2015 Santa Barbara International Film Fest: Meet the Makers, Issue 5

5 issue

five

jan. 27–feb. 7 • 2015 independent.com presents

Meet The Makers

interviews with the filmmakers Reel Nature

The Penguin Counters co-Directors Peter Getzels and Harriet Gordon getzels penguincountersmovie.com

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n addition to being some of the cutest birds on the planet, penguin populations also serve as an indicator of the health of sea life and the effects of global warming. In The Penguin Counters, filmmakers Peter Getzels and Harriet Gordon Getzels accompany Ron Naveen and his team of research ecologists to the seventh continent to chronicle the arduous task of hand counting tens of thousands of penguins. It’s grueling, tedious work, but their data is some of the most important ecosystem information gathered.

What was the most surprising thing about making this film?

Finding ourselves waist-high in penguin poo on the first day. The stench and the squelch in our boots, well … first days filming are always immersive, and this was no exception. Journeying to the ends of the earth was a spectacular experience, standing on deck as we crossed the Antarctic convergence, everything transformed.

The temperatures dropped; the seas changed color; even the seabirds seemed different.

The commitment of people counting tens of thousands of anything in increments of one — in high winds and driving snows — still staggers us. And being in a field amongst 100,000 em-

peror penguins is like being dropped into a fold of eternity. The penguins are just there. And you wonder, “Is this how it’s been here since the beginning of time? Will these penguins be standing in this same place until the end of time?

What goes on in their brains?”

What do you hope audiences take away from your film?

We hope people become engaged with this pristine part of the world. Antarctica is run by a group of nations, so in a sense, it belongs to everyone.

Seabirds, especially penguins, are like canaries in the coal mine: They carry the message of how healthy our oceans are and how rapidly our climate is warming, so they’re a very important part of tracking the rapid changes in the environmental story. And Ron is a force of nature. The inspiration of seeing how far his passion has taken him shows how science can be a great adventure, and not always confined to high-tech labs.

How have audiences responded to the film?

Some people leave glowing in the dark. Most are happy to have spent an afternoon watching a documentary film that makes them feel good. Penguins give people a fuzzy-wuzzy, and in today’s world, that’s not a bad thing. Watching a good adventure story with an environmental message that doesn’t hit people over the head or stir guilt — what could be a nicer viewing experience? As Ron says, “The world would be a much sadder place if there weren’t penguins to cheer us up.” — Michelle Drown 1.

To the Maxxx U.S Premiere

Spirit of Akasha

Director Andrew Kidman spiritofakasha.com

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n 1971, Australian filmmaker and surfer Alby Falzon made one of the most influential and culturally important surf films of all time, Morning of the Earth. Now, from revered underground surf Renaissance man Andrew Kidman, comes Spirit of Akasha, a cinematic and musically brilliant celebration of that seminal film made possible by some of the biggest and brightest and most creative stars in the surfing universe.

How did this project get started?

Tony Harlow from Warner Music Australia approached Alby Falzon and asked him if he would be interested in making a modern version of Morning of the Earth. Alby didn’t want to do it and asked me if I wanted to have a think about it. At first I didn’t think it was possible, but as I worked through the process, I realized how much I wanted to pay homage to the original film and soundtrack and how special this could be once we opened it up to all the artists and surfers that ultimately became involved. It was quite incredible what transpired.

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What did Morning of the Earth mean to you?

It meant everything really. The lyrics of the songs and the time capsule that it is, it had a profound influence on my life. I was dubious to undertake making Akasha, but when I realized that everyone I spoke to about it felt the same way I did and just wanted to give back to the original project with their best work, it became a real joy. As each song was submitted for the soundtrack, this became apparent. This was the most exciting part of the project, hearing the songs.

Describe the role that music plays in Spirit of Akasha.

The music is everything. It drove the narrative of Morning of the Earth, and it drives the narrative of Akasha. It’s a remarkable collection of work.

Why does this film matter?

It matters because everyone involved contributed their best efforts to pay homage to an iconic film and soundtrack from another time yet in an incredibly modern fashion. When you watch, it makes you feel something. I think that’s impor— Ethan Stewart tant.

