The narrative kernel of birth/rebirth, Laura Moss’s debut feature, was originally planted in the writer-director’s mind 20 years ago. The filmmaker (and former EMT) was creatively stirred after reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and feeling that its interest in unnatural procreation could translate well to an all-female retelling. As the decades passed, Moss began negotiating integral facets of their identity—namely coming out as non-binary and becoming increasingly convinced they would never have children—making the story all the more ripe for retelling.  Finally coming to fruition post-pandemic, birth/rebirth deftly weaves together Moss’s own personal inquiries about “female” reproductive processes and the act of […]

A modern-day, female-focused retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Laura Moss’s birth/rebirth refuses to flinch when it comes to portraying the bloody viscera of the birthing process. The film follows a maternity nurse Celie (Judy Reyes) who experiences a life-shattering personal loss. Soon after, she forms an unlikely relationship with pathologist Rose (Marin Ireland), an aloof genius who’s covertly working on a medical process that can reanimate the dead. DP Chananun Chotrungroj told Filmmaker about her and Moss simultaneously attending the NYU Grad Film program, the iconic film that served as birth/rebirth‘s visual touchstone and how her own experience in the […]

Every production faces unexpected obstructions that require creative solutions and conceptual rethinking. What was an unforeseen obstacle, crisis, or simply unpredictable event you had to respond to, and how did this event impact or cause you to rethink your film? Getting into Sundance was tremendously exciting, but we had to have all hands on deck to finish the film in time for the festival. We wrapped principal photography in New Jersey in September, and once we got accepted into Sundance, learned we had to turn in our print on January 13th. With so many holidays falling in that time period, our […]

Director Laura Moss’s feature debut birth/rebirth is laden with horror references, which was a principal reason for editor Taylor Mason vying for the gig. The film is essentially a modern retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, with an overtly femme twist. It follows Celie (Judy Reyes), a maternity nurse who experiences a sudden tragedy, and Rose (Marin Ireland), a brilliant (if somewhat anti-social) pathologist, form an unlikely bond over the latter’s experimental reanimation process. As their friendship develops, they both reassess their respective moral compasses—shocking each other, and themselves, in the process. Mason spoke with Filmmaker about the film’s myriad horror […]