Authors — Danielle Lurie
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The Women of SXSW: Wicker Kittens Director Amy C. Elliott
Following her “The Women of Sundance” article in our print and online additions, Danielle Lurie continues her coverage of female filmmakers with a series of pieces highlighting women directors at SXSW. In this interview, she talks with Amy C. Elliott, the director and also d.p. of Wicker Kittens, screening in the Documentary Spotlight section. Filmmaker: Why this movie? Why did you decide to do it? Elliott: When I first heard there was such a thing as competitive jigsaw puzzling, I just wanted to know more. And in particular, I wanted to know more about the specifics — how many […]
by Danielle Lurie on Mar 8, 2014 -
The Women of SXSW: Kelly & Cal Director Jen McGowan
Following “The Women of Sundance” article in our print and online additions, Danielle Lurie continues her coverage of female filmmakers with a series of pieces highlighting women directors at SXSW. In this email interview, she talks with the director of the Narrative Spotlight film, Kelly & Cal, Jen McGowan. Filmmaker: Why this movie? Why did you decide to do it? McGowan: I loved the script. I loved the script and I loved the writer. And I could see it. I could see that I could do something special with it. This project originated at a USC alumni program called USC First Team which connected […]
by Danielle Lurie on Mar 8, 2014 -
The Women of SXSW: Honeymoon Writer/Director Leigh Janiak
Following “The Women of Sundance” article in our print and online additions, Danielle Lurie continues her coverage of female filmmakers with a series of pieces highlighting women directors at SXSW. In this email interview, she talks with the writer/director of Honeymoon, Leigh Janiak. Honeymoon screens today in the Midnighters section. Filmmaker: Why this movie? Why did you decide to do it? Janiak: My writing partner Phil and I had been writing together for years, and finishing a script is satisfying, but it’s never really a finished project… So I think it was sometime in 2010, after seeing Monsters and Tiny […]
by Danielle Lurie on Mar 7, 2014 -
The Women of SXSW: I Was a Teenage Girl Director Augustine Frizzell
Following “The Women of Sundance” article in our print and online additions, Danielle Lurie continues her coverage of female filmmakers with a series of pieces highlighting women directors at SXSW. In this email interview, she talks with the director of Augustine Frizzell, whose I Was a Teenage Girl premieres in the Texas Shorts program. Filmmaker: Why this movie? Why did you decide to do it? Frizzell: I started with the concept of three shorts about three separate pairs of girls, all around age 15, entering a period in their lives where the issues they’re faced with rapidly change from […]
by Danielle Lurie on Mar 7, 2014 -
Interview with Laggies 1st AD Lynn Wegenka
Filmmaker: Why did you first get into being an AD? Did you ever want to direct? Do you now? Wegenka: I started working as an AD after college. As a filmmaker I love production, the process of making films. As an AD I’m right in the thick of it, helping to create the director’s vision. I’ve been able to work with many directors I admire: Bernardo Bertolucci, David Lynch, David Mamet, John Waters, Robert M. Young, Wayne Wang, Martha Coolidge, Neema Barnett and many others. I’ve learned from all of them. Working with Lynn has been a joy, it has brought me […]
by Danielle Lurie on Jan 23, 2014 -
Interview with To Be Takei Director Jennifer M. Kroot
Filmmaker: Why this movie? Why did you decide to do it? Kroot: I was compelled to do it! I have always been a big fan of the original Star Trek, which I loved for its mix of campy aesthetics and also its thinly veiled exploration of the serious social and political issues of the 1960’s. George Takei’s sexual orientation never occurred to me but I was very impressed when he “came out” at age 68 in 2005 to become a voice for LGBT civil rights and then marry his long time partner, Brad Altman. I noticed how George’s philosophy was […]
by Danielle Lurie on Jan 23, 2014 -
Interview with Viktoria Director Maya Vitkova
Filmmaker: Why this movie? Why did you decide to do it? Vitkova: I’d been working on a project as a 1st AD. At the end of the last shooting day, after almost 10 years of hard work as a 1st and 2nd AD, I promised myself I’d never do this thankless job again. The same evening I sat down and wrote an 18-page treatment, a story that had never really crossed my mind. Viktoria’s plot came easily, made me laugh while putting it into words, and then cry at the end. Viktoria has been very obsessive ever since, didn’t leave me until I completed […]
by Danielle Lurie on Jan 23, 2014 -
Interview with Lock Charmer (El Cerrajero) Director Natalia Smirnoff
Filmmaker: Why this movie? Why did you decide to do it? Smirnoff: Puzzle was a story about a woman. So after that, I was really interested in making a film about a man, putting [myself] in his skin. I know a lot of people, maybe me included, with emotional obstacles. And I think writing is a marvelous possibility to habit different human beings. All these things are related to the story of Lock Charmer. Exploring Sebastian, the main character from the film, was a wonderful exercise; I learned more about life. Always not judging but living with him. When you manage […]
by Danielle Lurie on Jan 22, 2014 -
Interview with Watchers of the Sky D.P. Mai Iskander
Filmmaker: Why this movie? Why did you decide to do it? Iskander: Edet Belzberg’s film Children Underground was one of my favorite docs. When I went to meet her for the first time to talk about potentially working on her new film, I was simply excited to meet her and hear about her experiences as a documentary filmmaker. So I was thrilled to be have the opportunity to work with her on Watchers of the Sky. The prospect of traveling to Chad and working closely with Edet was very exciting. Filmmaker: Why do you think you were the right choice to D.P. each film? Iskander: […]
by Danielle Lurie on Jan 22, 2014 -
Interview with Web Junkie Director Hilla Medalia
Filmmaker: Why this movie? Why did you decide to do it? Medalia: As boundaries between reality and the virtual become increasingly blurred, we are beginning to see how reality is compromised and people are losing their footing. When Shosh [Shlam, the other director of Web Junkie] told me about this story of China’s attempt to stem internet addiction among its youth, I was immediately captivated and felt that this it expressed a current and increasingly global dilemma. I began to wonder if I myself was an addict? Had I become overly dependent on technology? And would these techniques to break the addiction among […]
by Danielle Lurie on Jan 22, 2014
