is in the film, we are looking for a home for Spaceship’s world premier. We are also looking for festivals that could program our film and show it to wider audiences as well as distributors who would be interested in taking this film to the next level.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

We are looking for distributors, sales agents, journalists and film festivals directors that could help us amplify the film.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

This film was made with the help of multiple latin trans organizations in LA and with the most utter love, care and responsibility that a film like this requires. A story that deals with invisible people that go through intense and real circumstances that must be seen and heard, and that are deeply rooted within my heart.

Our main objective is for people to connect with Maria’s journey and understand that there are a lot of people that go through this same experience or worse and that they need to be seen, heard and supported.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Will Maria and Alex stay together?

Would you like to add anything else?

I would like to thank everyone that worked on our film. Our amazing and talented actress Carlie Guevara who flew all the way from New York because she believed in the project. Our insanely talented actress Chloe Jo Rountree and her family for believing in us. And to all of our amazing cast.

I also had the best team that any director could wish for - they poured their souls into this film and believed in me, and I will never forget that.

We also had the amazing experience of having the most loving and hard working crew. Every member of this film injected their talent, effort and time to make it possible, and that is something that translated into the film.

I would like to encourage people to follow, donate and support this wonderful organizations:

https://mytranswellness.org/
TRANS WELLNESS CENTER 3055 Wilshire Blvd Ste 360 Los Angeles, CA 90010 (323) 993-2900 TRANSWELLNESS@LALGBTCENTER.ORG

https://www.translatinacoalition.org/
TRANS LATIN@ COALITION 3055 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 350 Los Angeles, CA 90010 hola@translatinacoalition.org

https://transgenderlegal.org/
TRANSGENDER LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND 520 8th Avenue, Suite 2204 New York, New York 10018 646.862.9396 info@transgenderlegal.org

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Victor Gabriel (co-writer) will be joining the Sundance creative producers program along with Duran Jones, his producer - with his feature film “The Incredible Heist of Hallelujah Jones”.

Esme Jackson (Production Designer) - is currently working on the Apple’s TV+ show “For all Mankind”.

Kadri Koop (cinematographer) is wrapping up a feature film, developing another one while also doing music videos and commercials.

Roxanne Griffith (Producer) - is working at a production company in Los Angeles and is wrapping up another short film.

Mengyao Mia Zhang (Editor) is a Film Independent project Involve Fellow.

Kase Peña (Story Editor) - Is shooting and directing her debut feature film “Trans Los Angeles”.

Diego Rangel (composer) is touring with his band Porter.

I am currently developing two feature films while shooting commercials and music videos in LA.

Interview: July 2021

Spaceship

Length:

18:37

Writer

Victor Gabriel and Jorge G. Camarena

Growing up in poverty, VICTOR GABRIELl realized that water in cornflakes doesn't taste as bad as you think it would. He wandered without a home before eventually ending up in Compton CA. Now as a black male writer/director and recent MFA graduate of AFI Conservatory, he has turned to filmmaking as way for him to wrestle with his own suffering as well as the suffering of others. He holds an MA in Clinical Psychology and has been working as a Marriage and Family Therapist with survivors of trauma in Compton/Watts/South Central for the past several years. His short film Black Boys Can’t Cry, is currently being shown in festivals. His favorite movie is Richard Donner’s Superman. He likes Red Vines and thinks Twizzlers are trash. Big years.

Director

Jorge G. Camarena

JORGE G. CAMARENA is a writer/director born in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he majored in Communication Sciences. He is currently finishing an MFA as a Directing Fellow in the AFI Conservatory, class of 2021. His work has been reviewed by recognized media such as Rolling Stone, Directors Notes, Remezcla, Billboard and VICE. He has been nominated for several awards including a nomination for Best Video at the Latin Grammy Awards, 4 nominations for the MTV Video Awards and Best Video IMAS. He is in development on his debut narrative feature.

Producer

Roxanne Griffith

Roxanne graduated from the University of Toronto in 2016 with an Honors Bachelor of Science. In school, she was the producer of the student-run theatre company, the Victoria College Drama Society. Roxanne moved to Los Angeles and graduated from the American Film Institute Conservatory in 2021 with an MFA in producing. Roxanne has extensive production experience, having produced multiple short films in and out of AFI and is currently working on multiple projects.

