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

When I watched Chris Marker’s Sans Soliel in a documentary course in university, my perception of filmmaking completely cracked open, and I realized there are no rules. I bought a Sony PD-150 DV camera and started making music videos, which turned out to be a great way to learn everything—directing, shooting, and editing, DIY-style. 

2) What was the initial idea for this project and how did it evolve from there?

I brought my grandfather’s old 8mm camera with me on a trip to Montreal. One of the first things I noticed was this pile of huge rocks dumped in a neighbourhood parking lot next to a bus depot. It was a wild place. I was mystified by these hunks of raw earth, a geological interruption of the urban landscape. I knew I wanted to make a film there. I brought my friends to the rocks one night and I was fixated on the unique paths they all chose to climb across them. We were so curious about where the hell they came from, these massive things, some of them 12 feet across. They must have left a dent somewhere. That became the second layer of the idea, an investigation into its origins.

3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And the easiest part?

The biggest challenge was writing a script to weave together these ideas—the magic of the rock, the philosophical question of choice, and the documentary-style research of the origins.  The easiest part was working with my friends, it was so organic. Even the reveal of the talismans was genuine—on the first night that we explored the rocks, Iva had us choose an object from a basket of shells and stones, and keep it a secret, later suggesting we do the reveal at the top of the pile for the film. 

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

I watched Olivier Assayas’ Irma Vep a few months ago and haven’t stopped thinking about it. The music is amazing, and Nathalie Richard is so cool. It’s such a punk film. I love movies about making movies, and the integration of fake films, they’re like playgrounds for directors to try out ideas they might never commit to fully. 

5) What’s next for you?

I just moved to Montreal so I’m exploring. Previously I let my films formulate almost wordlessly around magic locations, like train tracks and rivers and rock piles that do all the talking. But I’m curious about dialogue, I’d like to write a script with specific friends in mind who I think will be brilliant. And I’d like to keep learning and shooting on 16mm.

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