BROKEN was the winner of Best Performances at the February 2022 DANCE Film Festival.
1. What motivated you to make this film?
It is a cause that we know well because we have relatives who have been victims. We wanted to contribute to this cause at our level. We are convinced that a film can change mentalities.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
It took about a year from the idea to the last colorimétric touch.
3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Passion and commitment.
On the one hand our passion for dance and image and on the other hand the passion that can lead people to tear each other apart. Regarding the commitment, it is the one we put to talk about complex problems to people who do not want to hear it and it is our personal commitment to carry out a project in which we believe with or without financial means.
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
As we said earlier. The biggest difficulty was to make a film without means. It forces you to create a budget on your personal funds with the certainty of not recovering them.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
It’s always very moving to realize that people have understood the message we wanted to convey. In this kind of work, the most important thing is that the message is heard and that people recognize the value of the work that has been provided, especially when it is self-production made with the guts. We were very touched by the relevance of the analyzes and the enthusiasm of the public for our film. When you make a film, having direct feedback from the public is both rare and precious. It is also very motivating to consider future projects.
Watch the Audience Feedback Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHyDsRxDDYM
6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
From our childhood, even before we both met, we developed the desire to tell stories regardless of the format (dance, drawing, music, writing and later films). For us, it was therefore natural to tell stories by associating all these forms of art.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Mikaël considers that life is too short to see all the good films at least once. This is why he rarely watches the same film more than 3 times. On the other hand, Olivia is quite the opposite, when she loves, she doesn’t count. She has seen West side story, Dirty dancing or Lalaland dozens of times.
8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
Allowing the directors to hear the opinion of the spectators is already a superb idea. As part of a festival in Paris, we had the opportunity thanks to the organizers to exchange by videoconference or physically with the other directors of the competition. It’s a very enriching experience that we would like to find in more festivals. This allows beyond the competition to share his experiences and to progress in his work.
9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
We are very satisfied with the filmfreeway platform. There are real opportunities and the festivals represented are of high quality. We have the chance thanks to this platform to make our film travel around the world and in very professional festivals and adapted to the genre of the film.
10. What is your favorite meal?
What a weird question? For Mikael, as long as he hasn’t tried everything, he can’t answer. As for Olivia, she loves macaroni and cheese.
11. What is next for you? A new film?
We also work as documentary filmmakers. Our next project is a documentary about dance and racism. We are going to make a 90-minute feature film. It will be a docufiction in live and animated images.
Matthew Toffolo's Summary 