Key cast:

Carlie Guevara (Maria Cruz), Chloe Jo Rountree (Alex Cruz), Rogelio T. Ramos (Carlos), Pamela Shaddock (Lakeisha), Eduardo Roman (Segio), Kazandra Santana (Mrs. Lisa)

Looking for:

film festival directors, distributors

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/spaceship_the_film/

Hashtags used:

#spaceshipthefilm

More info:

https://www.spaceshipthefilm.com/

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory

A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur

July 31, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

Filmed over a period of seven years, A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur, narrated by Golden Globe Award winner, Brian Cox, brings us through the doors of the Broken Angel building and to its creator, the visionary, Arthur Wood as he clings to his life’s work, the Broken Angel building an icon of the bohemian artist culture that once permeated Brooklyn. The Fairy Tale is over…

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Tyler A. Chase

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I was at the Broken Angel building regarding another project that dealt with its architecture. I found visionary artist, Arthur Wood to be incredibly interesting. It became apparent to me that there was something significant and unusual happening to him and his wife Cynthia. Despite them owning their home for twenty six years they were torn out of it and had their backs against the wall. Their basic human rights had been violated so I decided to investigate further and make a documentary.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

You should watch this film because it is interesting and regardless of who you are, what happened at the Broken Angel could happen to you. Also A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur is an historical film because Arthur and his diverse Brooklyn community are part of a New York scene that is disappearing. This is what Reel Roy Reviews said about the film: “I am haunted days after by her clear-eyed, unsentimental but utterly empathic filmic observations on the clash of creativity, capitalism, obsession, free thought, and community in postmodern America. “

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Many of my films are about artists and human rights in housing and how the lack of human rights, particularly in housing, results in cultural decline and eventually decay. Artists have always been and will continue to be the canary in the coal mine.

Arthur in Broken Angel.jpg — A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The film is largely cinema verité, hence the audience is the fly on the wall and experiencing things as they happen. They, like Arthur and I, are there when promises are broken, as disclosures are made that surprise us, as we find out that the people that we thought were the good guys show their true colors and intentions. It is one of the great things that happens when you entrench yourself for as long as I did to see things through. There were developments that were not apparent until I stood with Arthur and experienced his world and then went through the footage to edit it.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We've had very positive feedback. The audience easily empathizes with Arthur and Cynthia because they are the vulnerable "every man". It's like watching a puppy standing in the middle of the road. They become emotionally invested sharing sadness, outrage and disbelief at what happens. People are angry and afraid when they see this film because their false sense of security is challenged. Even our Narrator, Brian Cox was upset and outraged by the film. This is an email that I received

Dear Tyler
I finally got to see ‘ Castle in Brooklyn’ An absolutely amazing piece of work on your part. Heartbreaking in its portrayal of the decimation of an artist.
I could not believe how Arthur could through the horror that was visited on him and poor Cynthia.
I am very honored and proud that you asked me to narrate it for you. I had no idea how deep the power of your commitment to right the injustice that was visited on Arthur.
Thank you for reasserting the right of an individual to his or hers artistic
vision.
Deepest congratulations!

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I didn't know what to expect. The way the project was done was very unorthodox. We didn't have funding, sponsors or much support to begin with. We were lucky to have the musician/composers and photographers come to our aid. It became kind of an ensemble piece in that way. When it was completed I showed it to Arthur and was extremely touched that he liked it so much. That is what was most important to us. When it was accepted into festivals and I started getting feedback I was a bit surprised by the strong reactions because I had lived in that reality for so long that I had gone numb. I had to compartmentalize myself in order to finish the work. It has been a transformative piece of work.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

We Are Moving Stories is a wonderful platform. We were included on it when our short doc, Sweet Soul in Exile, screened at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. We are excited to have our first feature film take part. We would like A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur to be picked up, distributed and seen worldwide. Of course we dream of a theatrical release, who doesn't, but however audiences can experience it ... would be great. Arthur and Cynthia have to be heard. Their community, many of whom have since been pushed out of their homes have to be heard. Hopefully and at the very least, Arthur and his family receive an apology and compensation for what was taken from them.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

We are committed to this independent work. It took seven years of investigative filming and years more to complete it. We just ask that it be looked at and judged on it's merits. Film is a powerful tool of communication and human empathy and has to move away from being exclusive to popular agendas. Human Rights is more than slogans.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I would like people to take the time to see how other people live. That being different or eccentric does not mean that you deserve to be preyed upon. It is time to understand the profound impact of eviction, the universality of the housing issue and reflect on what they can do in their own communities to insure that people are not victimized. As Human Rights Award winner, Shula Koenig taught me during the course of the making of this movie, Human Rights is a way of life.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

How did it happen? How did this happen to elderly people who owned their home and land for 26 years? Why did they not receive a penny and why did they not get their possessions returned to them?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

We are currently developing a feature documentary tentatively entitled, Always Here, surrounding certain incidents regarding culture and environment. We are completing a short documentary for the beginning of next year called, Deep Friendship, as a tribute to improvisational jazz pianist, Connie Crothers. We are applying for grants to complete the post production of the feature documentary, Blues for 475. When the pandemic restrictions end we will proceed to travel to Italy for Touched by Duse. Next June we will be in Colorado to film for Let Them Eat Geese. We have projects in different stages of development and completion.

Interview: July 2021

A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur

Length:

1:41

Writer

Tyler A. Chase and Krista Blomberg

Tyler A. Chase wrote the narration of A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur with the help of Krista Blomberg. Krista also helped write and worked with Tyler on the award winning short film, Animal Crackers - Pentimenti, delivering an outstanding performance as the main character, Sylvie. She lent her skills to help flesh out the Narration text for actor, Brian Cox in A Castle in Brooklyn.

