One of the most hyped films of the years HollyShorts Film Festival, Desmond’s Not Here Anymore drew rave reviews from everyone who got the chance to see it. A powerful family drama about a woman taking care of their mother, who is suffering from dementia, takes us on a deep and emotional journey through pain, trauma and healing. We got a chance to talk to the writer of the film, Lindiwe Suttle Müller-Westernhagen to talk about the film and their next steps.
Q: Tell us more about your film. How did it come to be?
LS: I had started writing Desmond’s Not Here Anymore in 2018 and could not finish. I wasn’t brave enough. In 2019, I DM’ed Michaela Coel, Coel surprisingly replied. I told her I was a new screenwriter and wanted to tell this story. She wrote me, “Bravery rules. When we are all brave, our species has no limits.” I sat down and finished the first draft of Desmond’s Not Here Anymore that night.
Q: What was the biggest takeaway from making the film?
LS: Work with people that know more than you. Work with kind-hearted, hardworking people. Save 30% of your budget for marketing, festival entries and everything else that comes up after the film is complete.
Q: What was the biggest challenge in making this film?
LS: We are a global team that shot it during the pandemic with a South African director and DOP living in Europe. After many missed, cancelled, and changed flights getting us all together was the biggest challenge.
Q: What is next for you?
I have just completed my first feature, a dark comedy about my therapy.
Thanks to Lindiwe for taking the time out to talk to them! You can see the trailer for the film here! And be sure to check us out on BitPix for more news, reviews and the latest films on the platform.
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