In his sharp and revelatory analysis of the film “Faces” by John Cassavetes, film scholar George Kouvaros writes these words: “Is it playful? Or is it deadly serious? One cannot know for sure.”
Those questions inspired me to write and direct my newest narrative short, called “Duet.” It’s a story about a married couple on the brink of divorce, but it’s tough to tell what either partner actually wants. Whether they’re acting happy or acting mad, there’s really a whole lot of performing in this relationship. As each partner pushes the other to call it quits, this couple puts on a show that’s all their own.
I like films about people who pretend, about characters who perform in daily life as much as any stage actor does on opening night. I’m also interested in films that pick apart the slippery relationship between expression and meaning. At what point do words cease to be reliable? And, how conscious are we of our true motives? Finally, I’m curious about characters who make noise when they cannot find the words to describe how they feel, or when the emotions are just too strong to understand. These inquiries are at the heart of “Duet.” I hope to share it with you soon.