WIn the autobiographical documentaryBEBA, filmmaker Rebeca Huntt feels universal while leaving all her behind. Is making up the story of. Her movie, Hunt's debut feature, explores her identity through her intimate and inspiring self-portrait.
Hunt, whose mother is Venezuela and her father is Dominican, tells inBEBAa story that tells her viewers the arrival of her time. This movie follows her life as a child of Afloratina who grew up in New York. She is one of the "poorest people in the Upper West Side". Through BEBA(“Beba” is Hunt's nickname), she explores the universal truth that connects us and the intimacy that most families try to keep secret. As she navigates everything from love and death to mental illness and violence, Hunt fixes the story of finding her way forward.
The Crystal Bear nominatedBEBAat the Berlin Film Festival will be available on June 24th. Below, Hunt talks about TIME, her identity, her family, and the future of her career.
BEBAis a movie recollection of your life from childhood to early adulthood, and you and your loved ones. It details both the intimate life experience of a person. While exploring his identity as an Afloratina who grew up in New York City. What made you want to talk about this?
I felt that the space and time I was in was a very special moment in New York and very isolated. And I really wanted to connect with people. That seemed to be the main driving force for making a movie like this. When someone loves you, you feel more loved when you can be your honest self. And I felt that if I could be honest, others could feel the same.
32-Why did you decide to releaseBEBAat the age of? Is it? Now. Would you like to keep a record of your life for years to come?
Because it is torture. But because it serves a specific purpose, it is a kind of real-life era, and at this moment we are entering adulthood and being driven into an absurd society. We are always ridiculous. From that moment in my early twenties, it's fascinating not only to make constant breakthroughs, but to have to navigate with full responsibility for myself.
BEBA's Rebeca Huntt
NEON
This movie does not hesitate to detail the incidents that many people and families may try to hide from the world. .. It is related to mental health and physical violence. Did you have any reservations about sharing a particular story?
I did it. But everything shared in the movie is intentional. And that helped me get over what I thought was "oh no, embarrassing." By doing everything as lovingly as possible, such bookings seemed less.
Interviewing family and friends can be very difficult. How was your interview with someone close to you?
My mother was very challenging. It wasn't even an interview, as you saw in the movie. And in fact, we did it twice. And that was a better interview. It was very difficult for us to communicate for the first time. It was a very, very complicated moment in our relationship. Therefore, communication was not at its best. My dad really surprised me. He was natural to the camera. He answered all the questions. He was really easy to interview, my sister too. She excels at cameras. She has a great match with it.
One of the things I've remembered since watching the movie is to finally apologize to my family. Having revealed many personal details about the family, I promise not to eavesdrop again. Did you have to have a difficult conversation with your loved one before the movie was released?
I thought they would never talk to me again throughout the production of the movie. But in a way, it was the driving force because I was able to make the movie the best. And I completed the movie. On the final day, I was doing a sound mix and watching it, I found out that I attended the Toronto International Film Festival. I hadn't talked to my parents yet. Of course, I wanted them to come to the premiere. So in the end I told them, and it was incredible. [When I watched the movie] I was able to witness such a wide range of human emotions in such a short time with my two favorite people in the world. Both felt betrayal, anger, pride, unconditional love, happiness, gratitude, freedom, all at the same time.
Did you see any changes in the dynamics of the relationship?
It's very subtle. I have just returned from Peru. I like to hike the Andes and I called his father on the last day. I was thinking about our relationship on a hike, and I called him and told him about it. I love my father We have a great relationship. We are very intimate, but it is also a complex relationship. So I told him the truth, and probably even two years ago the movie wouldn't have been heard. And he heard it. I don't know what he will do with it. But he heard it.
What was the reaction from the people closest to you in creating this?
My parents' reaction is freedom and pride. My dad's family saw it in Miami. My uncle, aunt and cousin, and they loved it. My cousins said, "Our parents can do that too," so I felt it was super catharsis. I was nervous about what my family thought.
Apart from the beautiful story it tells,BEBAis very aesthetically pleasing. Why did you decide to shoot the film at 16mm? Also, were there any unique challenges or opportunities associated with this decision?
The nature of 16 mm itself is limited, limiting what you can actually capture. Visualizing the concept of intimacy is a limited and pulsating view. That is intimacy. And when shooting at 16mm, it has this pulsating quality to it.
This movie has been produced for eight years, and only a handful of people have seen it at various stages during the eight years. I'm curious if the release of the movie has just begun the most difficult part in a sense. How do you feel that so many people know that you will see these very intimate parts of you and your story?
Other filmmakers couldn't actually do last year's festival circuit. This year is the way I did. I am very grateful to have had those experiences as I was able to see how people reacted to the film. This movie is bigger than my fear and I think people are thinking of me. People come up to me and tell me really intense and intimate stories about myself and their lives. They will start talking to me about their relationship with their parents and what we are embarrassed about in society. That's why I did this because people come and ask me to talk about these things that would otherwise be embarrassing. What is my fear in the face of it?
BEBA
While making yourself, what about your family Did you learn? It's very complicated and people love the different abilities they can do and do their best. As a child, like any other human being, it's really all species. And that family pattern is as realistic as the generational pattern is very realistic. It is definitely something we humans should pay attention to.
I really [learned] to be much stronger than I had imagined. I have a very deep love ability. I'm doing what I should be doing. As a movie director, I should be here. I am very, very grateful and very humble.
You recently said in "BEBAI'm asking you to like me Not. Please equate with me. "What do people ultimately want to rob the movie?
Please write in
that it is okay if it is genuine JennaCaldwell (jenna.caldwell@time.com
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