Director

Tyler A. Chase

TYLER A. CHASE is an award winning auteur/filmmaker based in Brooklyn, New York. Tyler develops and directs films produced at L’ORAGE Productions. Tyler filmed throughout seven years to make the feature film, A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur. Other films are the short documentary, Sweet Soul in Exile and the short narrative, Animal Crackers (Pentimenti).

Producer

Lisette Cevallos and Tyler A. Chase

Lisette Cevallos (Producer, V.P. of L’ORAGE), is a producer involved in the development of the films produced at L’ORAGE Productions. She is a producer of the completed feature documentary film, A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur with Golden Globe Award winner, Brian Cox as Narrator, the award winning short documentary, Sweet Soul in Exile and the award winning short narrative film, Animal Crackers (Pentimenti). Cevallos is involved in projects in different stages of development.

Key cast:

Brian Cox - Narrator, Arthur Wood - Self, Cynthia Wood - Self, Angelique Abuquattam Deshield - Self, Elizabeth Wood Ramirez - Self, Dj Fly Ty - Self, Counselwoman Letitia James - Self, Counselman Tony Avella - Self, Human Rights Award winner Shula Koenig - Self, Dr. Mindy Fullilove - Self, Reverend Billy Talen - Self, Tyler A. Chase - Self

Looking for:

distributors, journalists, buyers, sales agents

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/acastleinbrooklynkingarthur/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LORAGELtd

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/acastleinbrooklyn_kingarthur/

Hashtags used:

#LORAGEProductions #ACastleinBrooklynKingArthur #TylerAChase #TheBrokenAngelbuilding #filmfatales

More info:

https://www.acastleinbrooklyn-kingarthur.com/

Where can I watch it now?

A Castle in Brooklyn King Arthur is presently part of Film Fatales Prisma program and seeking distribution.

Focus on AFI Conservatory - You'll Only Have Each Other

July 31, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

After the death of her mother, a disconnected daughter must face the strange and horrible manifestations of her guilt.

Interview with Writer/Director Alison-Eve Hammersley

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

When I was in my second year at AFI, my mother (who lives on the east coast) was diagnosed with cancer. She, thankfully, survived and is now in remission, but the struggle to go home during that time had always weighed on me. Making this film was simultaneously an apology to her and also a way to exorcise myself of that guilt I'd been carrying.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

This film is an atmospheric and horrific marriage between beauty and genre filmmaking. It explores character in a way that indie portrait pieces do, while still staying true to the promise of a good scare now and then.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The film's themes are obviously very personal to me -- the guilt of not being there for a loved one in their time of need. But more than that, this film is about learning to face and except our shames, whatever they may be, in order to relinquish ourselves from being tormented by them... and I think that's something we can all relate to.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The original script was about a young woman who discovered that she was actually a human/alien hybrid... so let's just say it's changed a lot.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Positive! The most meaningful feedback we've gotten is from the few people that come up to us after screenings in festivals and tell us that they went through something similar with their own family member, and that it was cathartic for them to see something like that on screen. That always really touches me.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I'm always surprised by how many people the themes resonate with -- you always think your own guilt is so intrinsically singular and isolating, but I've learned that we all have our ghosts and we're stronger at fighting them together.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I'd love for the film to reach a wider audience -- spread that message of connection in our shame.

Screen Shot 2021-07-28 at 12.34.19 PM.png

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Distributors are always welcome

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

We'd like to establish even more that horror is a place for emotional story-telling, and that you can have character first while still maintaining authenticity to the genre.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Do you believe facing your guilt will free you from it?

Would you like to add anything else?

I just hope that the film touches people and continues to make those of us struggling with shame, whatever it is, feel a little less alone.

Screen Shot 2021-07-28 at 12.27.44 PM.png

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

ALISON-EVE HAMMERSLEY has two horror features set to shoot within the next year, and is currently developing a horror/sci-fi series with Amazon Japan.

SAMANTHA SILVAY was chosen to be a part of this year's CannesFilm Writer's Residency program with her pilot script, The Great Bridge, which is continuing to find great success.

Interview: July 2021

You'll Only Have Each Other

Length:

17:11

Writer

Alison-Eve Hammersley & Samantha Silvay

ALISON-EVE and SAMANTHA met at AFI and shared a love of expressing character through genre. When the opportunity to work together on this film presented, they jumped at the chance.

Director

Alison-Eve Hammersley

ALISON-EVE was one of five directors chosen by Lena Waithe for AT&T's 2019 Hello Lab Mentorship Program. There she directed her short film, FRAGILE.COM, which premiered at Screamfest Horror Film Festival in 2020 and has subsequently been released on Gunpowder & Sky's horror arm, Alter, where it’s garnered over 1M views between platforms. She is currently developing a horror / sci-fi series with Amazon Japan.

