Interview with director Nicola Balhuizen Hepp (WALK)

WALK, directed by Nicola Balhuizen Hepp played to rave reviews at the Under 5 Minute FEEDBACK Film Festival in July 2016. It was an honor to interview her:

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Nicola Balhuizen Hepp: In dealing with my father’s ageing process, my films are exploring themes and issues that have to do with age, memory, life and death. I had worked with him on a performance with projected video images in 2006. The material for Walk is actually material that we shot for those projections.

MT: From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

NBH: The material was shot in 2006, I had the idea for Walk in november 2014 and finished it by the end of that year.

MT: How would you describe your short film in two words!?

NBH: perpetual, inevitable

MT: What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

NBH: Dealing with how it was filmed originally as it wasn’t shot for this short film but for the projections for a very long piece, the timing of the shots was very slow and I wanted to make Walk as a very short one-minute, full-circle film.

MT: What were your initial reactions when watching the Toronto audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

NBH: I was humbled and grateful to see that people really seemed to understand my film. Particularily, I was touched by how the audience were truly interested and wanting to relate. As a filmmaker, that is really what I want, to connect with the viewers and have them think about issues that I touch upon with my films.

MT: How did you come up with the idea for this short film?

NBH: This came out of the need to deal with my father’s ageing process and at the same time, having this material that sat unused on a shelf 8 years after the live performances, I felt curious to see what I could make of that material in the edit.

MT: What film have you seen the most in your life?

NBH: Singing in the Rain and Twelve Monkeys

MT: What is next for you? A new film?

NBH: After Walk I made two more films, The Double and Songs of the Underworld. Now I am busy with a music video for a british band and making plans for my next short film.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of “WALK”:

****

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.