DISTANT: A Simple Yet Timeless Story Of Love’s Power To Transcend Physical Boundaries
While social media, texting, Zoom calls and other modern technological means of personal contact have brought us closer to people without actually being in the same space with them, there remains nothing as pure and as rewarding as spending time with those same people in an upfront and intimate manner.
Unfortunately, with last year’s outbreak of COVID-19 forcing billions of people to physically separate themselves from their friends and families while under quarantine, the pain and sadness felt by those who longed for the togetherness they previously enjoyed was as undeniable as the heartache felt by those who tragically lost loved ones to the coronavirus.
Under those circumstances, and in large part because of them, actor/filmmaker Aris Federman wrote and directed the new short film Distant. Though produced during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a timeless, sometimes humorous, yet remarkably touching look at how even the most old-fashioned means of interpersonal communication can go a long way towards breaking down the distance between two people in love.
In Distant, a young man (played by Federman) tries to express his longing for his recently air-bound romantic partner by reaching her through a rather creative form of connection: the paper airplane. While he tries (and frequently fails) to make his message fly high, the man realizes that no matter how many miles separate him from the woman he loves, the words he aims to reach her with can sometimes mean much more than the way he delivers them.
Distant, which was recently shown during Loyola University (New Orleans)’ student-organized Crescent City Film Festival, has also been named as an official selection of seven other film festivals, and more screenings are planned. Details on those screenings will be announced later, as will a premiere date and platform for Distant’s streaming debut.
Like the character he plays in Distant, Federman was himself separated geographically from his own real life better half prior to the film’s pre-production. Federman’s recollections of that experience were on his mind as he launched his work on Distant, and so were his ongoing observations about how digital communication has only further separated our once unified society even before the pandemic started.
Nonetheless, Distant’s themes of companionship, love and longing make the film as universally appealing to viewers as it is unbound by the fleeting nature of time.
What (and/or who) inspired you to make this film, and was Distant inspired, in any way, by your own personal experiences?
I don’t think it is possible to produce any art without having your own personal experience bleed into the finished product. I see the experiences of both myself and my team in Distant. We could all relate to the social disconnect caused by the pandemic. Although, on a more personal note, the film was about my girlfriend who, at the time of filming, was about 766 miles away. This was the catalyst for the film’s creation.
Being physically far from someone you care for is difficult, despite all of the opportunities to connect in a digital age. Every phone call is a bittersweet experience. I wanted that to come through in the film, which is why we made the stylistic choice to have the protagonist’s hands accumulate paper cuts as he folded each paper airplane. It is a labor of love.
What’s the overall impact that making Distant has had on you — not just in terms of your work as a filmmaker but also on a personal level?
I attend Pace University in New York City, working toward my BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Acting. Theatre and film are such collaborative experiences and the opportunity to create with other artists was greatly mitigated by the pandemic. Distant was an opportunity to work with other artists again, which to me, made the process all the more special. Moreover, this was the first film that I had ever written, directed, and acted in at the same time. The experience was an experiment more than anything and I’m more than happy with what came out of it.
I’m also thankful to have worked with such a talented team. Without them, Distant couldn’t have been brought to life in such a vibrant way. Filmmaking is a form of storytelling and stories bring people together. Ever since the beginning of time, people have gathered around campfires from different walks of life to hear good stories. They bring people together. The opportunity to tell a story, to contribute to that amazing phenomenon, is a magical thing — especially during the pandemic.
Since the film was shot during the pandemic, what was the production process like for Distant, and what steps did you take to make sure it was a safe shoot?
Shooting during COVID was a beast. I had to make sure that everyone was safe and comfortable above all else. To do this, we tried to keep the team small, (and we) made sure everyone was tested. Our shoots were entirely masked, with the exception of the actors on screen. I also wrote the film to be shot outdoors, which helped. The pandemic was always something on my mind during the shoot, almost like an added, ever present weight.
The film is actually missing a key scene where we see the woman (played by Zoe Dunay) get the paper airplane that the man has thrown — a climactic moment in the original script. (Dunay) had flown in to shoot the scene, everything was in place, and then one of the team members felt unwell prior to the shoot. They had a possible COVID exposure from their personal life, outside of the film. I made the decision to cancel the shoot that day in order to maintain safety.
Luckily, they were fine and nobody else on the team got sick but it was a nerve-wracking moment. We ended up cutting the scene entirely instead of recasting and I think the decision really adds something to the film, a sense of ambiguity and mystery. So in that way, the pandemic directly influenced the final cut of the film.
Who do you think would like to watch Distant, what audiences are you trying to reach with the film, and what do you want people to take away from watching it?
I think the film is for anyone and everyone. The topic is so broadly applicable to what so many people are experiencing right now. I wanted to toy with heavier themes like isolation but box them up in a short film that had a lighthearted feeling to it. People seem to be receptive to the message and the hope is that folks can find a bit of encouragement through it.
See the official trailer for Distant here:
Find out more about Distant and Federman’s other projects on the filmmaker’s official web site:
Connect with Federman on Instagram: @ArisFederman
