NYWIFT Blog

By Stephanie Okun

HOW WE BEGAN

On June 19, I flew out to LA for the independent film festival Dances with Films to meet independent filmmakers ready to showcase their new work to industry professionals. Most notably, this was my first time going to LA– as well as the state of California. I couldn’t help but wonder: how does the other half live? What will I find in the wild, wild west? I tried to play it cool and decided to throw all my preconceptions about LA– good and bad– to the wind. However, by the time I was on my way to LaGuardia Airport, I was simply ecstatic. Sunny California’s laidback atmosphere and smiling faces were the perfect backdrop to my four-day assignment. There, I had a fabulous time and met several fabulous filmmakers along the way.

 

MEET THE NYWIFT LADIES

First, I bumped into writer/director (and fellow NYWIFT Member) Danicah Waldo at The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood and introduced myself in person. We immediately hit it off and clicked on many of the topics that show up in her film, which gave me a good feeling that I would enjoy her work. I heard about her short Sally Get the Potatoes from her music composer NYWIFT Member Lou King who I met at a NYWIFT Night Out. While I was in LA, I was able to give it a watch. And, oh boy, that day a publicist who said their client had a fantastic story to tell was right– shoutout to Cher Culver!

This heartbreaking tale of a little girl starved for connection in a family filled to the brim with secrets left me feeling speechless and empty. It was sad in all the ways that I knew it was supposed to be and I wanted to cry but couldn’t; because of this, I felt like I could be one of the resigned, tired adults that didn’t pay attention to sweet Sally and that stung.

 

The characters featured in this narrative were also members of a New York family so this is surely a hometown story. Even closer to home for me was the fact that Danicah worked for many years with kids at a children’s theater organization called Applause – some of whom I knew growing up. She also tutored myriads of New York City kids and taught. Therefore, this story really struck a powerful chord. However, even if I didn’t know the world that inspired Danicah to make Sally Get the Potatoes, I would still be left feeling gutted. It’s crushing to see a child’s playfulness and innocence shrivel up in a web of disconnected, lonely adults. The experience I had while watching Danicah’s film was one that I’ll never forget and, for this reason, it was one of my favorite shorts that made the festival this year – we’ll get to my other two favorites later.

Hearing Danicah speak on the film after I watched it was even more impactful and gratifying. She was great to talk to and be around, and I truly believe she’s a talent to watch. You can see our full interview here.

 

 

My next NYWIFT lady was producer Catriona Rubenis-Stevens. I loved seeing her in producer mode at The Roosevelt Hotel. Even watching her book an afterparty for fifty people after the screening of her feature Regarding Us screamed competence. To top it off, she was dressed to the nines, bubbly, and highly alert. Her personality reminded me of my friend Ozzi Ramirez or Cynthia Petetti – who is also a five-foot tall ball of energy– when they’re on a mission. Thus, I felt like I knew exactly who she was as a filmmaker. During our interview, we talked about what it meant to be a working woman who constantly feels the need to prove herself– sometimes, self-imposed but often because the world demands that you do. We didn’t get to spend too much time together, but her eloquent answers to my questions deeply resonated. Hope she got the time to enjoy her success– and I’m sure that she did!

 

 

Lastly, I spoke to NYWIFT Member Haroula Rose, writer/director/producer of the feature All Happy Families starring Josh Radnor– more popularly known as Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother. I got a kick out of this dysfunctional family dramedy set in Chicago and was happy to talk to her about her process. She delved into “all of the subtle ways that toxic masculinity can manifest in our lives” with this new work. This was palpable in the dynamic between the two brothers gone astray in her film.

 

Sometimes great work comes from wanting to make something with a friend given a certain window of time, and Haroula explained that this is what led to the creation of All Happy Families. The quote from Anna Karenina that inspired her film really stuck with me: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” I believe that Haroula’s work spoke volumes about said misery and stuck-ness that we all face during certain periods of our lives.

It makes sense that a film with this compelling premise got distribution with Freestyle Digital Media after her Southern California premiere. After my interactions with Haroula, I was so happy that someone warm and generous like her made it to the finish line with her film. That said, congrats Haroula! We can’t wait to see and hear more from you, and I’m so happy that I got the chance to meet you.