Producer

Maud Bellaiche & Arthur Cohen

Key cast:

Amelia Rose Blaire (Maggie), Bryan Dechart (Gabe), Julia Aks (The Shape)

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/alisonevehammersleyfilms/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/alison_hammersley/

Hashtags used:

#youllonlyhaveeachother #youllonlyhaveeachotherfilm

More info:

https://www.alisonevehammersley.com/

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory

Mickey Hardaway

July 30, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

A Young Sketch Artist who visits a well renowned psychiatrist as his life begins sprawling out of control after years of Physical and Verbal Abuse has taken a toll on him.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Marcellus Cox

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank You. I’ve wanted to make this film for the longest since my Senior Year of High School in 2005. I wanted to make and tell a story about dreamers. The people with passions regardless if it’s in the arts or not. Folks who have more to offer to this world other then working the average 9-5, and the heartbreaking downfall of those individuals at the hands of others who just don’t believe in their visions or way of life and the consequences that comes from it affecting everyone that’s involved.

With Mickey Hardaway I want to present a sense of wonder in someone who’s just now starting to know and understand what life is and can become when you believe in yourself but reveal the harsh realities as well when society stands in your way, preventing you from the opportunity to blossom into something special.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

It’s a relatable story that almost every can attest to but I really want the audience to watch it as a teaching tool, a character study of how folks can be mentally broken, especially at an early age where it’s already hard enough trying to figure the world out. I want folks to understand that if they give certain people in their lives a chance before they crumble their hopes it could be beyond the sky’s limits. It’s a teaching tool that also deals with race and equality, watching people still have to fight just for the basic laws of justice and to be seen as a human being and not a piece of trash. This is a teaching tool at the end of the day and I believe it’s extremely important for the audience to witness this.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Personal Themes I know what it’s like to have family and folks who I thought were friends shit on my dreams and call me stupid for trying to achieve a goal that many people consider impossible to come to life. It hurts and even at this stage in my career with all of my success it still leaves a huge amount of heartache and I’m not the only one who feels this way. This world is full of folks like myself who get up everyday no matter what life throws at you and continue to work and create and get better at their craft. But a part of me wonders even more about the ones who lost their lives or took there own life over these same situations of dealing with physical and verbal abuse in the process.

Universal Theme - I feel I just covered it lol but it does deal with a universal message of it doesn’t matter if your black or white, gay or straight, religion beliefs. If you believe in your dream, go for it, if you feel like you need to talk to someone then do it but don’t ever let anyone take your joy away from you ever.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

16 years in the making lol oh my goodness. It’s changed hands since the moment I wrote it in my 5th period English Class in 2005 till my freshman year of Film School at El Camino College where a screening professor of mine told he he loved it and to hang onto it. So I did but I never pushed to make it because I honestly felt my skills weren’t sharp enough to do it justice and I didn’t want to screw it up lol. So I waited and just got better at my craft working on other shorts.

I had a production company out in Burbank in 2020 that was going to finance the screenplay but then Covid hit and they backed out so me and my production partner Armando Townsend took the money we had and shot the concept. And it’s been an absolute blessing far exceeding expectations.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect from the audience but the feedback has been so brilliantly displayed by everyone that’s come in contact with the film from bloggers and reviewers to the folks who’d actually pay to see it in the festivals. But nothing compares to the live audience in the theaters who see it on the big screen and some of the powerful messages I got back from the audience who are looking at you dead square in the eyes is the greatest blessing in the world. I know I did something right with this film and its message and it gave me even greater hope going forward as an Artist know this is what I was born to do.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Amazing No. I’ve gotten a great sense from the audience and just people in general that I was true to my research putting the script and story together and allowing these characters to present my message. There hasn’t been one moment that I can personally recall someone saying that’s not right. I believe I put the work in fine tuning the script and it shows on that screen every time you watch it.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I want to reach out to the folks who can understand what it means to Sacrifice everything to achieve their dreams and at the same time know what it means to have the entire weight of the world on their shoulders doing so. Those who have been in the footsteps of Mickey, do you give it to the world’s demands killing your hopes and dreams and ultimately your soul or do you continue to fight for what you believe in.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Everyone lol. Anyone and Everyone that’s interested in this story and its message.

Mickey Hardaway Writer/Director/Producer Marcellus Cox

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

That’s a tricky one to answer believe it or not. I know in my heart I want this film and story to reveal hope, survival, the willingness to strive for what you believe in. But I also want to reveal the truth, no holds-bar at all about the dangers of mental illness, depression and how it can affect those internally and the ones who are causing those individuals to self-dissolve.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Why do we have to kill someone else’s dreams just because we weren’t able to see are own become a reality.

Would you like to add anything else?

I would love to say Thank You to my cast: Rashad Hunter, Stephen Cofield Jr, David Chattam, Charlz Williams and Deangelo Davis. None of this is possible with you and your amazing performances. Huge Thank You To Bryant Fisher & Jamil Gooding for everything you guys made possible to happen and Armando Townsend for giving me the opportunity to make my vision a reality. There’s never enough I can do to repay you.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Starting Monday July 26th I’ll be releasing a crowdfunding campaign for the Feature Version of Mickey Hardaway in the hopes of raising 100K and to begin filming later this December 2021 and have a finish cut done by March of 2022. Folks can follow the campaign at Instagram.com/cellusworld24 for more updates.