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I feel about movies. It’s a combination of storytelling — which is easy to focus on for criticism — and flow.

Graham, were you at all wary about trying to make a second film?

cinematic overtures

heArTWorn highWAys Director wayne Price anD ProDucer GraHam leaDer heartwornhighways.com/revisited

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n the winter of 1975, filmmaker James Szalapski went to work on a documentary about the founders of the outlaw-country-music movement. Its slow, rambling style mirrored its subjects, which included luminaries like Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, and Rodney Crowell, among many others. Since its 1981 release, Szalapski’s Heartworn Highways has become something of a cult phenomenon, which found a fan in filmmaker Wayne Price. For Heartworn Highways Revisited, Price and Heartworn’s original producer, Graham Leader, returned to the rural Tennessee music scene Szalapski had originally been drawn to. There, he met and started filming modern-day “outlaws” like Deer Tick’s John McCauley, Jonny Fritz, and duo Shovels & Rope, as well as genre legends like Guy Clark. The result is a music documentary that moves slow and looms large, a treat for music lovers of all kinds.

What initially attracted you to this project?

WP: I am first and foremost a music lover. I never focused on learning an instrument well enough to go pro, so I use the camera as an instrument and make the orchestration of the edit musical. In the same way that you can’t really explain why music is good,

GL: Yes, definitely. Heartworn Highways has become a beloved film with devoted fans, so it’d be disastrous to let them down in any way.

Also, importantly, Heartworn Highways Revisited is an homage to Jim Szalapski, who shot and directed the original film and tragically died in ’01. He was a great unsung talent.

Wayne, what did you think of Heartworn Highways when you first saw it?

WP: I’ve loved music documentaries for many years, but it seems like most of them fell into one of two categories: dramas about bands (getting together, rising to fame, breaking up, going into therapy) or concert films. Heartworn Highways was neither.

It was like a visual album! There was a cohesion thematically, but just like a great record, it can be enjoyed in pieces.

Graham, how did the making of Revisited compare to the making of Heartworn Highways? Were there any notable déjà vu moments?

GL: The déjà vu moments were less in the filming itself than in certain moments of pure nostalgia — i.e., Guy Clark’s home, where there are memorable paintings by Susanna and, in his studio, stacks of analogue tapes of his songs, including tapes from the original film 40 years prior.

What do you hope people take away from Revisited?

GL: A good time, warm feeling, and hopefully a —Aly Comingore deeper appreciation for the music.

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u.s. Premiere

kill Me Three TiMes

Director Kriv stenDers facebook.com/killmethreetimes

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his Australian film will make you cringe and laugh. Kill Me Three Times is a black comedy about a group of revenge-seeking, greedy manipulators who each concoct diabolic plans of murder and thievery to their own ends. But misperceptions pull at the threads of everyone’s careful strategizing and send the plot twisting and turning in the most delightful ways. Simon Pegg leads a stellar cast in this must-see film.

How did you come across James McFarland’s script?

I was actually approached by Laurence Malkin, the fi lm’s producer. He sent me the script with the proviso that I had to make a decision within two weeks because of the financing gap he was dealing with.

So I read it, and it was one of those deliciously constructed scripts that immediately leapt off the page, and I knew straight away that I had no choice but to commit.

The plot is dark and twisty but also funny. Was it difficult to keep that balance?

The original version of the script was even darker tonally, but I saw that it also had the potential to be blackly comic. By the end of the script, I found 4.

the violence almost operatic, and when I asked Larry [Malkin] if this could be a comedy thriller, he agreed, and we began to steer it firmly in that direction. So, yes, it was a challenge to balance the dark and comedic elements and find the right tone. But once we got Simon Pegg on board, the whole thing began to fuse together, and we knew we could push things and play the whole fi lm at a certain pitch and register, and get away with it.

What was the most arduous thing about making this film? And the most fun?

The most arduous thing was the schedule, as we had to travel huge distances [across Australia] to get to those incredible locations that you see in the fi lm, and that travel time ate away at our shooting time.

