PARENTHOOD 2050 was the winner of BEST DIRECTION at the April 2021 FEMALE Film Festival.
1. What motivated you to make this film?
In Parenthood 2050 I wanted to explore how would a person feel without the ability to feel love. Loveless wife and mother – this sounds very scary, right? But what if there are some advantages of it? What if, is the inability to feel love makes someone more balanced, determined, and ultimately happier. This idea was fascinating for me, and wild spark my imagination every time I think about it, so that was my motivation to make the film.
I’m a filmmaker and whenever I want to figure something out or reflect on something – I’m writing a script.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
It took us 12 months. I wrote the script in two months. We shot it in 3 days.
And the post-production was longer than it could be because we had a very low budget. So we were doing everything within our free time and almost for free. I’m so grateful to wonderfully talented sound mixer Aaron Moreno and Sam Motamedi who did amazing work on the color grading and VFX, he also was a DP for this project, without these two I wouldn’t be able to finish this film.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
Dramatic comedy.
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Music clearance. Thanks to Moby, who is very supportive of independent filmmakers.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was very pleased and grateful for the audience watching it and giving feedback. I was very happy to hear that the plot was clear and all the questions we raised in the film evoked response a lively reaction from the audience. Thank you for this wonderful experience.
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. When did you first realize that you wanted to make films?
When I was 21, just graduated from acting school and was working in the theater. I watched the documentary Bread for Bird by Sahsa Strelyanaya, and I thought, I want to make films. This is the field I want to explore. And I started my film career in documentary filmmaking.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! – it’s a film which is shown on Russian TV every New Year’s eve. It’s a great film, but I have a feeling that I watched it too much without my own will. I think I know every line of this movie, so as all the people who were born in the USSR.
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
I love FilmFreeway! It’s the most convenient and easy platform for film festival submission.
9. What is your favorite meal?
The meal which I share with the people I love.
10. What is next for you? A new film?
Of course!! I’m now on the post-production for the short Let My Grandpa Into Heaven! Which I’ve shot before COVID hit. And I’m working over the feature script now, which I hope will my debut right after graduation from NYU Grad Film.
Matthew Toffolo's Summary 