As part of this month’s Inside Out x NOW Digital Residency, we’re profiling a number of filmmakers and community members associated with Inside Out. See all of the profiles here.
What do you do in your industry?
I make movies.
What’s your most recent film about?
What Keeps You Alive is a dark thriller about a couple that goes on a trip for their one-year anniversary, but one of them is not at all who they claim to be. Bad shit ensues.
If you had to cook one dish to impress a potential film financier, what would it be?
I don’t cook much so I would not receive their funding. But I am resourceful in many other ways, so I would still get the film made.
What’s one way the Canadian film industry could be more inclusive?
Up until this point I think there has been a very narrow vision for what a “Canadian story” is. Hopefully this is becoming less so now and will change on a funding level, but as filmmakers and as artists, we are empowered so much more today by the technology available to us, that it is simply inevitable for the voices that have been overlooked to find their own means of making their art and getting it out there – regardless of traditional and outdated funding mechanisms that exist in Canada.
In your opinion, what are some ways that Inside Out has impacted the LGBTQ community?
The festival is a fantastic platform to continue to bring awareness to and celebrate the LGBTQ community. I’m thrilled to have my film premiere in Canada here!
Are there any filmmakers who inspire you right now?
Tons. But for this film I would say some of my biggest influences or inspiration came from films by Karyn Kusama (The Invitation), Mary Harron (American Psycho) and David Fincher (Seven). Those were all films that tonally resonated with what I wanted to achieve.
Visit the Inside Out x NOW Digital Residency