 

THE SHORTS AND OTHER HONORABLE MENTIONS

I was thrilled to meet and interview all the lovely NYWIFT members at the festival, but I also kept my eyes peeled for other filmmakers that caught my attention. Most memorably, I got to meet the filmmakers of my other two favorite shorts– who also both happened to be women: Tanya Modini and Christy Stratton. Since I also screened the narrative shorts category at Dances With Films LA this year, I had a couple of films that I was so happy to see in the program– and Tanya and Christy made me want to cheer, hug them, and fangirl! I felt lucky to talk to them both.

First of all, when I met her, Tanya Modini told me that she was a proud member and mentor at Australia’s WIFT. She was happy to speak with another WIFTI member and I was too. Her short film And the Ocean Agreed was an emotional tale about a grandmother with Alzheimer’s who rediscovers her love of swimming with the help of her granddaughter and daughter. Tanya was inspired to make the film after witnessing a lot of her friends’ parents going through the early stages of dementia and getting pieces of their memory back when listening to music from their youth. This made her wonder if going back to a place that they loved would have the same effect.

 

The film gracefully covers the topics of aging, illness, freedom, and how what we love stays within us, even when it seems that all else is lost. The essence of who we are and what we treasure is never really gone, and it’s better to go doing what we love than to go without living. Her lead actress gave a beautiful, compassionate performance, as did all the other actors. She features a lighthearted drag queen at the nursing home who balances the heartache in our protagonist’s reality. Tanya loved giving life to an elderly woman on screen because we don’t often see them in media– and we definitely don’t see them depicted as beautifully and three-dimensionally as Tanya depicted her lovable, complicated protagonist. Tanya’s out there representing damn well, ladies. It was an honor to take some of her time and I really would like to be Tanya when I grow up.

Next, I spoke with producer of Modern Family and now writer/director of The Runt, Christy Stratton. Like many women, Christy had also toyed with the idea of directing her own film but was apprehensive to take the reins. However, when she did, she did a bang-up job and I want to see her do more. Dressed in a beautiful black and gold jumpsuit, Christy was ready to show out and I was psyched to see her have her moment.

Christy made a film about universal tween girl insecurities and the brutality of the middle school social scene, centered around the love between two best friends. The story was set in 1979 but felt so real and applicable to me as someone who went through the same experience in the 2010s. Some things never change and each kid in the roller rink was so distinct, yet I also felt that I knew each one when I was their age too.

I got to meet the two lovely stars of her film, Luna Martin and Olive Epstein, who are best friends in real life. Their casting was a complete coincidence and a pleasant surprise, as the girls could not wait to tell this story together as eighth graders themselves. It was great to see them benefit from modern, empowering storytelling like Christy’s as young women – because, even when I was their age, I didn’t get to see rejection and middle school girl awkwardness dealt with so delicately, empathically, and accurately on screen. Thank you, Christy, for this story about young female friendship and how two girls can blossom side by side in their own ways!

Additionally, I met accomplished TV writer on shows like Transparent and Evil, and now filmmaker, Louisa Hill. She is the writer/director of pilot Los Angelez, a story about coming out at thirty and experiencing her city as an open lesbian woman for the first time. This is a personal story for Louisa, centered around queer joy and discovery. I was excited to see her take the helm on her own story and use it to connect with others who are going through something similar. Her creative look, presence, and personable nature made her a wonderful talent to speak with and I hope she keeps moving her work forward.

I also talked to filmmaker Jessica Boss, writer/director of Unnamed, shining a light on victims of domestic violence. Jessica was also fervent about the issue of empowering and protecting women from abuse. She was adamant on breaking the silence– because silence is venom to the victims. There is nothing more powerful than a woman with something to say and Jessica was certainly that. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to see her film but, as women, we know how badly we need more stories like this.

THE FEATURES

Lastly, I encountered a couple of awesome feature filmmakers. On the opening night carpet, I met director and highly acclaimed stuntman Jeff Wolfe making his narrative feature directorial debut. He was there with his wife and producer, Jennifer Wolfe, and he couldn’t stop raving about her. He said that he wouldn’t be able to make this film without her forging the path. The way that he talked about Jennifer and the way that she stood behind him and pushed his goals along was truly aspirational. So, I realized I had to interview her.

Much like beloved NYWIFT member Jennifer Esposito, after many deals fell through, Jennifer Wolfe decided that she and her husband had to do this film themselves. Why wait around? To the ladies, she says we have more power than we think we do and, when we take charge, amazing things will come our way. Why tag along with anyone that doesn’t support you or your vision? Just do it. Her sentiments epitomized those of many indie filmmakers today. Her friend and neighbor Rainn Wilson also echoed that he believes that female filmmakers like Jennifer are the future and he wants all of us to cast him today! You can see our exchange here.

