We are moving stories

“As sisters and co-directors, we’ve long been inspired by the real, intelligent and complex women around us, but it was in the current galvanizing climate of today, that the idea for this film started brewing. “We Are the Daughters” is our way of paying homage to the women who, through both subtle and strong actions, are paving the way for a more equal future, for their daughters and their mothers.”

“I structured the story around the three women as I wanted to say that no matter who you are, as a woman in society you will be judged. You will labelled by the job you choose to take on dependent on your circumstances or not, people do talk, people are hypercritical, you will be looked at if you drink and party all night as a female, or if you choose to walk home at night alone and meet foul play. Also to say that victim blaming happens too often in our society. Everyone, male or female deserves respect and every woman should feel safe on the streets, day or night.”

“In this film, Amy is torn between her American values and her traditional background. I was interested in the juxtaposition between the two ideologies.”

“When I wrote the script, I asked myself: what is the scariest thing I could see on screen that I haven’t seen yet? I wanted to delve into the racial self-hatred that I, and many other Asians, have been experiencing for a long time.”

“I created Prom Time! to explore cross-generational traits, what gets passed down from parent to child and how this affects who we seek in our romantic relationships, especially from a female perspective. I wanted to showcase women’s desire which isn’t seen very often and to normalize it in an entertaining way playing with elements of ancient Chinese mythicism and juxtaposing that with modern-day American teen dating life.”

“The film is about mother and daughter relationships, which is a personal favourite theme, and more generally, it’s about what we think we already know about the people we love. Everyone can relate to the fact that we can be flabbergasted when we discover their intimate secrets.”

“I often find humor in unlikely places, so something so innocuous as a family dinner is a great starting point to devolve and spiral.”

“The mother-daughter relationship is so fragile and yet so powerful; I wanted to showcase that in a funny way. It’s hilarious that the things that drive you crazy about your mother are probably behaviours you’ve adopted as well without even realizing it. My film is also heavily inspired by my own upbringing with my mother, who is a foster parent. This was my weird way of bonding with my mom and, of course, it makes fun of my family and myself in the process.”

“My dear Dad, also a filmmaker Russell Haig, passed away earlier last year. He had numerous wonderful qualities, one being he was a highly punctual person. So when I completely missed the appointment to pick up his ashes, I was mortified but also thought ‘That’s ironic, that could make a good basis for a short film’.”

“As our personal lens shifts from child to teenager to adult, the minor and momentous moments of life change texture. I love films that illustrate how days can span long and palatially in youth but then will burst past you in a blink as you grow. Those are the emotions I want to capture through this story.”

“Many people shared how incorporating poetry into the film made it very powerful, vulnerable, and unique. This for sure challenged me because I often thought of poetry and film as two separate art forms, but I do intend to weave them together again in future projects.”

“It was clear that this story needed to be told. Inspired by true events, this story deals with topics that are important, relevant and that a modern family deals with on any given day. These topics include forgiveness, unconditional love, sexual identity, parenting, compromise and responsibility. The story is rooted in truth. It’s a realistic portrayal of what it’s like to manage and balance a blended family that some would see as broken; however those inside see as FAM.”

“The themes we wanted to explore with this film are sacrifice and hope. These are the motivations that drive the urgency of every scene.”

“I hope that it starts a conversation. That would be incredible. It would be great if it helped someone, even in a small way, work through their own grief.”

“The feedback is the most rewarding aspect of this film. The film stirs up things in people and provokes them to want to share their own “parallel” story. This is usually expressed with a great deal of passion, followed by thanks for showing something they have wanted to see but never have.”

“While I was intrigued by a heart-stopping thriller about a woman who uses her stealth and smarts to foil bad guys and find her daughter, the reason I said yes was to have the opportunity to make a film about human trafficking from a female perspective. ”

“The film’s core relationship was based on the unique bond I have with my own mother during my teenage years. Our relationship is intimate, very open, flawed and of course, very complex. Sometimes we were more like girlfriends than mother and child. She supported me in her own unique, loving way and honestly, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without her.”

“The mother/ daughter relationship at the heart of this film encompasses themes of maternal love and unbreakable bonds. The sci-fi aspect explores ideas around life, death and scientific intervention.”

“Should children with a mentally-ill parent be protected from them? Is it okay that children in such circumstances sometimes become the caretakers of their parent, who’s supposed to care for them? In our case, the love of our mother was worth so much more than the pain she sometimes caused us, but as filmmakers we have to let the audience decide for themselves how they want to answer the posed questions.”

“Sylvia is about the basic makeup of humankind, our ability to love each other and how valuable and cherished our loved ones are. This film introduces you to a simple happy family, a Grandma, Mother and two daughters, enjoying each other’s company, enjoying life and leaving remnants of happy times everywhere - a set-up most people can relate to.”

“Beautiful Dreamer will transport you to a near-future world that is brought to life through a series of staggered meetings between a mother and daughter across 80 years. The future environment of the story is always changing and evolving, which is both fascinating and entertaining, but you will also be captured by the strong, human story that unfolds at the center of the film – the story of a mother and daughter struggling to find love, meaning and acceptance in their relationship, despite the longing and distance that separates them.”

“It is a view into a mother daughter dynamic rarely addressed. Culturally it’s inappropriate to have disconnected mothers. We are conditioned to be attentive and all giving - self less. And in turn vilified when struggling. I wanted the audience to find empathy and understanding for an unlikable mother and explore how our past reverberates through our presence. It’s so easy to just stay there, hidden and shielded, but in the end feeling connected and held in whatever we are experiencing speaks to most people’s need.”

“I’d love people to meditate on the idea of reserving judgment and not imposing their ways of living onto others. I’d like them to remember that everyone has a reason for what he or she does or what the believe. We should all respect each other. I’d also like them to remember a little magic for some, goes a long way.”

“I really wanted to make something which explores the inheritance of pain (both physical and emotional) from mothers to daughters. Very early on I had the image of a mother cutting her daughter’s wings for fear she might fly too far, and the script developed from that idea.”

“This film is likely to cast some light on the motivations behind the political and personal choices made by parents and whose shortcomings do not affect them alone, but also affect their children. The film criticizes the power holders who punish parents by aborting their dreams and their children’s and juggle with their fates.”

“While bringing awareness to an issue that continues unabated and against which there are no laws as yet in India is definitely important to me, Leeches is first and foremost the story of a young girl’s sacrifice for her sister. By going deep into her motivation for doing what she does, the specific details of the film create a universal message that has had quite an impact with every screening of the film.”

“This film will be an inspirational film from Africa, a story of courage and hope, showing girls as young as eight standing up for their fundamental human rights, risking everything, including their lives, to escape from genital mutilation and child marriage. You’ll see them dodging lions and leopards and angry parents to run to a Safe House.”