Hey! How you doing? We are doing amazing, because we have another interview for you! This time it is with Rachel Mcgill, the maker of Hygge. The film will be shown sunday at 3.30 PM during the festival.
Here is her answers to our questions;
Do you have something you want to say to the audience that are going to see this movie?
- The basic message of this film is that people aren't born racist, racism is something that is learned and the innocence of a child can be ruined by outer influences.
Describe the movie with one word.
-Heartwarming.
How was the process?
- I began making this film as part of a project with RTÉ and the Fresh film festival where they picked 12 young filmmakers. We were all given one month of the year and had to make a short with only that in mind. I got December so the first thing I thought of was christmas, Christmas was a huge part of my life growing up, growing up with a lot of brothers and sisters made it even more special. I got thinking about how special a time it was for me and my family, regardless of religion it was a time of togetherness and good will within my community. In addition to thinking of christmas, I was hearing a lot about the Syrian refugees in Ireland, the way they were being treated and the fear surrounding them created by the media, It made me sad and angry. Thats how the idea was created, I want to show the innocence of childhood and how racism can come from all around us, once fear is taken away, innocence is left and there is a lot of acceptance in innocence.
Once I had the script written I got together with my classmates and we started working on a Go Fund Me, we raised 500 euro and got the film made. There was a huge amount of pre production and myself and my producers spent hours everyday, sending and receiving emails, organising dates and equipment etc. I had an amazing crew, all of which were very invested in the project and gave it their all, even though for some, it was their first time on a proper set they worked like professionals, efficiently and without complaints.
What was your favorite thing about the process?
-My favourite part of this project was the collaboration, it was a very collaborative project, from working the the Fresh Film Festival to working with my classmates, I heavily relied on people and they really pulled through for me and for the film.
What does this movie mean to you personally
-To me, this film is about acceptance, both of these kids are coming from families with problems, there is sadness and worries but there is also love, in both families. I really wanted to show that both children were going through very similar things, their days were very similar and so was their lives. Despite the racial and cultural differences, they both come together to be best friends, they love each other regardless of what is going on around them.
What should the audience be looking forward to about your movie?
The audience can look forward to a very sweet, heartwarming film. Expect tears and a big smile on your face.
Say something about the message of the movie.
The message of this film is very important, I expect the film will speak for itself and I hope the audience will take what they need from it. Despite our racial and cultural differences, we are all born the same.
Author: Aminda Sæverud