So it was always a trade-off, and in moviemaking, time is one of the greatest resources you can have.

But I had a great crew and a great cast who made each moment count. So in turn, that pressure also created a great, focused working environment.

As for fun, working with Simon Pegg was a blast as was getting the chance to work with Alice Braga, Sullivan Stapleton, Teresa Palmer, Bryan Brown, Callan Mulvey, and Luke Hemsworth. I think back and can’t believe how lucky I was to a get a chance to make a movie with all those terrific actors. It’s one of the best casts I’ve ever had the chance to work —Michelle Drown with. I was blessed.

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be a psychologist. I did some postgrad work with disturbed adolescents, so I guess I’ve always been interested in pathology or remedies, the world of therapy.

Can you talk a bit about the process of making an improv movie?

It sounds … challenging.

worlD Premiere

A BeTTer you

Director matt walsH facebook.com/abetteryoumovie

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hen you come up in the mecca of improv comedy, it’s almost guaranteed that your career is going to contain some curveballs.

For Matt Walsh, who helped found the Upright Citizens Brigade alongside folks like Amy Poehler, the move to screen has been a particularly adventurous one. In between roles on Veep and in almost every movie Todd Phillips has made, Walsh jumped behind the camera to direct two fully improv feature fi lms. The first, 2011’s High Road, followed a young man who goes on the lam after a drug bust. His second fi lm, A Better You, follows a self-involved hypnotherapist stuck in a midlife rut he just can’t shake. Starring a cast of Walsh’s longtime buds, it’s a hilarious and oddly thoughtful take on the agonies and the ironies of the self-help industry.

Is it true you got the idea for this thing after you tried to quit smoking?

I think it was more the willingness of people in Southern California to explore alternative therapies. I moved to California 10 years ago, and instead of always going to a doctor or psychiatrist, people out here will go to an aroma therapist or an herbal therapist or a reiki. It was more an exploration of the culture of that.

You also went to school for psychology.

I did! I was a psych major in college. I worked on a psych floor for three years. I thought I was going to

It is definitely a different process.

It starts with an outline and you have to make sure that the story arc is solid and the emotional turns are there and that the character development is there. You spend a lot of time cranking out that outline and reshaping it and rewriting it and making sure it’s solid. Then once you cast people, you do a few rehearsals so that everyone can get the tone of the movie. As far as fi lming, all the dialogue is improvised, but you’re controlling it because you know what you need from that outline. When you improvise on set, you get a nice version before you start rolling, and then you cover it in a forgiving way.

Hopefully once the scene is up and running, it’s really funny so you’re not improvising brand-new dialogue every time but rather tightening and continuing the momentum you already have.

Was everyone pretty on-board with the idea when you came to them?

Yeah. But they’re also doing it because they’re friends and they have a day off from whatever other thing they’re doing. It’s the best position to be in, having funny people who are also willing to come —Aly Comingore play for a day or two.

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Eastern Bloc U.S. Premiere

Monument to Michael Jackson Director Darko Lungulov spomenikmajkludzeksonu.com

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et in post-Balkan War Serbia, this inspiringly quirky and often hilarious film follows one man’s quest to revitalize tourism, the airport, and the economy of a small town by erecting a monument to pop star Michael Jackson (who’s still alive back then) in the center of town.

What inspired you to tell this story?

It’s inspired by a bizarre trend happening recently in small towns of Serbia and the Balkans: People are building monuments to Hollywood and pop icons (Rocky, Tarzan, Bruce Lee …). In the last 20 years, Serbia has repeatedly lost wars, changed its name, borders, flags, and anthems. The World War II heroes of socialist Yugoslavia are not politically correct anymore and, therefore, their monuments are being removed. Ironically, the recent bloody civil wars have left no new heroes, and so it is not surprising that in this hero-less word people would resort to the crazy idea of building monuments to safe, lifeless heroes, such as Hollywood movie characters.

Is Michael Jackson big in Serbia?

Yes, like everywhere else, Michael Jackson is huge in Serbia. But what was more interesting to me, and what informed my script emotionally, was the reaction to his sudden death all over former Yugoslavia.

