2025 SBIFF Writers Panel at the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

“By letting go of any control as a writer, we could get closer to the truth of what we tried to get across.”

“My loyalty was always towards how can I convey authenticity through a story.”

“We really had to figure out a different way to figure out cause and effect and to deal with the twist of the film…we [decided] on a sentient camera.”

“In this case, we also had to think about how the viewer would see…recognizing became really important…you’re inside of a memory most of the time.”

“It feels special and beautiful that we ended up with this group of people.”

“It seemed that one of the central themes was that (this is a line in the film) certainty is the enemy of unity, and that seemed very important, especially in the world we’re in now.”

“I immediately liked the challenge, how can I tell a story that is entirely in one place?”