Behind the Scenes at the Cannes Film Festival

Synopsis:
A teenage outlaw, on the run with his mother and her good for nothing boyfriend, comes face to face with the past when a mysterious drifter shows up at the gang’s hideout.

How would you describe your film?

The lost chapter from an obscure Western pulp novel.

What kind of approach to the story was important for you as a director?

I wanted to make a film that was stylistically ambitious. I’m not at all interested in naturalism. My life is already like that. I want to live in a different world when I go to the cinema.

What kind of difficulties did you have to face while shooting?

We shot in the middle of nowhere in Saskatchewan, Canada. Our crew was tracked by a lone wolf for two days. At night you could hear him howl. Our lead actor, Johnny Brodsky, killed the wolf with a shovel after he got too close to the set. Afterwards, we wrapped the wolf in a table cloth and re-wrote the script to include a dead animal.

What do you expect from the Cannes Film Festival?

Great films, interesting people.

Are you planning your first feature film or do you want to keep on doing shorts?

I’ve written the feature length version of Big Muddy. I’ll still make shorts. Anything to keep working. I’m miserable when I’m not busy.

Find more interviews and articles about the World of Shorts in our Cannes 2011 Special Edition!