BRAISING, 19min., USA
Directed by Bryan Ribeiro
Conroy –a crestfallen, fast food cook who dreams of becoming a chef– finds community with a peculiar “charity” organization, all while he strives to deepen his connection with his widower father.

https://www.instagram.com/braisingfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I wanted to tell a story about group think. There's always been a fascination about cults and mob mentalities and I wanted to explore what brings about a need to join the collective. The answers vary person to person but a lot of the cases I found illuminating were the ones where someone lacked a community of their own; they had no family they could rely on. Focusing on someone without a support system and seeing their descent sounded way too fun an opportunity. Food has always been something that brings people together and adapting that idea into a potentially negative tether was the last crux to bring everything together.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Hmmm. I would say about a year and a half.

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

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
I think there were two major issues. Casting and funding. One, it was in getting an actor of Nathan Darrow's caliber. I wanted to direct an actor who has worked in the industry and mingled with the best. Nathan's been on screen with Robert DeNiro and Kevin Spacey and he had an understated charisma to him that perfectly matched Hank's subdued cult of personality. I had to borrow a friend's IMDB Pro's credentials and cold emailed agents and actors and luckily the stars aligned for Nathan. The other issue was funding. We ran a Kickstarter that helped offset costs but it took a tremendous amount of energy and time so consolidating that and time for the film was tough.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was really floored by the initial reception. The warmth in the reviews were really validating and a lot of the analyses were thoughtful. It's my very first video review so it was a bit surreal.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I've always thought of myself as a storyteller. I used to play with my toys during bath time and tell stories with the characters and give them arcs and goals that would segway into the next episode. Then I started video editing little home videos on windows movie maker. When I went to college and met like minded filmmakers that's when I tried to make films with a direction. I've had a strong addiction ever since those formative university years that's recently culminated into Braising.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
I would say the films I've seen the most were Iron Giant, The Matrix, and IT Chapter 1.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
The Chicago FEEDBACK Film Festival has treated me incredibly well. If there was any way to network with other filmmakers that would be really fun.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
FilmFreeway has been as easy and as smooth as water off a duck's back.

10. What is your favorite meal?
A common Brazilian dish- sautéed beef, rice, beans, spinach with vinaigrette, and an orange after. Or a chicken parm sandwich works. Considering the film centers on food, this is something I think about a lot.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
Yes! I always want to try and improve. Colleagues are suggesting I make this into a feature and I would love to go down that route. But I'm always cooking up ideas. My next original idea is a sci-fi crime drama set in a postmodern world with vigilantes and gangsters. Would love to go down that rabbit hole and explore concepts of justice, criminality, family, and do it in a grittier way.