Shortly after I spoke to Jennifer, I met producer of Max Dagan, Stephen Mastrocola. He was amicable and supportive of what others were doing at the festival, as well as enthusiastic about his own project. He attended every day, taking an interest in everyone, even though his feature was showing on closing night. After hearing about the blog, he suggested that I talk to the star of his film – and star of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies – Zach Gordon. Stephen was highly organized and considerate, making sure that everything was in place for his screening and that Zach got where he needed to be for our interview.

 

When I interviewed Zach, he was equally as passionate as Stephen. He gushed over his female costars, saying that they made the film and everyone on it better. He credited his “rock” of a producer Liana Montemayor who reassured him when he felt overwhelmed or uncertain of what was next. Zach said that he couldn’t imagine dealing with everything that Liana had to on a daily basis while maintaining such a level head. He respected her ability to track budgetary needs and secure that every little detail fell into place– all while being there emotionally for the whole cast and crew. Both she and Stephen always kept things flowing on and off set. This superhero ability that they exhibited is highly reflective of the high-achieving female producers and Board Members at NYWIFT. As Zach articulated, this kind of person is who you want on set.

Zach mentioned that, on this project, he also worked with a lot of people around his age and that was very comfortable for him. Collaborating with other young people allowed him to feel safe and respected on set. Although he isn’t “struggling to show the world that he is no longer a 12-year-old wimpy kid,” he was drawn to this project because it is, as he put it, “a major departure” from his breakout role. Max was the perfect opportunity for him to make a statement about who he is as Zach Gordon, the actor and the artist who longs to be part of something meaningful.

 

As an only child, emerging artist, and woman, I can relate to how he felt, and it was interesting to hear my experiences echoed by a 26-year-old with an eminent 20-year acting career. No matter how many times or how used to it you get, it can feel isolating to constantly be around people who are two and three generations above you. You can’t connect with them on the same level that you can with your peers. To make this experience more intimidating, every young person faces agism or condescension from someone who came before them and may feel discomfort being around older people as a result.

All young artists will run into someone who will undermine their ability, intelligence, personhood, or all of the above, and this can be frustrating. As a rising professional, you know this is just life, but you also know that you can do it. And you know when those in power don’t see you. You’ll have to prove it to them yourself, but wouldn’t it be nicer if they just heard you out when you showed them your work? Even though Zach isn’t hurting now, isn’t this an internal struggle that we all face as artists, as women, and as human beings? This is why organizations like NYWIFT exist, and spaces like the one found that Zach found on Max Dagan are so essential. We all long to feel protected from discrimination in our workplace, and it is great to see creatives thrive in environments that put the work first and foster these values.

IN SUMMARY

Besides the talented filmmakers, I met many people who supported me on my journey, including fellow volunteer, videographer, and Emmy-nominated cameraman Dario Vitolo. I appreciated our talks about life and what filmmakers we gravitated to at the event, as well as the hamburgers, California Pizza Kitchen, and sushi. I was also grateful to have my friend from NYU and LA native, Corey Tablan, to help me film the video content for the blog. We love the powerful men we meet along the way who do their damn thing and stand by us as we do ours.

Thank you to the festival for having me and thank you to the familiar faces I saw while I was there. I bumped into fellow NYWIFT members, Eve Austin and Ravit Markus, at the festival who made me feel at home. I also encountered fellow east coaster and documentarian Frederick Taylor who I met at Dances with Films New York. He was in his killer, sparkling red blazer and cowboy hat when I spotted him on the carpet. As a matter of fact, we were both rocking glitter on the carpet opening night and he always knows how to shine.

Independent film festivals like this one are always popular with indie filmmakers. They provide an environment where filmmakers getting their start can effectively bond and connect with each other. This can even function as a platform for the artists to get the distribution that they’ve been searching for after their screening. The sense of community amongst the filmmakers is strong and they are all united by a common passion.

That said, the question remains: Why should we watch indie film? According to the folks I spoke with on my trip, indie film serves as an outlet for artists’ raw emotions and human experience to be expressed in a way that may not translate on a larger-scale film. We all need to tell our little stories that capture something bigger, and indie film is the perfect medium for filmmakers to do so with full creative reign. There needs to be more independent film festivals where organizers create a positive experience for artists and viewers alike. The atmosphere in these rooms is truly beautiful and showed me that there is warmth to be found in the wild, wild west.