SERPENTINE PINK, 78min., USA
Directed by Vivian Sorenson
A dark surreal experience. A first of its kind, vortex of a lesbian?? John Waters film meets Yellow Rose meets early Almodóvar on a Lynchian induced trip??in the Mojave desert.??Serious Lost Highway vibes!

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Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
What motivated me to make this movie was the beauty and raw emotion embedded in Megan Breen's words (Screenplay writer and playwright). The pain these characters endure is both devastating and strangely beautiful, and I felt compelled to bring their experiences to life. I love the desert and the visuals you can capture there. I wanted dance to be a part of the film and the strangeness, hostility of the desert to be a character as well. I knew it would require a unique approach—boxing gloves to tackle the challenging, brutal scenes, and soft mittens to smooth, coax, and nurture the words, scenes, guiding them into a compelling narrative flow. I also always love a good driving scene!

I'm drawn to horror, the starkness of wilderness and desert landscapes, and the emotional complexity they evoke. I also love working with actors as sensitive and talented as this cast. This project offered the unique challenge of transforming a piece that began as a play and evolved into a film script into a cohesive and captivating narrative that offered a perspective not usually seen in cinema.

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

1.3 years??

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

Gripping desolation

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

Low budget film challenges

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

It's so thrilling to hear people you don't know speak so articulately about the movie, made my day, week, month, on and on! It's incredibly rewarding to know the film resonated with them on some level, sparked conversation, and is taking on a life of its own, which is ultimately the goal. Thank you!

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I studied Corporeal Mime when I was in elementary school in Albuquerque, NM- I think it started then, the realization that you could transform yourself and others through story, the body and in that case, no words.

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

The Shining, The Exorcist, Goodfellas, The Wizard of Oz, Babette's Feast, Picnic at Hanging Rock

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

Watching and listening to viewers talking about their experience of watching the movie and sharing what they saw and felt is incredibly satisfying and inspiring. It makes me want to keep making movies, keep telling stories that have the power to transform or just to experience beauty, banality, ugliness and joy. The more opportunities to have a film screened the better! Please implement more Q&A's and experiences of watching movies in theaters, getting people to the movies. I love that in a theater people breathe together as they watch a movie, I am hoping we all get off our phones and tv monitors and watch movies in theaters together.

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

10. What is your favorite meal?
Pizza, this crust, crispy, homemade tomato sauce, good cheese with an arugula salad. I like to put the salad on top and eat it all together. Maybe some hot peppers and honey, yes, I like the honey.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
I have a couple different scripted projects in the works, one is a thriller that takes place in NM, a mistaken identity story. I also have a doc feature called Fork In The Road about regional agriculture, we've followed small to medium farmers over 8 years. It will be in festivals and looking for distribution in 2025!