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Because of this real-life fact, Michael Jackson’s death, I was forced to stop writing and rethink the whole story. In the former Yugoslavia, people took it very tragically, very personally. To me it seemed as though people were not only mourning Michael’s death, but also their lost years during the unfortunate times of the civil wars that have torn Yugoslavia apart in the early ’90s.

For them, Michael Jackson’s ’80s music was the soundtrack of their better past, and someone even wrote on an Internet forum, “Now that Michael is dead I know that Yugoslavia is really dead.”

Where did you film this? Any specific challenges with making a film there?

We filmed in Serbia, mainly in a small town called Lozovik. We were successful in finding a place that perfectly fit what we were looking for; this town had the charm of a small town, run-down but full of earthy colors.

The biggest challenge was shooting for three weeks in a small town and therefore disrupting the everyday lives of the people who live there. We often joked about being covered in tar and feathers while being chased out by the locals when things with them got pretty hairy. Once they sawed off the hand of our monument to stop our filming, but after a somewhat tricky negotiation, we got the hand back. Recently we had a great pre-premiere there in their local theater, and it was very touching. The whole town came, and old animosities — Matt Kettmann were forgotten.

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cinematic overtures worlD Premiere

kAnsAs: MirACles ouT of noWhere Director cHarles ranDazzo miraclesoutofnowhere.com

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hen prog-rock legends Kansas first formed, they were operating like most bands in early 1970s Middle America. They had no leg up and no big-city connections, but they were talented and determined to make it. In Miracles Out of Nowhere, director Charles Randazzo paints an engaging story of a band that grew from obscurity into a multiplatinum-selling monolith, but the fi lm also showcases each of Kansas’ six members as caring, loyal, and real-deal people. It’s a rare — and refreshingly down-to-earth — rock doc.

interviewing everyone in the film — there were so many great interview moments that resonated with me. But I would say the most heartfelt moments were that every one of the guys spoke of the love and respect they had for each other as people; that their friendship meant the most and then it was about the music. You don’t see this in a lot of bands then or now. Ego and money usually get in the way. But their honesty in every answer to the questions was so touching and rewarding. It told the story in such a real way.

What intrigued you about the project?

What’s your favorite Kansas song?

I have worked with and been a friend of Budd Carr, Kansas’s manager back in the early days, and he suggested a meeting with Phil Ehart to discuss a possible documentary project for their 40th anniversary.

I was intrigued by the story of six guys from Kansas, in a small town in the middle of nowhere, and how they actually got a record deal sending only a threesong demo and one live showcase with “free beer.”

Wouldn’t anyone want to tell that story?

That is a hard question to answer. I listened to all five of the first Kansas albums dozens of times in order to chose the songs that were used in the fi lm. But I guess the song that haunted my dreams the most was “Dust in the Wind.” As Brian May from Queen said in the fi lm, “‘Dust in the Wind’ is so simple, so beautiful.” The lyrics and music that Kerry wrote for that song were and are so inspirational and thought provoking. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime writing achievement and classic song that will be around forever for people to contemplate and enjoy.

Were there any particular interviews/moments that especially resonated with you over the course of filming?

Doing extensive research on the band, their work, music, personal lives, writing all the questions, and

— Aly Comingore

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World Premiere

Uncanny

Director Matthew Leutwyler facebook.com/UncannyMovie

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rtificial intelligence is one of the most exciting and frightful developments in modern technology. This feature film, about a female tech reporter who visits a humanoid robot and his genius creator and the love triangle that ensues, tackles the issue with thrilling and thought-provoking intrigue.

What inspired this story?

Sim Sarna, the film’s producer, and I were talking about doing another film together, and I was telling him about how I was looking for a smart, Twilight Zone–like, science-fiction film. He told me that I needed to meet with his college friend Shahin Chandrasoma, a screenwriter [and urologist by day].

I told him I was interested in something with two to three actors, one location. A moment later he laid out a story about a bizarre sort of love triangle between a sophisticated robot, his creator, and a female reporter that comes to do a story on them.

