Film: Between Scylla and Charybdis
Director: Carlos Lozano
Writer: Carlos Lozano
Actors: Ornella Cirese, Luis Miguel Torrecilla
Synopsis: Prior to important elections a reporter files an expose of one of the candidates which could compromise the election outcome. Editor is unsure if he should publish. Reporter threatens to take the story to highest bidder. Editor agrees to publish. Reporter leaves and editor calls someone to say he has the information.
In a new exclusive interview on Blazing Minds ahead of the Southend Film Festival, I got a chance to ask Writer-Director Carlos Lozano a few questions about his film ‘Between Scylla and Charybdis‘.
Between Scylla and Charybdis will be playing at the Southend Film Festival on Sunday 8th June at 5pm as part of the Short Film From Spain.
Q. Your film ‘Between Scylla and Charybdis’ has been selected to play at the Southend Film Festival. Can you tell us what we can expect from the film?
A. ‘Between Scylla and Charybdis’ is a journalistic thriller with a strong philosophical and ethical component. It explores the notion of the lesser evil and the implications that stem from it. The work aims to pose questions rather than provide answers. The idea is to encourage the viewer to reflect and engage in critical thought.
Q. How did the idea for the film come about and what were your inspirations when writing the script?
A. The inspiration stems from an internal need to take a stance on the concept of the lesser evil. It was an idea I wanted to reflect on, but I struggled to find answers. I began reading classical authors such as Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero, who explore this concept. At the same time, the notion of media manipulation by the press emerged, and it struck me as the perfect setting in which to develop the idea.
Q. What were some of the influences for the look and style of the film?
A. Although our colour palette leans more towards cooler tones, we worked with two clear visual references in terms of cinematography: Hunger by Steve McQueen, and certain scenes from Being John Malkovich by Spike Jonze. We also politely borrowed a camera movement or two from Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love.
Q. Were there any elements of the original script which were adapted during filming?
A. Yes, the beginning was different. Initially, there were no exterior location shots, and everything opened with a narrative centred around a series of meaningful objects that would offer clues to the unfolding of the plot. It worked on the page, but visually, the final idea is far better suited to the screen.
Q. What were some of your favourite moments whilst making the Film?
A. Rehearsals with the actors, along with the costume and make-up tests, are always special moments – it’s when you begin to see your characters take shape. But filmmaking is a collective endeavour, and the moments I find most moving are those in which a large group of people comes together, working closely to bring a shared vision to life.
Q. Did you experience any issues whilst making the film?
A. No shoot is without its challenges or setbacks. In this case, we had a few absences in the crew due to illness, and the slider we had planned to use for some very specific camera movements — which we had rehearsed extensively — broke before we even had the chance to use it. That forced us to find creative solutions in the middle of the shoot, rethinking the shots without losing their visual impact or artistic value.
Q. What do you hope people will take away from the film?
A. My main goal, as I mentioned earlier, is for the audience to leave with some questions and, if possible, to engage in trying to answer them. The primary one being: what would I do if I were in the characters’ situation?
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are working on?
A. Yes, I currently have two short films written, both at different stages of pre-production. One addresses the issue of gentrification among young couples, while the other explores the superficiality of the social media world. Additionally, I am working on a feature-length screenplay.
Q. If someone is looking to get into filmmaking, what advice would you give them?
A. If you truly want to dedicate yourself to filmmaking, you don’t need my advice because you will do it anyway. So, paradoxically, that’s the advice: just do it. Write and shoot — don’t stop doing whatever you can.
Between Scylla and Charybdis will be playing at the Southend Film Festival on Sunday 8th June at 5pm as part of the Short Film From Spain.
You can find out more about the festival and purchase tickets for ‘Between Scylla and Charybdis’ here:
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
