Durban couple’s film Alone, wins award at international film fest
The film, aptly titled Alone was shot in Durban and follows a female protagonist dealing with emotional and physical traumas of isolation.
LAST year, two Durban filmmakers made a short movie about a person stuck inside their home because they were scared to go outside due to a plague. This year, that movie has now made them the first South Africans to win the best short film award at Enfoque International Film Festival.
“I noticed there was a call for Covid-19 related films and saw the opportunity to spread our message further than just Durban. International film festivals allow you to reach a global audience which is so important, especially in times like this where it can feel like countries are so isolated from each other,” said Tami Marriott, who produced the film with her husband, Dylan.
The Marriot’s did not foreshadow the Coronavirus pandemic, their original script was about a girl living in her home because there is a zombie apocalypse outside ravaging humanity. The film, aptly titled Alone was shot in Durban and follows a female protagonist dealing with emotional and physical traumas of isolation.
“It was never intended to be what it became. We filmed the bulk of it over a year ago as a passion project to bulk up our individual portfolios,” said Tami.
After filming the film, they never got around to editing it or adding a voiceover. “Then, Covid-19 hit us and we started conceptualising a story to support those who are alone and taking emotional strain. It was only when I started writing this script that it clicked! Everything about our zombie film worked into our current message and with a few adaptations, we could make it a powerful story,” she said.
Putting together the film during a national lockdown was a logistical nightmare as the creative team was scattered across the country, with one of their editors in Pretoria and voice over artist in Cape Town. “It is an interesting time for the film industry. It will need to keep down costs and work with small teams. Luckily for The Edit Room, this has always been us and we are very well practiced at making beautiful work with micro crews,” said Tami.
The filmmakers said they plan to continue making more feature films in future. Alone can viewsed for free here: https://vimeo.com/412420274?ref=fb-share
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