5 Questions With “Does Your Condom Make You Fat?” Producer Siona Davis

“Does Your Condom Make You Fat?”, is an alternative reality film where men go through the relationship, and subsequently, the reproductive struggles that women in our reality experience. It is essentially a reality where women and men, regarding relationships, have swapped places with the men. Our protagonist Owen, after a night of unprotected sex, heads to his local pharmacy to reenlist his birth control of choice; the after-shot. Along his way, he receives sly remarks from others, prying/judgemental eyes, and the quintessential victim shaming.

The short film is likely telling a story reflecting the opposites, yet similarities we live in today. The story is telling, if men were in the shoes of women, the treatment would still be prevalent in one’s daily life.

And now for our interview with the film’s producer, Siona Davis:

Q: What inspired you to start making films? 

As a filmmaker, I have always been inspired by the power of storytelling to create empathy and bridge gaps between different perspectives. For me, storytelling is an opportunity to step into someone else’s shoes and understand their experiences and perspectives. This belief was shaped during my formative years in Tajikistan witnessing the aftermath of the civil war and its impact on the local community before moving back to Belfast, Northern Ireland, another post-civil war country, so see the segregation on sectarian grounds on ‘home’ turf in the United Kingdom.

My experiences in Tajikistan made me acutely aware of the importance of telling diverse and meaningful stories that reflect the realities of different cultures and backgrounds. This passion for empathy-driven storytelling is evident in my short films, where I strive to portray authentic and compelling narratives that resonate with audiences.

Q: Were there any challenges in making this project? 

Danielle Papamichael knew a filmmaker I work with and came to me over two years ago with a great draft of a film about men being responsible for contraception. The film was called DOES YOUR CONDOM MAKE YOU FAT? and the challenge started from getting finance as having made a lot of short films before I was determined not to cut corners on the production value of the story. Danielle was a debut writer so pairing her with the talented director, Sophie King, was an important first step. The pairing came very naturally. 

The ball started rolling when I met Mustapha Wehbi, Dolphragon through the Producer’s Alliance in the UK, PACT. He was keen on the idea and we wanted to test a collaboration on a small scale whilst we look to foster a long term partnership producing films. 

We spent a lot of time applying for finance with various short film funds and we were shortlisted many times, so we knew that the script, story and team were appealing and it was worth persevering although there were moments of doubt: would we ever be the team to get the funding? 

In January, after two years of pitching, we were discussing whether the team could continue to dedicate time to the film and that’s the moment that Girls in Film x Panavision selected our film for sponsorship because of the incredibly talented director of photography, Carmen Pellon Brussosa.

We were in a position to go straight into pre-production and shot the film over two days in March, with delivery at the end of May. It was a record turnaround for a short film, working on everyone’s borrowed time around their day jobs, and we’re so proud to see it being selected by Hollyshorts Film Festival. 

Q: Is there any type of message or emotion that you hope the viewer takes away from watching this film? 

DOES YOUR CONDOM MAKE YOU FAT? is a film with a simple and original concept, a ‘what-if’ scenario that interrogates a world where men get pregnant and are responsible for contraception. Through the use of satire and comedy we hope the viewer relates to the shame and apathy our main character, Owen, goes through when seeking out the ‘morning after shot’ at the pharmacy. 

For the team, we would hope that the viewers of the film would leave the screening and have a discussion afterwards about the distribution of responsibilities over contraception and challenge the status quo.

Q: How does it feel to be able to screen the film at HollyShorts? 

Being selected by a prestigious festival like Hollyshorts Film Festival is a significant honor for “DOES YOUR CONDOM MAKE YOU FAT?”

As we start our festival journey, we know that HollyShorts is not only recognised by the Academy but works in the heart of the industry to celebrate short films and provides a platform for our talented team to gain recognition for the work we’ve done and potential to share their upcoming projects. 

Most of the team have over a decade of filmmaking under their belt and are determined to migrate into long form storytelling. We are thrilled to showcase what we can deliver in a short film and hope that through the film’s audience, where Hollyshorts plays an important part, we can continue to foster relationships with like-minded communities within the industry as we embark on the production of our long form projects in TV and Film.

Q: What’s on the horizon for you? 

The transition from short films to features feels like a natural progression for me, using my skills and passion to bring diverse and compelling stories to the screen. I’m currently raising finance for my debut feature film, SHORELINES.

 The story of SHORELINES, about a professor, Ilyas, separated from his pregnant wife, Hana, fleeing the war in Mosul, Iraq. He finds her seven years later, leading her new life in Plymouth, a coastal city on the South coast in England. Ilyas finds that Hana has moved on with another man and he channels his grief into building a relationship with his son, Isaac. Ultimately, this is a tragic telling of a human story about life after displacement and being forced to make difficult decisions for the greater good of the people you love.  

Thanks to Siona for taking the time out to chat. 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.