Table of Contents
Three Key Takeaways
- Historical stories have modern relevance. Jennifer van Gessel explores darker, often overlooked aspects of historical figures like Anne Lister, highlighting how their stories remain pertinent today.
- Independent filmmaking thrives on risk-taking. Without a blockbuster budget, Jennifer and her team embraced the freedom to push boundaries and take creative risks.
- HollyShorts is a cherished platform. For Jennifer and her team, being selected for HollyShorts is an honor and a testament to their film's uniqueness amid a sea of submissions.
Jennifer van Gessel brings her haunting short film, Ver. Fine Day, to this year's HollyShorts Film Festival.
Alongside director Nik Kacevski and actor Samantha Allsop, Jennifer dives into the darker side of historical figure Anne Lister.
The film intertwines historical narrative with genre elements, offering a cosmic reality check through the spectral presence of Aphrodite.
For Jennifer, storytelling is about revealing the sides of us we often hide, making Ver. Fine Day a unique cinematic experience.
What drew you to make this film? Why this story, and why now?
I’ve been deep-diving into historical figure Anne Lister for a while; she’s endlessly fascinating. Everyone talks about her boldness and trailblazing side, but there’s this darker thread in her youth that’s often glossed over. I really related to that messier part. Anne’s story is just as relevant now as it was back in 1820 when she turned up at Langton Hall, especially this idea that chasing the wrong kind of love never really fills the gaps it promises to. In this short, Aphrodite’s basically giving Anne a cosmic reality check for being a bit of a player.
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process this time?
Oh, you always get surprises when you’re making 1800s Yorkshire... in Sydney. When you don’t have a blockbuster budget, it's tough, but we pulled it off. Honestly, the core story stayed true the whole way through, which is rare and nice.
Is there a moment in the film that feels the most you?
Maybe when Anne makes love to the statue. It felt risky, and we didn’t want to lose the audience’s connection with her, but it’s a moment I feel was very much from me. I should probably give more context 'cause that sounds terrible, but I’ll leave people to their imaginations.
"I hope they discover Anne Lister and want to learn more about her."
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making this film?
For me, it was if Sammy did the statue scene naked. I wrote it that way, then changed it because I didn’t think we could convince anyone to do it. Then when our director Nik met with her, she said she felt she should be naked. So we were like okay, let’s do it. Also, having Anne do that was hard because we didn’t know if it would make the audience stop caring about her.
What do you hope audiences take away from your film?
I hope they discover Anne Lister and want to learn more about her. Other than that, I hope they see that mixing real historical plots with genre can be lots of fun. Finally, I hope people feel for Anne and that the lesson she learns resonates.
How has this film shaped or shifted the kind of stories you want to tell next?
Yeah, after doing a period piece I'm in love with it. I want to do more, more gothic stuff too.
"The greatest strength of independent filmmaking is that no one can stop you taking risks."
What’s a tool, technique, or resource that really helped you during production?
The team was really great. Very collaborative. It's hard letting go of personal wants sometimes, but when you have a group like we did all working towards the greater good, it's hard to make a bad film.
What does it mean to you to have your film selected for HollyShorts?
Nik had one of his earliest films screen at HollyShorts, so it is a beloved festival for him. It's an honor really, hearing how many shorts were submitted and knowing we were chosen is a great feeling. Breaking through the noise is always something you hope to do, so when it happens, you must celebrate.
Where do you see this film going next?
There are hopefully some other festivals, but I am making a feature film with Anne Lister in a gothic world next year. Screen Australia came on board with development funding, and it's really taken off. It's not what this short is but in the same wheelhouse for sure.
"As an Aussie filmmaker, it's so cool to have your film in a theatre in LA."
