5 Questions with Joel Perlgut
The madcap comedy, “Sad Sachs,” finds a brother and two sisters racing toward a family wedding while dealing with an anti-Semitic driver. We asked director Joel Perlgut how the project started, what the biggest challenge was, and what comes next…
1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?
My dad writes film reviews for the local Jewish weekly, so I grew up watching a lot of movies at a very young age. Mostly in the cinema but he also had a library of VHS taped from TV. I distinctly remember a copy of Indiana Jones breaking because I’d fast forwarded the tape too many times.
2) What’s the backstory here - what was the initial idea and how did it evolve from there?
The story was based on a conversation I had with a very conspiratorial taxi driver back in the pre-Uber days. I lifted that conversation and added a high farce element with the Sachs family and that became the script. I wrote the script in late 2017 as the rise of the far right was in the news a lot, so that discourse found it’s way in too.
3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And generally what part of the creative process do you enjoy the best, and the least?
The prop car in the film is a pale blue Mercedes sedan. It wasn’t cheap to hire and when we had to do pick ups getting the same colour car was a nightmare.
I say that I like writing, but really the edit is the most fun part of the creative process. If the shoot went well, you’ve got everything you need and it’s just a matter of making it work.
4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?
Vox Lux was the most exciting time I had in a cinema this year - it didn’t play in Sydney until early 2019. Such a daring and brutal film that ties together our culture’s dual obsession with violence and celebrity. Like an Adam Curtis documentary come to life. Even thinking about it gives me chills. Weirdly under-seen considering Portman’s amazing performance.
5) What’s next for you?
Lots of writing. Working away on a couple TV and feature ideas, plus I’d love to do another short next year with the same crew.
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Website: http://www.joelperlgut.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/perlggg
