Interview with Filmmaker Lina Schmeink (Löffel)

Löffel was the winner of BEST MUSIC at the Female Director’s December 2018 Festival in Toronto.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Lina Schmeink: It was my grandma who spent her last ten years in an old people´s home. It was dirty and the nurses had no time for the residents. That wa formative for me. So I tought: what if old people just break the rules, break out and just do what they like – no matter how old they are or hor realistic it is to win.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

– I had the idea for the script in summer 2014. It was a long long time to shoot, edit and finish it. I had to reedit LÖFFEL many times because everytime I tought it would be finished now I had a new idea.

3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?

– donkey adventure

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

– Shooting with the donkey was a challenge. We shot the last scene – when the two guys ans Löffel walk down that path – 2 kilometers away from the barn where the donkeys lived. We had two donkeys who were inseparable. So we had to take them both to our set. We wanted to shoot while sunrise and the donkeys didn´t want to walk onto our trailer. So we walked the 2 kilometers trough Belium in the dark with the donkeys who didn´t want to walk. And when we arrived at the set and the sun position was perfect the donkeys didn´t move anymore. It took half an hour for the donkeys to move again and the sunrise was over when we shot. So the whole preparation was in vain.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

– I was so touched, moved, happy and grateful that people I had no chance to talk to completely understood the movie and could laugh and cry while watching it.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?

– As I already wrote it was the situation my grandmy lived in and it was also my father who always wanted to have donkeys at home.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

– Life of Brian

8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?

– It´s a great platform. Gives a good overview, many informations and makes the submissions very easy. I will use it again.

9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?

– James – Getting away with it

10. What is next for you? A new film?

– Yes, in 2018 i wrote my first long term script and I´m gonna shoot it in 2019.