Afterwards I’ll begin on my 2nd Feature Film Jefferson Street: A Crime Thriller set in 1951 East Texas about a Black Detective who travels to East Texas Investigating the murder of his Mother at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan.

Interview: July 2021

Mickey Hardaway

Length:

19:23

Writer/Director/Producer

MARCELLUS COX is an Award-Winning Writer/Director hailing from Los Angeles, California. His work has played in over 200 International Film Festivals Winning over 130 total International Film Awards and have screened on television networks: Revolt TV, PBS, ShortsTV, Crime/Investigation and more.

Key cast:

Rashad Hunter, Stephen Cofield Jr, David Chattam, Charlz Williams, Deangelo Davis

Looking for:

journalists, buyers, sales agents, distributors

Social media:

facebook.com/marcelluscox24

instagram.com/cellusworld24

Hashtags used:

MickeyHardaway, Marcellus Cox

Where can I watch it now?

First Frame International/Miracle Makers International Film Festival: July 29th-August 1st at the AOF Megafest
Cordillera International Film Festival
July 29th-August 2nd
Hill Country Film Festival
July 29th-August 2nd
Rhode Island International Film Festival
August 13th

Focus on AFI Conservatory - Saeada

July 30, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

An Egyptian boy grows up outside an apartment building where he watches his father, the Doorman, serve its residents each day. As he gets older, surrounded by his family and religion- he searches for happiness in the small space they reside in on the streets of Cairo. He realizes that his happiness comes through understanding that he belongs to life as a whole and to be selfless is to become the new Doorman and allow his father to enjoy time again.

Interview with Cinematographer/Director Indeana Underhill

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Over the past three years, I have spent close to 11 months living in Cairo, Egypt. During my time there, I met a doorman and his family of 4, who lived in the back are of my apartment building. The layout of their house existed outside with no roof. During the day, a living room setup with a TV and at night, a mattress for the children and the doorman to sleep on. It was an interesting perspective on what "home" was. I made this film to tell a story that would otherwise be forgotten.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

The relationship between the boy and his father signifies the familial but general idea of finding happiness in the mundane and within what life has provided for you. It is not an underdog story. Simply, the boy is allowed to grow in freedom, to be allowed his childhood and when he becomes a man, he allows his father to enjoy freedom again by taking over the job as the Doorman.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The themes of family, and responsibilities, and we define what home is, are the heart of Saeada. What do we owe to each other? How do we divvy up our time while alive? We also include the call to prayer in the film's sound design. During my time there, as someone who isn't religious, the call to prayer signified the beauty of a city reminded to all reflect, pray and be one. These are the questions and ideas that we chose to explore.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The script and film began much more literal to what I experienced while building my relationship to the doorman and his family in Egypt. Over time, as I worked with my writer, Doug Macissac, we pulled out too much of the detail and brought back the questions and ideas to present to an audience.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We have received positive feedback thus far at festivals. It has been well-received with Middle Eastern and African audiences. It's an exciting thing- to reach an audience thousands of miles away and share the experience with them.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

We made the film to challenge our audience's point of view. Knowing it was a more conceptual film with a small story, we know it would have a limited audience in North America and that rang true during the festival run.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I hope that having our short film, Saeada, more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com allows us to open up our audience to the North American viewer.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

I'd like Saeada to be explored within other media outlets, amassing a larger audience.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

It's a film about finding the commonalities between the Eastern and Western worlds. It's the cycle of life- what home is, how do we spend our time, what do we owe to those around us or our community? It should be seen as a reflective piece that an audience member should ask of themselves.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What do we owe to each other?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

We have a few features in development while experimenting with the creative in the music video sphere.

Interview: July 2021

Saeada

Length:

3:15

Director

Stas Bondarenko is an experienced multidisciplinary filmmaker based in Los Angeles. He continues to explore his interests that lie at the cross-section of art and technology by lending his visual effects expertise in the role of a VFX supervisor, working as a cinematographer and camera operator on numerous films and television series, and directing his first narrative films. Stas is a member of the International Cinematographers Guild, and an associate member of the Society of Camera Operators.

Indeana is a Canadian cinematographer based in Los Angeles. She is an Associate Member of the CSC, a member of the ASC MITC Lens Committee and a graduate of American Film Institute's Cinematography Conservatory Class of 2020.
She has traveled to over 30 countries, working professionally in South Korea, Greece, Spain, Scotland, Argentina, Qatar, Egypt, Canada & the US. Her travels have inspired her passion to tell the stories of those rarely ever seen on-screen.

Producer
Growing up in the Rocky Mountains, writer/producer Alexander Rudolph was drawn to the contrast between mother nature’s beauty and the individuals who push themselves within her most extreme environments. His early work reflects that world – working on film and tv projects for Redbull Media House, ESPN, and Powder Magazine. He has since shifted toward a path telling broader stories about life and passion — adventure; extracting those innate feelings and sharing them with the world.

