Looking forward is harder than looking back.

Transcription

1 Press Kit 1

2 Looking forward is harder than looking back. SYNOPSIS Eight year old Jesse lives in a twilight world of sadness and silence, squeezed into a tiny caravan with his grief stricken father. They re in limbo, existing more than living. The child intuitively understands that looking forward is harder than looking back, and that s where life happens. But they are stuck, until an accidental friendship with a V8 driving transsexual unlocks the means for Jesse to liberate his father and himself. 2

3 DIRECTOR S STATEMENT The World in Your Window is a love story between a father and son; and a reminder that amidst grief, help often comes from unexpected places and in fortuitous ways. Sometimes you just have to be willing to open your eyes and step outside in order to heal. The film was inspired by a documentary I made in 2012 called King of Caravans. An intimate observation of a caravan park in small town New Zealand. It was a place where people came to escape, hide, and get back on their feet; a place that opened its rusty gates to all - the lost, the lonely, the poor and the broken. While working on another project, my mind kept drifting back to that park. I wondered what life would be like for some of the solo parents and children, cooped up living in those caravans. What would it take for them to reconnect with the world again, even under their crushing circumstances? There was a strength, perceptiveness and heart in some of these characters I observed. I wanted to explore this world more deeply in a dramatic film. I thrive on making films that merge reality with fiction. The World in Your Window mixes grunty street casting with professional actors. I like the unpredictable and surprising qualities non-actors bring, and how their life and story is literally etched into their face and eyes. There s an authenticity, specificity, and richness to these characters that informs my creative process and approach. Both Repa (the transsexual) and David (the wee boy) had never acted before. The choice to only use three lines of dialogue was a conscious one. I love the challenge of trying to tell short stories with minimal dialogue. I wanted to explore the film s themes through visual language. So much can be said without dialogue. Framing and obscuring the characters through windows was used to enforce the feeling of their entrapment mentally and physically. As the film progresses, the characters open themselves up and engage with the world, and we see them in their entirety. 3

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6 JESSE David Lolofakangalo Rounds Director, Zoe McIntosh discovered young David at her local boxing gym. She was drawn to his intense focus, creativity and gentleness. She also observed his loving relationship with his father (the gym s coach). This genuine connection and empathy for his father was at the heart of the character Jesse and would become instrumental in forming a truthful performance on set. REPA Lena Regan Zoe McIntosh met Lena 7 years ago when she was embarking on a documentary called King of Caravans. Lena became one of the main subjects of the film where she talked frankly about living in this broken down caravan park and working as a sex worker. Regardless of being covered in patchy prison tats reading - LONER, FUCK OFF, and ANARCHY, Zoe was drawn to her unexpected softness and fragility. She admired her bold approach to life and was inspired to write her character into a short film. DAD Joe Folau Joe Folau is a well-known and very talented New Zealand actor. Appearing in several big feature films and television series. He is a beautifully generous actor and was extremely supportive of young David (who had never acted before). Joe worked hard on cementing a strong relationship prior to the shoot by attending David s boxing nights. By the time it came to filming, there was a very real and solid relationship there. 6

7 DIRECTOR ZOE MCINTOSH After completing a Fine Arts degree at Ilam, Zoe wrote and directed feature-film documentary Lost In Wonderland. A potent exploration of one man s search for justice and identity, the film received international acclaim and was awarded Best Documentary at the NZ Film & TV Awards in Also in 2010, Zoe s first short film Day Trip was selected for the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York and was was a finalist for Best Short Film at the 2010 NZ Film & TV award. It was awarded Best Performance in a Short Film. She was also awarded the 2011 SPADA New Filmmaker of the Year. As a commercial director she was awarded The Cannes Lions young director award Her feature docu-comedy The Deadly Ponies Gang was a hit at the New Zealand International film festival and went on to screen at the New York Rooftop film festival. Living Like Kings, a short doco which followed a group of homeless people who found themselves living in unexpected luxury after the Christchurch earthquakes. It became a Vimeo staff pick, shot of the week, and went on to screen in international film festivals. PRODUCER HAMISH MORTLAND Hamish graduated from Canterbury University s School of Fine Arts in 2003, where he majored in film (BFA). After studying he began working within the camera-line before branching out into producing and directing both in New Zealand and the UK. In 2012, Hamish wrote and directed his debut short film SUNI MAN. A touching, yet brutal coming-of-age story of a young Samoan man growing up in New Zealand. The film was selected to play at the following film festivals - Atlanta International, New Zealand International, Bermuda International, Rome Independent, NewFilmmakers LA, SOUQ Italian & the Hollywood Black Film Festival. He currently produces TVC s, short films, music videos, documentaries and is developing his first feature film. Zoe continues to direct commercials and documentaries and is developing ideas for feature films. 7

8 DIRECTOR ZOE MCINTOSH SCRIPT WRITERS ZOE MCINTOSH AND COSTA BOTES PRODUCER HAMISH MORTLAND EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS MICHELLE TURNER, NICK WARD AND COSTA BOTES CINEMATOGRAPHER MARTY WILLIAMS EDITOR ANNIE COLLINS PRODUCTION DESIGNER JOSEPH LEARY COSTUME DESIGNER KRISTEN SETH CASTING DIRECTOR / COACH HORI AHIPENE CREATIVE ADVISOR GARETH MOON PRODUCTION COMPANY BEBE FILMS DURATION 15 MINUTES SHOOTING FORMAT HD DIGITAL SCREENING FORMAT DCP & BLU-RAY SCREENING RATIO 2:1 SOUND FORMAT DOLBY DIGITAL 5:1 PRODUCTION NEW ZEALAND, 2016 INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION HAMISH@BEBEFILMS.COM WEBSITES THEWORLDINYOURWINDOW.COM FACEBOOK.COM/TWIYW SOUND RECORDIST MIKE WESTGATE COMPOSERS RHIAN SHEEHAN AND EWAN CLARK 8

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