Films are finally becoming edgier and more intelligent. Just a few years ago, I would hear, “and who do you think will watch your movies? There’s not enough PhDs in the theatres. Why wouldn’t you write something simple so that even dummies can understand? It’s faster money over all.” But as a writer or an artist in any other discipline, you are not looking to compromise. Instead you spend sleepless nights with the hope that tomorrow will be another day and that your message will be heard. Your art will make a difference. I would always use the excuse, “I write festival films, not mainstream blockbusters”. But the truth is – my films are for everyone who is able to use their brain cells at least once in a while. And now it seems a great time to bring some meaningful pieces to the cinema. -By Olga Kostrova

“It is inevitable that people will get tired of the spoon-fed art, —mentions Sean Christie, Producer/COO, SEE Productions LLC in one of our conversations. —As for scripts, I do prefer the thought provoking films. I once heard "You can make a bad film out of a good script, but you can't make a good film out of a bad script".

“Controversy certainly does sell, - states Gary Giudice, Producer/Director, Voice One Pictures. - One need only point to “Passion Of The Christ and “Fahrenheit 9/11” to prove that point. Both of those films got so much free publicity from all of the press. Both films reached a public and global awareness that was unprecedented based on the amount of marketing dollars spent. The famous quote, "there is no such thing as bad publicity" is certainly a truism.”

“Controversy benefits only the few daring ones, too many people in this industry are too scared,” - complains Viviane Vives, CEO Barcelona Films. – “It's at not wise, to say at least, to be scared in a biz that is inherently based on risk. Every silly thing you've heard is probably true! But my main complaint comes when you encounter lack - lack of depth and education, to begin with, means lack of discernment. Majority nowadays is shallow and acquiescent. They think everything is just dandy as it is, and it isn't. Not by a long shot! It takes a lot of time and patience to learn to think for yourself. As per my next project: I don't necessarily want a "big" film. I want to go to my grave one day feeling I made good films.”

I personally love controversy and edge. Those are elements that are always present in my screenplays and my personal life. Oddly enough, my whole life is a big drama <smile>. But, besides getting a lot of hard-knocks, I gain priceless lessons on how to survive within life’s paradoxes and nonsense.

And it’s not matter of just using it for the benefits of the sale. It is providing food for thought, allowing the audience to broaden their intellectual horizons and learn to accept life and other human beings without judgment or over-analysis.
For example, as a person that lives in a society with taboos about incest, could you imagine yourself falling in love with your own son? Anna, the leading character of my latest screenplay, “No Name Story”, would never imagine it either. But it happened. It ruined her insight on what happiness can be and made her re-evaluate her own morality.
Even if the script is not based on a true story, a number of scenes were borrowed from my own life and slightly modified to fit the plot.

The greatest hurt I received was when I discovered that my husband, throughout seven years of marriage, had a love affair with his younger sister. Society did not help me to be prepared to deal with this pain. Realizing that there always was something above just a love affair and common infidelity made me face my own small death. It took some time after I left him to realize that what leads him was not just love but also the urge to have the forbidden fruit, experience his superiority by coming to the edge and stepping over accepted “morality of sheep” as he would say. His mother, one of the strongest women I have ever met, attempted suicide when she found out about their sexual adventure just before our marriage. But what would she do after 7 years of “happy marriage” <smile>? What did I do? I just packed my bags and left for nowhere. I licked my wounds by reflecting and putting my thoughts into my writing, scene by scene. That is how “No Name Story” came to the life.
As an immigrant from Russia, Anna, my main character, came to Canada in order to escape her criminal lover and meaningless life. Betrayed by her best friend, left by her husband in circumstances beyond comprehension, raped by police officers, abused by the mafia lover, she lost faith in humanity and herself. She came to a new place to escape herself. After years of hollowness and struggling in her new country, she met Alan, a young rock-musician who she madly fell in love with. At the peak of their relationship, she discovers the true identity of her fiancé, the only person who she can share her deep loneliness with and the only soul that could help her to reconnect to the world. Nevertheless she decides to stay with her son as her life partner, stepping over socially accepted ethical rules and the dead body of her ex-husband, who she accidentally killed to hide the truth.
Unleashed forbidden love, illicit sex to the sound of violins, life on the edge, death as revenge for betrayal… Moral issues? Social ethics? Is compromising for love the right decision?