Key cast:

Adam Abdou (Mostafa), Seif El-Askary (Young Mostafa), Imerio Palumbo (Marwan), Jena Fakroddin (Passant)

Looking for:

journalists, distributors

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/indeana

Instagram:
instagram.com/imunderhill

Hashtags used:

#saeada

More info:

https://vimeo.com/423890369

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory

WILD THINGS Harriet at climate march c.Julian Meehan.jpg

MDFF 2021 - Wild Things

July 29, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

Wild Things spends a year on the frontline with environmental activists hell bent on saving their futures from the ravages of climate change.

Interview with Director/Producer Sally Ingleton

Watch Wild Things on Vimeo on demand, DocPlay and Beamafilm

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

For much of my career I have told stories that address environmental issues be they on the degradation of coral reefs (Acid Ocean and Muddy Waters: Life and Death on the Great Barrier Reef), the importance of ancient seeds and future food security (Seed Hunter) and the critical relationship between wildlife and people (Kangaroo Mob, Possum Wars, Penguin Island, Devil Island). These films have sold around the world, won awards and been invited to numerous festivals.

Social change rarely happens unless it is driven by people. Yet increasingly the cries of those demanding action to address the climate emergency are falling on deaf ears. For many the only option is to head to the frontline and practice non-violent direct action in order to save forests, stop new coal mines and demand a safe future for their kids and grandkids. I wanted to make a film that peels away the stereotype that all protesters are ‘dole bludgers’ and instead showcase their passion. I also wanted to show that Australia has a long history of environmental action and thanks to the efforts of many past blockaders, numerous wild and sacred places have been saved for future generations.

Stylistically the film relies on the self-shot phone footage and social media posts of activists giving the film currency and an immediate gritty feel.

I hope the film will speak to people of all ages but particularly the young who fear for their future. I want them to know they have a voice and can make a difference.

This is the first time in nearly 30 years that I have made a documentary without the support of a broadcaster. Raising the finance has been challenging and I am thankful there is a resurgence in the production of feature documentaries and a growing army of private supporters who want to see films like Wild Things made.

COVID 19 is making a traditional cinema release difficult. Hence we are learning to pivot and are developing an innovative social impact outreach strategy to ensure the film finds an audience and will inspire people of all ages to stand up for the planet at this critical time.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Key Messages of the Film are:
• Our planet is under threat from global warming.
• Non - Violent Frontline action is a valid response to the lack of political leadership on climate change and environmental destruction.
• People of all ages and backgrounds are speaking up and taking action to protect the planet for future generations.

The film will inspire audiences to
• Join their local environment organisation and take climate action.
• Join the fight to prevent the logging of native forests and the building of no new coal mines.
• Share the film with their community and networks to inspire action.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The script evolved as more and more people became involved in climate action during 2018-2019. The birth of the School Strike For Climate Movement was completely unthought of back in 2017 and this narrative thread became essential to include. Ultimately the film is about the important of finding your voice and speaking up about what matters.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Great feedback. The film has inspired many people to join the blockades protecting ancient rainforests and also to host community screenings to discuss climate action.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Hopefully the film will reach a wider international audience of people interested in social change.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

International sales agent, Environment or social change Film Festivals.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I hope the film inspires people to take action about issues they care about.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Does activism work?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I'm working on a project about the challenges in delivering health care to people in one of the remotest parts of the world - Australia's Arnhem Land.

Interview: July 2021

Wild Things

Length:

1:29

Director/Producer

Sally Ingleton is one of Australia’s most experienced documentary filmmakers and has won awards across the world over the past 30 years. Her company 360 Degree Films is based in Darwin.

Looking for:

film festival directors

Facebook:

http:facebook.com/wildthingsdocumentary

Hashtags used:

#wildthings

More info:

www.wildthingsdocumentary.com

Focus on AFI Conservatory - The Hideaway

July 29, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

After hearing rumor that her mother is a stripper, 14-year old Nika becomes determined to discover the truth, unknowingly crossing the threshold into adulthood.

Interview with Writer/Director Jane Stephens Rosenthal

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

As an artist, I am so curious about the inbetween moments of our lives, the little things that make them up, the small moments that we don't necessarily see but changes everything. I am also obsessed with womanhood and what it means to be an adult, and in many ways how to make sense of what it means to be a woman, and I thought the Hideaway was a perfect place to try to dig in to all the pain and contradictions of being female. The desire to grow up and be in the body, the power we can have, the ownership that so often one might feel they don't have or can't have, and also the fear of it.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

