WORCESTER – This is the first in a series of interviews of those in the New England film industry, produced in partnership with HollyWoot Film Group. All answers are unedited and as provided by the interviewee.
Gabrielle Rosson is a multi award-winning filmmaker from Cape Cod who works across New England. Her short, “She, Who Dared” about early 20th century director Lois Weber, is being developed into a feature film.
She also founded the Lois Weber Film Festival, which focuses on films by women, the Greater Boston Film Collective, and GR Films.
Q1: What is your favorite movie?
Hands down, “Blade Runner.” The theatrical cut, too. I get a lot of heat for that since most people prefer the director’s cut which has an added scene and no VO. But I LOVE the VO, and hate the unicorn shot (which is actually footage from another movie Scott directed called “Legend.”) It always pulls me out. I’ve seen the movie with different soundtracks, too–but nothing
beats the original Vangelis theatrical cut. #RantOver
Q2: WHO IS YOUR HERO?
We don’t need another hero! Sorry, that song popped into my head, and you’re showing your age (or taste in movies) if you get that. But in all seriousness, my heroes are all writers. The honest ones–Miller, Nin, Bukowski, Boroughs. The people who really tell it like it is and don’t candy-coat the bitterness of life. I watch movies to escape reality, but I’ve always seen books as an opportunity to do the opposite, to sort of pull me back and make me feel more connected to others.
Q3: What is your preferred craft in film?
For sure writing and directing. Production design sorta goes hand in hand for me in that process, too, as I usually try to build the worlds I see in my mind’s eye. People have asked me if I had to pick ONE craft, which would it be, and that’s very hard for a multi-potentialist like me, but if I had a gun to my head I’d pick writing because that’s where every film begins
anyway–on the written page.
Q4: How long have you been working in film, and where?
I started making movies in Massachusetts early 2019. I’m in my sixth year now and am amazed by how much I didn’t know when I started and how much I’ve learned and have yet to learn. Sometimes I think my head will explode when I try to grasp all the moving parts of a film–especially when I picture someday making a movie like Baz Luhrman’s “Elvis.” I can’t imagine how long that took. But I hope to have that problem someday.
Q5: What is your dream project?
My dream project is my own feature film “She, Who Dared.” It ticks all my boxes since it’s a period film, and a drama with many moving parts. It also has historical significance (as well as many implications for today’s women in film) so if and when I make this movie, I will feel like I’ve really accomplished something. But I would also really like to adapt Eugene O’Neil’s “The Hairy Ape,” and make more sci-fi and vampire genre movies!
Q6: The film that should never be remade is….?
Omg, take your pick of all the horrible remakes they are making at this very moment! I get the fascination, but why??? Some movies are so good because they are one of a kind! We shouldn’t cheapen that. But to answer your question…I think I would riot in the streets if they tried to remake Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown.”
Q7: If you were overlord for a day, what would change about the local film industry?
I’ve become a broken record at this point, but I’d leverage the playing field for female directors. We have stories we want to tell, good stories, they’re not all chick flicks! The notion that women directors don’t make good leaders is a concept that actually started in the 20s, when they decided that women belonged in front of the camera, not behind it; and it’s pretty much still the same today. Women only directed 11% of the top grossing films last year–down from a whopping 14% the year before. Women deserve more opportunities to have their films & ideas greenlit.
Q8: What are you working on now?
I recently founded a film festival for women in film called the Lois Weber Film Festival; I’m in post-production on “Le Monsto,” an 1850s period short inspired by the Victorian Ape Woman, Julia Pastrana which is screening at Summerdance on 9/8 at the Regent Theater in Arlington; pre-production on a 1970s comedy about an accidental hit man and his mother (co-written with Deborah Del Negro and Kris Salvi); writing the feature film version of “She, Who Dared” for AFM; and working on my first novel, Dollface. I’m also looking for a new day job. You hiring?
Q9: Where can we find your work and you?
All my short films (that have finished their festival run) are on my YouTube page @JoanOfArtFilms. I also have my own website gabriellerossonfilms.com and I’m GR Films (@gabriellerossonfilms) on Facebook.
Q10: What is the next step?
My next step? Shoot, I’m just following the bread crumbs as they appear to me. But for any female filmmaker out there who is struggling to be seen, this is your sign to make your film and submit it to the Lois Weber Film Festival. Submissions open September 1st on FilmFreeway.
Editor’s Note: The author of this piece, John Keough, is president of Hollywoot Film Group and a contributor to This Week in Worcester.
Image Credit: Gabrielle Rosson/ Facebook
