GENDER REVEAL, 9min., Canada
Directed by Bryanny
A young woman that always does everything right , has a Gender Reveal party where everything goes horribly wrong.

Get to know the filmmaker:

What motivated you to make this film?

Hmmm. Gender Reveal actually began as a school project. When I was attending Toronto Film School, I wrote a script for my feature film class. My professor at the time, whom I have a lot of respect for (and isn't really big on empty compliments. Which is probably why I have a lot of respect for him, LOL), really liked it, AND more importantly, I really liked it. It felt like my voice. Finally, it was MY voice. So, when we were given the opportunity to enter a 7-page short film screenplay in a contest for my program, I submitted it and ...my project was Green-lit. So... it began.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Well, since there were stipulations on the screenplay project, I only had 20 hours to shoot my film and could only use one location. So, Gender Reveal was shot in exactly 20 hours and not a minute more. Talk about stress. Then, the post probably took a few months after that. I'm gonna say four months. I'm gonna guesstimate that it took four months to complete my film from start to finish.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

WHAT THE... ? Bahahaha, that's usually the response.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Fear. I think fear is always an obstacle...fear of failure, fear of not finishing, fear of the unknown, fear of sharing your work. But I have learned in my life that true freedom is found on the other side of fear. AND that facing what scares you is so crucial to becoming who you truly are. PLUS life is short. Too short to miss out on the things you dream of doing. I mean.. BLINK, and it's gone. So... I always tell myself to ...Do it anyway, Do it afraid, Do it broke, Do it alone, Do it for the first time. Do it anyway.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was very interesting to hear what they took out of it. You never know how others will see or interpret your stories. I'm always fascinated by the fact that we all view things through our own lenses, which of course, have been hand-crafted by our own experiences, personalities, etc.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I have always loved film and television. The magic of it. The fantasy. The way it could evoke emotion and immerse you into worlds you've never seen. I always dreamed of acting so that I could live a million lives. I could be an outlaw in the old west, a Sherlock Holmes-style detective solving crimes or a fair Maiden like Marion in Robin Hood wearing freshly picked flowers in my hair. So, I studied musical theatre, then film acting for the camera, but I really fell in love with the storytelling. I mean, I love to write. I have always written. Books, songs, ads, jingles ...anything...everything. So, in my 20s, I packed up a bunch of stuff, headed to my best friend's empty cottage with my dog, and stayed there until I had completed my very first screenplay. At least, my version of a screenplay. "Life is But a Dream" I still have it somewhere, I think, but... shortly after that, life got in the way, as it often does ...fast forward to a few years ago when the pandemic hit, and I decided it was the perfect time to go back to school and pursue my passion and learn the proper way to craft a screenplay. So, I continued working full-time as a Creative Copywriter for Radio and studied full-time at Toronto Film School, too. There were soooo many screen hours and soooo many early mornings finishing scripts in my car with my laptop in the winter (so I wouldn't fall asleep). They were Crazy times indeed, but totally worth it.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

To be honest ...Rocky. I mean, it's the ultimate underdog story. The whole idea of " it's not how hard you get hit, it's how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward" The awkward hero. And he doesn't win. That's the thing. He loses the match. That's important. And it's a love story. A quirky love story at its heart. Oh, the way he loved Adrian. And to think, it all started with Cuff and Link.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I love meeting other creators. That's the part of filmmaking and working in a writers' room that I enjoy most. It's the collaboration and sharing of ideas. That is what feeds me. So, any opportunity to spend time with other creators is time well spent.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

I love Film Freeway. It's easy to use and connects me to festivals all over the world. Being newer to the industry, I would be lost (And I still kind of am. Shhh!) I'm grateful it exists.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I love a good Burger. No one who knows me will be surprised by that answer. If for every meal I could eat my favourite burger with a side of the chip truck fries I used to get as a kid when we'd park our station wagon at the side of the highway on the way to visit my grandma in Ottawa. A good Burger with THOSE chip truck fries covered in seasoning salt and sprayed with malt vinegar. Mmmmm, that would make Bryanny a very happy girl. A very chubby but VERY happy girl indeed.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

Right now, I'm in talks with two talented producers about a full-length documentary and a one-hour drama series I've written. I'm also working on two new short films as we speak. So hopefully, fingers-crossed, we'll get to chat again soon.