For me I like films that make me turn inwards and think about my life, and I think this is a very powerful film about the moment in which childhood is stripped away and one finds themselves standing right there at the door of adulthood and it is never quite what you thought it would be, and also the painful and empowering moment when we get to see our parents are actually just human.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I work a lot with emotion and longing and desire, and I think those things universally all make up being human. I found childhood and teenagedom quite uncomfortable and painful and I often wish I had someone to say "hey it's all going to be okay" and I hope this film soothes that child that still exists in each of us and let's us breathe and let go a little bit.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The script changed a lot over the 6 months it was worked on. At first it was very long, it was much more a story about Nika versus the world, but as we came closer to shooting and the realities of making a short film, the film shrunk to be about a very fraught and tender relationship between mother and daughter. The desire for the two to connect and the frustration and jealousy and then the ultimate getting to know each other now, in the present.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

People have really responded to the film. To the longing, to the mother daughter relationship, to the complexities of being a woman. I've been very pleased that the film is translating to people on all different levels.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

People's reactions have been so beautifully in line with what we set out to do.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Being an artist is hard and getting your work out in the world even harder, it is nice to feel that there is a space that champions the art and artists working today.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Sales agents! Buyers! Distributors! Film Festival Directors! Journalists! But most of all we just want our film about growing up seen in the world.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I always want someone to pause and turn into themselves after the film, and maybe to text their parent and say "thank you."

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Do you remember the moment you grew up?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Right now, Jane is working on finding her first feature, and putting a poetry book together.

Interview: July 2021

The Hideaway

Length:

14:55

Writer/Director

JANE STEPHENS ROSENTHAL has been a writer and a published poet for as long as she could write. In 2017 she worked with Yuval Sharon and the Industry to write the mobile opera HOPSCOTCH, her work was described as a "lush, spiritual melancholy." Her first film as writer/director NO ONE EVER SAID premiered at Hollyshorts . She wrote and directed THE HIDEAWAY for the AFI based on a story by her dear friend Anthony Sneed. She is currently working on a feature film based around the competitive tennis world, growing up, and sexuality.

Producer

Ross O'Shea and Katie Paczynska

Key cast:

EVee White (Nika), Scottie Thompson (Chrissy), Lance Guest (Mike)

Looking for:

film festival directors, distributors, buyers

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thehideawayfilm

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory

Where can I watch it?

You can watch online - September 17th -26th for the Catalina Film Festival, or view in person, screening to be TBD.

MDFF 2021 - Old-Growth Murder

July 28, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

A two-part documentary exploring the unsolved murder of French bicyclist Alain Malessard who was discovered dead in an Oregon Coast campground on Thanksgiving 1987.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Tom Olsen, Jr.

Watch Old-Growth Murder on iTunes, Prime Video and Vudu

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I became intrigued with how a murder stays a cold-case for 35+ years when everyone felt they knew who committed the crime.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Although the investigation remains officially open, the film's audience will surely wonder why with today’s advanced forensics, digital investigative tools, DNA testing, and almost monthly headlines of decades-old unsolved homicide cases being closed, this murder is still unsolved in 2021, and in fact, is of total indifference to law enforcement authorities.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

A personal theme in the film is that it seeks to speak for the victim who cannot speak for himself.
A universal theme in the film is humanity: the pursuit of justice and holding those who commit evil accountable.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

With this documentary, no script existed. However, the film evolved in development when the Oregon State Police released the public records of the murder (2017). Between 2015-2017, I was using only personal accounts/memories. After 2017, I was able to use the records to shoot additional interviews, and include never before seen public records and crime scene photos.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I have show rough-cuts and final-cuts to my collaborators, industry professionals, family and friends. The feedback has been very positive and strong.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

No feedback has challenged my POV. Although, after nearly 20 years of making documentaries, I'm still surprised with how one's project can be so drastically interpreted from person to person.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I'm hoping to gain traction to find additional outlets to show this documentary in, and hope draw attention to bringing some form of justice to this horrible crime.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

I'm most interested in sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, in helping me navigate how to release a two-part documentary that is (in total) 160 minutes.

I'd also like journalists to help spread the word on the project.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

Ultimately, this project is for Alain Malessard. A young man, living a dream, and brutaaly killed in an Oregon forest with no one EVER being held accountable.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Why does a murder become and stay a cold-case.

Would you like to add anything else?

This is a film with a broad universal appeal. Footage was filmed throughout the United States, Canada, and France.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Tom Olsen, Jr., is currently in pre-production on a 1980s Portland, Oregon murder case.

Interview: July 2021

Old-Growth Murder

Writer/Director/Producer

TOM OLSEN is a graduate of Chapman University's MFA program in Film & TV Producing. He is an award-winning documentary filmmaker for both short and long-form projects. Previous projects have included POLITICS OF SAND, THE CRIME OF THE d'AUTREMONT BROTHERS, and KILLINGSWORTH. He is a full-time Professor in the Digital Media Arts Program at Clark College (Vancouver, Washington).

Looking for:

sales agents, distributors, journalists, film festival directors, buyers

Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorPicturesDocumentary

https://www.instagram.com/old_growth_murder/

Key crew:

Tom Olsen, Jr. (Producer), Kevin Forrest (Cinematographer), Sam Mowry (Narrator)

More info:
https://www.anchorpictures.com/

Focus on AFI Conservatory - Faraway

July 27, 2021 by Carmela Baranowska

An Astronaut faces death in space and without any ways of communication he farewells his daughter on earth from the distance.

