The darkly poetic “Fuck Marry Kill,” by director Domenic Lombardi, follows a group of reckless young men looking for excitement where there is none, an abandoned campground. We asked Lombardi how the film started, its dreamlike setting, and a recent film he’s loved…

1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?

I’ve been making little videos and films since I was eight years old. Since then I’ve taught myself everything I know about filmmaking up until I went to the School of Visual Arts in 2015. But I’ve known since very young that I have always wanted to make films. This project is definitely my favorite film I have ever made.

2) What was the inspiration for this project - what was the first element that came to you - an image, a character, a story or tone - and how did you go about building up from there?

This story went through so many drafts, it’s hard to remember. I’m almost positive that Danny was the first thing that came to mind, he used to be named Leo. He came from a place of how I felt at the time, but I’d say he’s nothing like me. He’s very uncertain in himself. It was either him or the location, I’d been going down the shore my entire life. There is such interesting energy there, It feels locked in a timeless state. The inspiration ultimately came from the shore, combined with of how I felt as a queer person in deep suburbia.

3) The film takes place in this dreamy, almost surreal setting, isolated from the “real world.” I’d love to hear you talk about your setting and what you were trying to accomplish with it, and if you ever considered showing the world outside of this campground / playground area.

For a while, I had the idea of setting the pivotal scene with Danny and Connor overlooking a lighthouse in the town we shot in. It’s a beautiful location that I’ll hopefully use one day, however, I don’t think it fits the story. You said it yourself, the film feels isolated from the real world. That is how Danny has always felt. I knew it had to take place entirely outdoors while feeling extremely secluded. Also, the abandoned train trestle where we shot that scene was unfortunately torn down since then.

4) Overall, I think the film is pretty open for interpretation, but can you discuss your general intent with regard to the ending. Why do you feel it was necessary for this act of violence to occur? And what do you think it says about the characters and the world they inhabit that they have such a muted reaction to it?

I definitely want to leave it open for interpretation. My co-writer Hailey Heaton and I from the beginning didn’t want to play it safe. We felt it was necessary, while it may not be fully realistic, to display the action in a meaningful way. The ending defines each character with complete certainty.

5) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?

A film I recently connected with was The Florida Project. The way childhood is represented in that film is so pure and real. Another film with similar themes is My Life as a Zucchini. I think these films just felt really honest, it’s what I tend to appreciate most in filmmaking. It's something I find so charming about Miyazaki films. Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, he suspends your disbelief as far as possible but in the end it feels entirely real.

Bonus Question) What’s next for you?

I’m in the very early stages of writing my next film. But in the meantime, my good friend and I are working on a music project called Muted Flames. Keep an ear out ;)

Contact Info:

IG: @domjlombardi