I mentioned Masahiro Mori’s book The Buddha in the Robot, which not surprisingly Shahin had read and loved, as well. That’s when I realized that we were going to be perfect partners to pull this thing off.

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How close are we in reality to a world of functioning humanoid robots?

Oh boy. Humanoid? Probably not true humanoid, because we are dealing with a biomechanical form that isn’t easy to replicate. Now, if you are talking about a powerful machine that can do virtually all of the things humans do and many things that humans cannot, well, that is starting to happen right now.

Is moving toward that future a disturbing or promising trend?

Two people that I think are very smart have very different ideas about this. Google’s director of engineering Ray Kurzweil thinks in about 10 years humanity will reach what is referred to as “The Singularity,” where computers will develop a “consciousness.” He also thinks that this will have positive repercussions for humankind. Helping to cure cancer, prolong life, help us solve big-ticket problems faster, etc.

On the other hand, you have the likes of Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX, who famously tweeted this past summer that AI is potentially more dangerous than nukes. I’m still not sure, but I do believe that we need to keep a close eye on where all this is headed. I mean, theoretically, if AI developed enough, it would look at humans, with all of their pollution, warring, and sickness, as something that was a threat to its existence — like humans think of a deadly virus. And I suppose it would not be a stretch for them to try and wipe us out. I know, now I’m —Matt Kettmann sounding like The Terminator.

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worlD Premiere

lA noChe Del rATÓn Director DaviD r. losaDa lanochedelratonlapelicula.com

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hat would you do if you stopped at a gas station and were suddenly under gunfire from an unknown source? That’s what this fi lm portrays by focusing on the fear that builds in a victim of such senseless violence and the quiet spaces in between the flashes of terror.

What inspired this story? It reminded me of the Washington, D.C., snipers.

It’s not inspired by any specific case. The goal of the movie was to confront the “normal person” with an inexplicable adversity. It’s a serious matter, one that should worry us a lot even more now in a world where the “Fear Culture” is expanding under certain “excuses.” But no matter what the excuse is (religious, political …), it should never be accepted: There is never a justification for terror, and even more when it affects the normal citizen, it doesn’t make sense.

What are some challenges of filming essentially one character in one scene?

The main challenges are the pace and authenticity.

We wanted to respect that realness, of a situation like the one our characters are in, separating ourselves from the clichés of the genre but without affecting the pace of the fi lm. At the same time, it was an opportunity to focus more in the details which this particular genre doesn’t pay much attention to.

Like the moments of waiting, the moments where the characters just don’t know what to do, when

they don’t know what’s coming next. On the other hand, the moments where thrillers or horror movies shine the most (like violence or action), here they disappear quickly. Like in real life, they hit you in a second, then they are gone.

Is there a greater meaning that you hoped to convey, or was this really more about suspense?

We chose the thriller because it gives us the opportunity to take the story we want to tell to the extreme, with an abstract enemy, and really forcing our protagonists to confront fear. We think that sometimes these genres actually let us tell more of a real story by taking them to the extreme. In this case, behind this story is the need to reflect on this fear that is more and more present in today’s society: How do we face an adversity we don’t understand, one whose only purpose is to harm us?

The ending is mysterious. Do viewers like that, or are they frustrated by it?

It’s a risky ending. We chose the thriller to tell our story, but this ending is not usual to the genre. We know that. But it’s a coherent ending to reflect on that matter, that fear I talked about. Either way, even within the crew of the fi lm, there were people that were worried about what audiences would think (about the ending), and there were others that were excited. I wouldn’t change it for the world. I think that how it ends is in line with the message we want to convey. And it also reinforces the idea of the fi lm … with a moment of great suspense!

— Matt Kettmann 9.

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U.S. Premiere

Wet Bum Director Lindsay MacKay twitter.com/wetbumfilm

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his coming-of-age independent film follows a teenage girl who’s concerned about her lateblooming body, her budding love affair with an older swim coach, and her work at a home for seniors. It’s sad, happy, charming, and depressing at various times, but always very honest, much like life itself.

How did this story come about?