Though it is not a soap opera plot, it is a controversial life scenario of people who fall pray to circumstances beyond their control. Nonetheless, they decide to go the distance, following their fate in true relation to their feelings.

“Today I want to see less conformism and following the rules, I'm tired of formula screenwriting,” - shares Viviane Vives.

I can’t agree more. For example, they would say, “make the dialogue shorter.” But the length of the dialogue would not have a negative impact on the film as long as the director and actors are capable of delivering the message while remaining faithful to the script. It is better to get the audience emotionally involved in the film instead of worrying about the length of the dialogue.

Good example – a long, very emotional confession from a character as he faces a psychological death. The moment of realization of the loss of the only true love his lonely heart was able to find, is a culmination of his emotional break down.

“Now I know how Lady Death watches her pray, - whispers Alan to his violin in a moment of despair. - First she indulges you, pets, pampers. She spoils you with hope. Then she disembowels you and tears out the hope along with your loving heart. She licks her lips watching how it beats in her blood-stained hands. And then you finally find yourself face to face with her… I thought that Death looks ugly. I thought it has a disgusting face with black empty eyes. But no… And no scythe in her right hand, either. Death looks lovely. She is charming. …Lady Death has an amazing smile and loving eyes. She called herself “LOVE.” The only one in your life, so strong, it bangs away at your door until you finally open it. And then she bursts into your life with the power of a tornado and drives you to the edge. But in a while, she leaves you as suddenly as she came. And then she celebrates, exalts in watching you die… They say you go through five stages of death before finally releasing the last breath. I went through all of them. They used to say “I can’t love you.” I refused to believe that I am the offspring of your flesh and blood. I DENIED love itself. I denied my existence… Then lovely Lady Death showed me an exit. ANGER. Yes, it was easier. They say, “You can’t enjoy hatred.” Oh, people, trust me, you can! What a great relief I felt while hating you! I have never hated a woman so much! Saying that I felt disrespect says nothing. I wanted to defame you, vilify and drag you through the shit! I wanted to toss you on the ground and wipe my feet. I wanted to see my dad dying one hundred times over for what you both have done. I wanted to feast my eyes, watching hearts guzzle his purulent corpse. I wanted you to lie there, next to him, naked, so everyone would spit on your sinful body. I dreamt of how both of you will turn in your grave and your poor souls will beg for forgiveness. Oh God! How much pleasure I experienced by running through all those visions… And than in the moment when I was almost shaking from an orgasm caused by seeing you screaming from the hell, my new friend Death sneaked up to me and kicked my ass off this pleasure. She showed me what they called third stage of death. She pulled me to your door and forced me to fall on my knees. BARGAINING. She made me to beg, cry, wish, pray you to come back. She wanted me to try making a deal with you, find a compromise. She stuck a pen in my hand, whispering in my ear that I can live with you like a normal family, like son and mother, still love each other, but differently. So, I am supposed to love you like a normal person would love their parent? Or try to be just friends, to share each other’s loneliness? My God! I couldn’t write it. She placed a knife to my throat and slashed it. I started to laugh! Oh, God! Lady Death didn’t seem to care. She didn’t seem to enjoy my company either. So, she left me rustling by the hem of her monumental dress. And then I lost my senses. DEPRESSION! It cloaked me as the night of afterglows. I gave way to despair. Oh, God! What have they done to us? Five long nights… I was biting my nails like you do sometimes… Everything reminded me of you… Wind played with my hair, but it couldn’t do it better than you did! Women wearing your perfume made me to turn my head, but none of them were even close to being as beautiful as you are! Kids were playing in the playground, but there is no baby on earth that could be as beautiful as our own baby, Anna. Yours and mine. God! I dreamt about that baby’s eyes every night. The girl would look as amazing as her mom. I would give up my life now for one touch of those small, cute hands. Oh, God! I am stuck, Anna! They say, finally you accept Death, but how can I?”

Love and death… Faith and a hole caused by disbelief in the miracle of recovery. Shouldn’t those contradicting alternatives make us stronger by forcing us to accept them?

Living through paradoxes… Isn’t it what life’s wonderland is about? Isn’t it what a good film should be about?