Interview with Cinematographer/Director/Producer Dae Hyun Kim

Watch Faraway on Vimeo

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I am living 6,000 miles away from my family, friends, and my home country. Oftentimes, how far I am living away from them gives me fear. Fear of not being able to be there when bad things happen even when I want to be, and even if I try to go home in the fastest way it would still take 24 hours to get to them. I fear death and I feel that death is always near, I just choose to ignore the fact, but it can come anytime. It can come to me or it can come to my loved ones. Then the question arises from me: how would you farewell the person you love when you can not see them and not talk to them?

FARAWAY's story started from there. I wanted to show and tell the story of a person who has to farewell the person he loves the most without any communication, what emotions will go into his mind, and what the person would think.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

If you are living far away from your loved ones, and think about the time that you will never see them again, I hope that this film can speak a small piece of thought into your mind.

Or, if you have already had to farewell to the people you love, I hope this film can show what you had to go through when it happened.

Or, I hope that this film can make you think about people you love and guide you to perhaps reach out to them and tell them how much they mean to you.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

We all have loved ones, we all have people who love us. The sad truth is that there will be a time to farewell them, either expectedly or unexpectedly. And we will have our own ways to say goodbye. It will be all different because we are all different. However it's worth thinking about at least once. I don't wanna say 'Live like it's your last day', I think life is more complex and difficult and it's not the correct quote for lots of people to live for.

But maybe thinking about the time you have to farewell to your loved one at least once could change small acts in your daily life. Maybe it will give you a small portion of courage to express how much your loved ones mean to you or maybe it will make you think about calling them to just say hi and that could be enough for them to feel they are special to you.

Whatever it is, we often think and are concerned about things that really don't matter in our life, and we often think too little of things that really matter in our life. However you live, the time will come eventually, and I hope that we can have a beautiful and grateful farewell.

Faraway - BTS with Cinematographer/Director/Producer Dae Hyun Kim

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The main theme came to my mind really all of a sudden and it stuck with me. I had a rough idea, but I had to think about how I could create a story that could be effectively told within a short time and also with the budget I had.

In order to create the situation of facing death but not being able to communicate with somebody, I thought about astronauts, who are without a doubt probably the farthest you can be from the person you love. Then with the help of my screenwriter friends, Alex Yu and Yancy Wang, we created the script. The script was based on the shots and images that I had in my head. It wasn't the normal process of creating the image from the script, it was describing the image in my head into words and making it more detailed and structured.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I had good feedback and bad feedback. Lots of my cinematographer friends gave me positive feedback on the images and the look.

I also had bad feedback where the film does not really create emotions that I wanted to evoke from the audience, and I agree with them.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Having positive feedback on the cinematography and the looks was surprising to me. I challenged myself to create Sci-Fi film with a low budget and I don't think I created a unique look but I thank those who gave me compliments on the cinematography.

About the story itself and how much I can deliver my message to the audience, I knew it would be hard going. And I do not think I was able to succeed the way I wanted it to. Some people got the message and felt something and some didn't, but it's okay that's the film and everyone will take the film and the emotions from it differently.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I am hoping that more people will know and watch this film when it's publicly released. There is a lot of hard work that went into this film. Not only my work but lots of talented people's work. All the cast and crew worked very hard for the story I created and I am really grateful for that. So I hope people watch and recognize their work.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Film Festival Directors and journalists who are interested in my film would be great! I hope I get a chance to show this film to more people and also be read by more people. I would like to keep exposing the talented cast and crew's work to many other people.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

The film will impact individuals differently. If you just sit back, relax and watch this film for 3 minutes and you enjoyed it for what it is then that is good for me.

Or, as I mentioned above, if this reminds you of people you love, then that's more than good enough for me.
Whatever feelings you have, I appreciate those who are interested in the film and watch it.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Did the film do enough to make you think and evoke feelings about your loved one?
What would you do if you were in the astronaut's situation?
What would be your way of saying farewell?

Would you like to add anything else?

The film cannot be made by one man and this film especially could not be possible to make without all the crew that supported my story and was willing to help me out to create this one. No matter how the film turned out, this film is very meaningful to me and I am grateful and thank everyone who was involved in this project for all your time, talent, effort, and help. Thank you all.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I am mainly focusing on being a Camera/Steadicam Operator.

I will be working on Commercials, Music Videos, and Narratives in the upcoming months. I truly enjoy operating and I hope I will have more opportunities to work with many talented filmmakers

Interview: July 2021

Faraway

Length:

3:00

Cinematographer/Producer

Dae Hyun Kim

Director

Dae Hyun Kim, Niko Yingqi Ren

Writer

Dae Hyun Kim, Yancey Wang, Alex Yu

Producer

Julie Pheng

Key cast:

Brett Miller (Lead), Dana Pawl (Supporting)

Looking for:

journalists, film festival directors

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/day_by_dae

Made in association with:

AFI Conservatory