One summer, when I was a teenager, my parents suggested I take a job at the nursing home as a cleaning woman. I reluctantly agreed. Working there meant I had to slowly get to know many of the residents on a personal level.

As the summer passed, I began to understand that this moment in these people’s lives wasn’t as peaceful as I had always imagined. As I struggled through the summer managing feelings of guilt, anger, and confusion, I discovered that many of the residents were struggling, too. They were angry that they were expected to gracefully step aside for a younger generation that didn’t understand or appreciate them. They felt the guilt of having lived a long life and not having accomplished all they set out to, and they shared in my confusion and fear of the uncertain.

As I was entering an exciting period in my life — holding a boy’s hand and having my first kiss — a man lost his wife. As I fought with my parents about responsibility and freedom, a woman was 10.

admitted to the nursing home because her family could no longer take care of her. As I was growing up, they were growing old.

Tell me more about the opening sequence.

What was intended by the floating people?

This is something that can be left up to someone’s individual experience; however, I was interested in exploring idea of transcendence through bookending the story with the images of the three characters floating and then returning to these spaces at the end the film and all three spaces have changed.

I hoped to subconsciously highlight the notion that we’re all passing through. Mortality is unavoidable, life continues on past the limits of our own experience, but we are all linked through our humanity and the cyclical nature of life.

Where did you find the young actress?

She does a great job.

Julia Sarah Stone had been on our radar, but she was in British Columbia, and we were auditioning and filming in Ontario. So we had her send in audition tapes — and it was pretty obvious from the start that she had immense talent. I Skyped with her and talked about the character and had her send in more tapes while we continued the search in Canada.

Then once we had narrowed it down, she flew out for chemistry reads, and we pretty instantly knew she was the right fit for Sam! And we were right. She did a great job! We were very lucky to have her on this project. She is a rare talent, with great depth and the incredible ability to say so much with no words.

— Matt Kettmann

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u.s. Premiere

Cruel

Director eric cHerriere facebook.com/cruelthemovie

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his nail-biting narrative study of the mind of a very troubled though quite prolific serial killer in Toulouse, France, explores many facets of human existence, from childhood trauma to dreams of the future to the pains of growing old.

Despite the murderer’s dastardly deeds, he is painted so carefully that the audience can’t help but feel a bit of pity for him.

Why did you want to tell the story of a serial killer?

I wanted to make a fi lm about the anguish of passing time. With existential questions: What meaning to give to our life? What can we do with our existence? And to these questions, my main character responds with violence. I am convinced that most of the time, we react to what is beyond us by violence — obviously not killing, but by a form of violence. I chose the character of the serial killer because it is a symbol, a symbol of a man who believes he finds meaning in his life by killing other humans. And then there is something that fascinates me with serial killers: They are not monsters but men. One day they were children. They had these children’s laughter one day. My question is then: What is this horror that is in each of us?

The genre has been explored in depth already, so was it a challenge to come up with a new and quite touching portrayal?

I did not feel Cruel was a serial killer fi lm, because I wanted to show a serial killer who would have exactly the same life, the same problems, that we do.

He would not be alone. He would like to be in love.

He would live happily with his parents. He dreams of beauty. This is a man who wants to enjoy the beauty. But the life he has and that he would like to have are so different. And he kills. There is no objective reason for his murders.

Why did you set the film in Toulouse?

I fi lmed in Toulouse because it is where I live. I had just to come out in the street to fi lm. Cruel is a very small-budget fi lm, and it was an obligation.

The apartment of the girl in love with the killer, it’s my apartment. The home of the killer, it is that of my grandparents’. The clothes of the killer, they are mine. Furthermore, Toulouse is the city of Patrice Alègre, a French serial killer. Although my killer is very different, I fi lmed in the area, the streets where Allegre lived and killed. The horror was there.

The killer is haunted by his childhood. Do you think that is a common thread for many true serial killers?

I think everyone is haunted by his childhood. Consciously or not. So yes, I guess serial killers are the same as us. Often (but not always), they had an unhappy childhood. My killer is different. He had a happy childhood. A paradise lost. This must be the only serial killer with such a happy childhood!

— Matt Kettmann 11.

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