OTHERS, 19min., USA
Directed by Chris Durr
In a midwest suburb, an aging radio enthusiast becomes suspicious that a lonely hispanic teenager is a response to his interstellar transmissions. As misunderstanding and coincidence collide, Mateo perceives Frank as a potential threat, while Frank becomes convinced Mateo is a response to his message that he transmits to the skies. Their misperceptions are flipped over when they are interrupted by a close encounter with an unexpected guest.
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http://chrisdurr.com/
https://www.instagram.com/others.film

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

The polarization I've been experiencing in my country over the past decade has had me pondering what on Earth could drive humanity together...not saying "Others" is the answer, but I wanted to tell a story about two very different people misperceiving one another while experiencing the same isolation or loneliness. The sci fi alien stuff came from an experience I had in 2009 that left me very open minded, so I thought that might be a fun way to get us there in the film.

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

15 months! I began to put pencil to paper in March of 2023 and we locked the final audio mix mid June 2024.

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

Big Misunderstanding

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

We didn't design a simple film to make and with limited resources it becomes very challenging to stay present minded for your department heads and actors, while also staying flexible for the creativity that arises in the moment. Some idiots wrote a movie that takes place mostly at night and running around on a bicycle the whole time. In the end, I'm very proud of how we stayed conscious of what mattered to the end result and navigated a complex puzzle as a team successfully. There were many challenges, but that is one that I really pushed my bandwidth with and still showed up in respect to the story.

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

I thought it was very cool to hear the ideas and themes of the story really garnering a response and being appreciated by the audience members. The audience seemed like they all had very different backgrounds and there was a couple of differences of interpretation too, which I love because it was designed to work between a few different interpretations of the story. I was waiting for a criticism to make it spicy!

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

Long story short, I had a health scare as a young person and decided I wanted to positively impact as many other people as I could - so I cancelled my university plans and went to art school. I didn't even know film school was a thing, but I found my way onto set anyway.

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

Big Fish, ET, Wizard of Oz

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

Some form of an in person event is always good.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

Great!

10. What is your favorite meal?

Kifta, Baba ghanouj, tabouli, fresh pita

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

While Others the short was always intended to stand on its own, its a proof of concept for the feature length. We've been writing the feature version of Others all along the way. We're wrapping up the screenplay, putting together a team, and beginning conversations with potential financial partners.