THE CALL OF WATER, 19min., USA
Directed by Kaya Tone
Flung into the astral-plane, Nadia must face ancient forces in order to realize her responsibility to her homeland.

https://tonefilmproductions.com/call-of-water/
https://www.facebook.com/thecallofwater.film/
https://www.instagram.com/callofwater.film/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I grew up in the rolling foothills under the towering, snow capped Rocky Mountains in Gold Hill, Colorado. That land became my playground and biggest inspiration. I spent hours outside, creating worlds of fantasy. As I grew older, however, the magic faded into memory and the woods suddenly became silent and lonely. But my love for this place never left me. My sister and I would later describe this as the 'Call of the West'; a deep seeded, pull in our stomachs for open fields, wind-whipped mountain tops, and the smell of warm earth under endless clear blue skies.
When conceiving "The Call of Water", my home came back to me. I wanted to return to those cragged peaks and rediscover the magic I had felt there. This film was to be my love letter to where I'm from, and a commemoration to the conservation of the land I grew up on.

The importance of protecting the planet has always had a big part in the film and in my life. The story of the aquifer that lies beneath my home and the almost magical gift that this could become was like a folk tale. Only as I grew older did the full implication of these stories hit me. Clean, fresh, untapped water in a somehow virgin landscape is rare and growing to be more important as the need for safe water becomes a bigger issue with our changing climate. I wanted to take these stories I had absorbed as a child and make them presentable to the world in a grounded way to capture that mysticism I had experienced. My goal with this film is to have the audience walk away with a deeper understanding of the personal responsibility each individual holds in protecting the water and the land that encases it so that we can all continue to call this planet home.

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

I started writing this film in the fall of 2019. I started pre-production in December 2019 and was set to shoot the film in March of 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Production was delayed until August of 2020 which allowed me to do more drafts of the script and more pre-production. Post took several months and the film was completed in May 2021.

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

This is a super hard one. Magical Surrealism? Surreal Epic?

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

The COVID-19 pandemic was a huge hurdle we had to get over. Production was postponed several months and even then it was a constant fear with new regulations that caused strain and extra costs during production. But it also made it an even more special experience.

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

It was so lovely to hear everyone's thoughts, comments, and insights. I'm blushing from the warmth that I received from the comments. It means so much.

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

I always wanted to tell stories, for as long as I can remember. I loved to write and to play epic fantasy games with my sister that, looking back, would make pretty great TV shows. It wasn't until High school that I discovered a video camera and what it allowed me to do in terms of my storytelling. Now, I could visualize my stories, not just have them on the page.

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

Oh man...probably the Lord of the Rings...and I think it shows.

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

This was a great festival! Maybe some more networking events with managers.

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

Great, super simple and easy.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Changes allllll the time. A good pad thai though hits the spot every time.

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

Always writing. My next goal is to make an indie feature. But perhaps some shorts in the meantime.