Chris Shellen is a writer and filmmaker based in California. She produced the award-winning documentary “Marwencol” and co-authored the companion art book, “Welcome to Marwencol,” which was named one of the Best Books of 2015 by Amazon.com. She began her career as a film development executive based at Paramount Pictures, and has worked in documentary, narrative, and new media for over 15 years.
“Spettacolo” will premiere at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival on March 11. The film is co-directed by Jeff Malmberg.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
CS: “Spettacolo” is the story of a tiny village in Tuscany that works through its problems by turning them into a play that the entire town writes and performs.
You see everything unfold through the eyes of the town’s director, an artist who is watching everything he’s dedicated his life to crumble around him.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
CS: My husband and I were on our honeymoon in Tuscany when we stepped into this town that felt like it was from another century. There was something so unusual about it — it was like we’d walked into Brigadoon. We were just finishing “Marwencol,” a film about a man who used art to heal, so the idea of applying that idea to an entire community really intrigued us.
The more we got to know the villagers, the deeper the story became. And that’s still continuing. We watched the film right after the U.S. election in November and couldn’t believe how relevant the story had become. It’s this little farming town in Tuscany and yet they worry about the same things we do. They’ve just found a much more interesting way to deal with it.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
CS: I want people to think about all of the things we’re leaving behind as we race everyone to the future. I also hope the story shows them that art isn’t just a luxury that we can do without when times get tough.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
CS: The language! A week or two into our six-month shoot, our translation plans fell apart, so I had to learn Italian in a hurry. After about a month of the world’s most embarrassing interviews, something clicked — it sort of felt like being in “The Matrix.” All of a sudden I could understand what people were saying.
The language is still really challenging, as Italian is very musical and open to interpretation. It took ages to get through all of our footage. Note to readers: You can learn a new language after 30!
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
CS: Our film was funded almost entirely by grants from Creative Capital, IWC Schaffhausen, National Endowment for the Humanities, Sundance Documentary Fund, Tribeca Film Institute, and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
I find grant applications to be really helpful at the beginning of the process. They help me spot story themes and develop character arcs. The trick is to wipe them from your mind when you get inside the editing suite. If you try too hard to adhere to the pitch you’ve been giving, you can wind up with a really stiff, constructed film.
W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at SXSW?
CS: I produced the documentary “Marwencol,” which won the Grand Jury Prize at SXSW a few years ago, so SXSW Director of Film Janet Pierson and the festival hold a really special place in my heart.
But I’m especially excited about playing SXSW this year. Have you seen the line-up?! So many genuinely diverse stories and filmmakers — I wish I had more time to see all of the films.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
CS: Best advice: Stop pretending to know everything. Ask questions — even dumb ones — and genuinely listen instead of thinking about what you’re going to say next.
Worst advice: After pitching an idea for our next film to a distributor, she told us we should have Jeff direct it, but I should take full directing credit so she could help us with funding and distribution.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
CS: Don’t waste a lot of energy worrying about how you’re going to make it as a “female” director — just get out and shoot. Tell great stories in the best possible way and no one will care if you’re a woman.
And learn how to shoot, write, and edit. You may never wind up doing those things, but having those skills will make you a better director, a stronger storyteller, and less dependent on outside forces.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
CS: “The Beaches of Agnès” by Agnès Varda. It’s such a rich, colorful story that wanders in and out of so many ideas, never staying too long in any one place.
The movie is barely held together with the finest thread — pick at anything and it might unravel. But it all works together spectacularly and gives you the feeling that you’ve just spent a holiday with Agnès Varda, which I would kill to do.
W&H: There have been significant conversations over the last couple of years about increasing the amount of opportunities for women directors yet the numbers have not increased. Are you optimistic about the possibilities for change? Share any thoughts you might have on this topic.
CS: I am optimistic, which is why I’m really surprised to hear that the numbers aren’t increasing. I’m not a big believer in programming or awarding films based solely on the demographics of the director — I think finished films should stand on their own merit.
But I think maybe we can do a better job of giving talented women access to training, crews, equipment, seed funding, and assistance with some of the more intimidating areas of filmmaking — distribution, marketing, networking, PR, etc.
