SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE

Chris Hansen’s SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE : Naples International Film Festival; unique approach to showing the life of a marriage

In the interview, I talk to Hansen about why he chose to structure the film the way he did to properly portray the “raw, real life junk” that marriages are chock full of. He also discusses how much the actors’ had to shoulder when it comes to delivering a nuanced look at a relationship and how shooting out of order and shooting primarily at night could have complicated that effort – yet didn’t.

Jack C. Newell’s MONUMENTS Opens Illinois’ Lake County Film Festival rolls out lineup of virtual/in-person screenings for November

Lake County Film Festival Director Nat Dykeman said, “Like many film festivals we have taken the challenges presented to us by restrictions and limitations brought about by the pandemic to actually broaden our scope, extend ourselves and use this moment as a chance to introduce our films and filmmakers – as well as the personality of LCFF to audience in two states. It’s an opportunity to create a bigger tent of film fans, who just might come to Lake County next year to enjoy the show we put on in person.”

Chris Hansen’s SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE Opens Deep in the Heart Film Festival 2020; film lineup and some twists on the virtual approach

Deep in the Heart FF co-founders and directors Samuel Thomas and Louis Hunter, said, “In our 4th year, it was important to everyone involved with the film festival that we not take a step back due to the pandemic, but instead to continue growing as a film festival in every way we could, innovating, expanding our footprint in the city, and forging that connection between our filmmakers and audiences. Most importantly, this year is not just about maintaining the sense of fun and love of cinema that our fest is already known for here in Waco, but doubling down on that inspiration and looking beyond to try things we hadn’t even envisioned prior to this year.”

Chris Hansen’s SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE: CINEQUEST REVIEWS; much more than a happy reminder of love

What works so well for this film is its vignette aesthetic. By pairing down the production to essentially seven scenes it allows the script to shine, the actors to perform, and every department thereafter to simplify and focus on it’s work. Rarely is anything shot outside of a close up and light softly fills their heads or faces and warms up the scene. It can feel extremely shot-reverse shot but only because it’s making the most of it’s best element: the acting. As an exercise in strategic filmmaking Seven Short Films works on an aesthetic AND technical level.