EVERLASTING HAPPINESS, 11min., Australia, Experimental
Directed by Deborah White
'The tongue-in-cheek antics of spiritual anarchists fighting for a utopian desire in a battle against the pathology of the post-truth world.'

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

With the re-emergence of far-right politics and the associated bigotry, I became interested in the philosophy of Hardt and Negri who write about love as a political concept. It motivated me to research further into utopian ideas of the here and now.

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

From idea to final video it was 5 years.

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

Not boring.

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

Learning and becoming familiar with 3D motion graphics. I did a short course to learn how to navigate the interface of the software. From there it was a lot of trial and error. The virtual cameras are a whole new world to me!

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

I am always a little nervous before hearing feedback but when the first comment was ‘it was so chaotic’ I just laughed. I was then able to sit back and enjoy the remaining comments.

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

I don’t regard myself as a filmmaker. I’m more a video artist and usually show my work in galleries. I started as a photographer. One day, when I was a student, I used a video camera to take still images to acquire a certain aesthetic. My teacher at the time suggested making a video and that’s how it started.

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

I don’t tend to re-watch movies, but the Blues Brothers is one I have seen multiple times.

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

Actually, I can’t think of any recommendations. To the credit of the people involved with the festival, they seem to have created an active community and that’s a great thing to achieve.

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

FilmFreeway is a very easy method to submit a film to festivals.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I enjoy the variety and surprises of a tapas bar.

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

I am currently hoping to do an artist residency in New York where I can fire up the imagination to start a new project.