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

Growing up I loved movies. I still remember coming upon a TV program in 5th grade about the American Film Institute’s list of top 100 films; I was mesmerized and immediately embarked on watching all one hundred movies, which led to me seeing films like 2001: A Space Odyssey when I was way too young. I thought about being a film critic and ran a film blog in high school, but then I started writing screenplays and making videos as a way to express myself. I love the process of narrative filmmaking, the incredible task of constructing a false reality through the synthesis of craft and art, structure and chaos. I’ve always been one of those people with a compulsion to constantly record things, like conversations with family and banal moments on the street, which is why I think I’m so compelled to continue making films.

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

Mustache is actually based on a feature script I wrote. In both the feature and short, I was inspired by the aimlessness I felt living at home after graduating college, where I felt caught between childhood and adulthood, wanting both support and independence. I also wanted to examine the absurdity and intensity of codependent parent-child relationships. Stuart and his mother casually abuse each other in a way that can only reflect their comfort with and love for one another. Although I relate to the son’s perspective, I was more interested in the mom’s point of view – how should she go about parenting her child who’s in desperate need of guidance, even though he’s technically grown up?

I also wanted to make a film with a specific, rigorous visual language: narrow aspect ratio, one take scenes, pans and tableaus. And of course, can’t forget the ominous flutes. 

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

The biggest challenge was certainly in casting. Since the film examines a close-knit relationship, I knew the chemistry between the two leads could make or break the film. I was really fortunate to find Jen Jiles and Spencer Levin, who even though they only met the day before shooting, their on-screen dynamic felt lived in, like they have a history together. 

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

I recently saw the film “Supermarket Woman” on the Criterion Channel. The director Juzo Itami is better known for “Tampopo”, but “Supermarket Woman” is just as playful and charming. It’s about a woman who tries to save a supermarket from going out of business; her attention to small details like how to cut the perfect vegetable highlights the beauty in little things. I love films that take humdrum everyday existence and infuses it with madcap energy.

5) What’s next for you?

I wrote two features during the pandemic, both comedy-thrillers that irreverently take on big social issues. One of them actually follows a mom and son with a Mustache-y dynamic. I made another short, a mockumentary called “Summer is for Sandcastles,” that will be released this year. I also co-produced a film called “The God Committee” that will be premiering at Tribeca this month.

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https://www.harrisgurny.com/ | IG: @hmgurny