The Sperm Bank is a short comedic film about a newly diagnosed cancer patient who, after some introspection and outer-encouragement, finds the strength to masturbate. After being diagnosed with stage 4, testicular cancer, Rob is unable to begin chemo until he has stored his sperm for the future. He finds himself at a fertility clinic, with the sole plan in mind being to store his sperm within their sperm bank.
He has trouble finding media that will help him… release… until he has a short introspective conversation with his future self. This conversation puts to rest Rob’s fears that preparing for a future is futile; him once believing that there is no future from this kind of disease. This story was telling that not everything bad is the end, and that you really just need to believe.
Q: What inspired you to start making films?
I have spent the past twenty years telling people’s stories — first as a dancer, then as an actor, and now as a director.
After graduating from NYU Tisch, I moved to LA and helped build the acclaimed Award-Winning IAMA Theatre Company with my best friends. Together, we work with playwrights, helping them create and develop new work. Now, as IAMA’s Associate Artistic Director, I help lead season planning, programming, new play development, and internal initiatives.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdowns, IAMA pivoted to a virtual season. This led me to develop, workshop, and direct a one-woman-show called Anyone But Me starring Sheila Carrasco (NBC’s Ghosts) for the screen, which the LA Times raved had “stellar direction.” Once I got a taste for film, I couldn’t stop.
Since then I’ve directed four short films: Birds, Bees, and Threes which played at Austin Film Fest among others; Unt. Meal Support Film starring Kate Burton and Angela Giarratana, Super Real Super Grounded starring Austin Williams, and The Sperm Bank which is just World Premiered at Tribeca.
Q: Were there any challenges in making this project?
THE SPERM BANK is based on Rob Scerbo’s real-life cancer diagnosis and what happened immediately after. No, it wasn’t chemo or radiation. He had to go preserve his sperm. Can you imagine being in so much pain, trying to process the fact that you might very well die, and then being told to go jerk off without lube? Yea, neither can I. Our story follows Rob’s experience while he was at said sperm bank.
When I first met Rob, I immediately felt like we had been friends for years. He is open, vulnerable, loving, and wickedly talented. This was his real life story about cancer and life and mortality and he was trusting me to help tell it. His best friend, co-writer, and another one of our brilliant actors, Jeremy Culhane, was with Rob every step of the way during his cancer treatment. No pressure, right? I was the outsider coming in and I was honored beyond belief. I couldn’t let them down.
The film straddles the line between two very different tones. It’s both wildly humorous and deeply melancholy. Picture this. It’s the final day of shooting. Because of our location schedule, we had a masturbating scene immediately followed by a scene where that same actor had to have a complete breakdown. Not the most ideal situation. We had spent the whole day laughing and everyone on set knew how important this scene was. Everyone quieted down. Rob was able to ground himself and deliver the most gorgeous, raw performance. He was beautiful. He was crying. I was crying. There wasn’t a dry eye on that set. I’m pretty damn proud of that scene.
Q: Is there any type of message or emotion that you hope the viewer takes away from watching this film?
Life is messy and complicated and absurd. And that absurdity is sometimes funny! It’s okay to laugh at it! Process however you want. Grieve however you want. It’s all part of the human experience. We hope that people going through a tough time, whatever that is, can feel seen. Not just cancer, but anything painful that makes us feel trapped. We want people to walk away feeling like they can get through the hard times and maybe laugh a little bit on the way.
Q: How does it feel to be able to screen the film at HollyShorts?
It’s a dream having THE SPERM BANK screen at HollyShorts! We have been waiting to show our cast and crew the final film until they can see it up on the big screen and doing so in LA, our hometown, with all our friends and family here with us, is heaven! We are honored to screen with so many incredible films and filmmakers.
Q: What’s on the horizon for you?
I’m currently in post-production on my next short film which stars Kate Burton and Angela Giarratana. The film is inspired by the writer’s own experience in eating disorder recovery, and the kindness of strangers (IE guardian angels) who have helped them stay on the beam. Recovery is not linear and no two people have the exact same experience, but anyone who has time away from the cruel, frightening, and dangerous illness will tell you that their worst day in recovery is better than their best day when they were sick. We hope the film inspires hope.
A big thank you to Margaux for talking to us today. You can see their film and many others at the HollyShorts Film Festival, which runs from August 10th-19th in Los Angeles at the TCL Chinese Theater. Tickets for the festival, as well as the screening schedule, can be found here. They can also be viewed digitally, with tickets available on BitPix.
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