Augustine Frizzell is the director of “I Was A Teenage Girl” and “Minor Setback,” both of which premiered at SXSW and screened at many other festivals worldwide. “Never Goin’ Back” is her first feature.
“Never Goin’ Back” will premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 22.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
AF: It’s about two 16-year-old best friends who have dropped out of school, work at a diner, and live on their own with a couple of loser roommates. They just want to get out of town for a few days to chill at the beach but everything that could go wrong does.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
AF: It was inspired by real events from my teen years. I wanted to make a comedy for kids like me who didn’t come from middle class suburbia.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
AF: On a surface level, I hope they see two female friends working together toward a common goal without the usual fabricated drama that comes with stories about teen girls.
The deeper messages speak about making mistakes even when you have good intentions, wanting more out of life, and friendship as family when your blood relatives aren’t the healthiest choice.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
AF: Getting the script right was the lengthiest process. Once that was done the rest kind of fell into place.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
AF: We knew from the beginning that we wanted to make this film as low budget as possible, so that the risk for any potential investors was small. My producers, Toby Halbrooks and James M. Johnston, had made a movie the year before at the same budget level so we had a good model from which to approach investors.
In all, we had five individuals who put money into the film. They all liked my script and believed in the vision, and were also familiar with the quality of work that Toby and James get behind, so they felt safe investing here.
On top of the money, we have incredible support from the film programs here in Texas. They helped us with locations, permits, grants, etc.
W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at Sundance?
AF: It means that instead of my usual movie binge-watching that I do at Sundance, I have a lot of meetings! Hah! Which is awesome — I love meetings. But it also means a lifelong dream coming true. It’s being welcomed and supported by a group of people who have shaped cinema for more than 30 years.
I’m humbled, grateful and beyond excited to be a part of this legacy. Seriously, it’s surreal and I’m still pinching myself!
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
AF: The worst advice is usually just script and/or edit related. When asking friends/fellow filmmakers for notes, you have to remember that we don’t all share the same taste. You have to trust your own voice and instincts and ultimately go with what makes you happiest because you’re the one who will be living with these decisions — for better or worse.
The best advice is similar: trust your instincts. We all have an internal barometer for what we think is good or bad, what is working or not working. Learning to trust that and hone in on your gut — versus head — is a learned skill for most of us, so start trusting that early on in your career.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
AF: Surround yourself with supportive people who respect your vision and will help you achieve it. Filmmaking is a team effort and if you have teammates who think that because you’re a woman, every decision you make needs to be double checked or second guessed, then you’re going to be butting heads the whole time and the end product will suffer.
Also, if you have to, fight for what you want! It’s your vision — make sure you get it.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
AF: That’s like asking me to name my favorite film! There are far too many films by women that I love and I can’t chose just one.
If I made a list of favorite films of all time, these would be on it: “Trouble Every Day” by Claire Denis, “Vagabond” by Agnès Varda, “Love & Anarchy” by Lina Wertmüller, “Marie Antoinette” by Sofia Coppola, “Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels” by Chantal Akerman, “Point Break” by Kathryn Bigelow, “Pariah” by Dee Rees, “Daisies” by Vera Chytilová, and “The Love Witch” by Anna Biller. I could go on and on. Women make brilliant films!
W&H: Hollywood is in the midst of undergoing a major transformation. Many women and some men in the industry are speaking publicly about their experiences being assaulted and harassed. What do you think of the recently announced anti-sexual harassment Commission made up of industry leaders? Do you believe that it will help make systemic change? What do you think needs to be done to address this issue?
AF: I’m happy that the issue is now out in the open! Speaking up is very hard, it’s scary. I know this personally — #metoo — so it’s great that this is finally coming to the surface.
I hope the awareness is enough to inspire change. I know it’s possible, but to think of the mountain of social injustices that marginalized people regularly face, it feels like a drop in the bucket. I don’t know the answer but I stand by any movement that works towards advancing awareness on these issues.
