NANUQ – AN ARCTIC JOURNEY FROM PAST TO FUTURE was voted BEST FEATURE FILM at the January 2021 Environmental Film Festival.
1. What motivated you to make this film?
The opportunity to tell such a special and unique expedition was the main reason to decide to make this film and start this journey.
A voyage which is driven by the need for discovery, commemoration, and knowledge, against the backdrop of a present characterized by uncertainty and nostalgia for a lost past, an alternative present, and a future which may be lost.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
The entire process lasted approximately two years.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Human Adventure.
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The problem was the budget right away. The risk of investing in a product, that did not yet have a sales channel, made the available resources minimal: from the shooting phase to the editing phase.
Not to mention the pandemic that made everything more difficult …
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
The first reaction was the satisfaction in having been understood and appreciated for the the various technical and writing components of the film.
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
We got in touch with project leader of the expedition, who told us what the mission was and the details of this fantastic project. A few weeks later we were in the Arctic.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
L’uomo delle stelle, 1995, Giuseppe Tornatore.
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
From a filmmaker’s point of view, I can say that the festival represents the hope that the one’s efforts and principles can be appreciated and recognized within an audiovisual product, which in turn has a message to be conveyed.
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
Maybe I cannot find the most-listened song of my life, but certainly during the film it was crucial to listen to “Future Days”, Pearl Jam.
10. What is next for you? A new film?
There are many projects opened: our film production company, Addictive Ideas, is producing a film based on a true story in Syria, commercials on the world of traditional food in Italy and an Italian TV show.
Matthew Toffolo's Summary 