Filmmaker Interview for “Unfolding”
Unfolding
Directors: Victoria Mohr-Blakeney & Christian Metaxas (Canada)
Unfolding is a short experimental film about relationships, loss, and struggles with mental health, visually explored through the folding, unfolding, idealization and devaluation of origami cranes.
Experimental
What drew you to create this film?
At a difficult time in his life, one of our collaborators folded 1000 origami paper cranes and held on to them for years. We began reflecting on what the cranes represented in their creation, and in their volume, and started to see them as a visual language we could use to tell the story of a relationship: whether it be a relationship with obsession, addiction, or a romantic relationship. We were curious how these delicate objects could represent moments and choices, and felt compelled to create a film that would allow us to fully articulate these different ideas and feelings visually, sonically, and kinetically—simultaneously.
What does filmmaking mean to you?
For us, filmmaking exists where boundaries and disciplines converge, allowing us to reach across various modes of expression to find connection and meaning. Having a cinematographer, a choreographer, and a writer working together pushed us to understand each others’ perspectives and craft—it creates a multiplying effect in what we’re able to express and share and create together. That is the beauty of filmmaking for us. It’s an open-ended visual conversation that asks us to understand storytelling in a new way.
What advice would you give students or beginners that want to make films?
Follow your impulses. Take the risk. If you have something that truly motivates you, its worth doing. Don’t wait for an invitation. Talk about your ideas openly. Find collaborators and likeminded creators. So much of it is about getting the right constellation of people together and excited about a common vision. You can create a lot with very little. And if you don’t have all the pieces, find the people who do. Don’t let fear stop you. There is meaning in the making.
What films do you watch again and again?
Take Care (2014)
East of Eden (1955)
My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
Unfolding will screen during the experimental film screening on Friday the 18th that starts at 1:15!
