The Colour of the Sky That Day
A young woman is challenged by her dedicated father to get back behind the wheel for the first time in a year. A seemingly ordinary moment, a casual drive filled with a father-daughter banter, transports us back to the day of a family tragedy.
Project
The Colour of the Sky That Day
The Colour of the Sky That Day is a family drama about Lottie, a young woman who’s challenged by her dedicated father to get back behind the wheel for the first time in a year.
The story captures a deeply private moment between two very different people trying to love each other in the aftermath of a life-changing car crash. A seemingly ordinary moment, a casual drive filled with father-daughter banter, transports us back to the day of a family tragedy revealing the real significance of this otherwise routine activity.
Scroll down to learn more about the film, the team, and our crowdfunding aims!
My work often touches on themes of shame and guilt, and this project is no different. I’m interested to portray people trapped by their circumstances. There’s no denouement waiting for them around the corner. No redemption. Nothing to fix. Their lives are permanently broken and there’s no right or wrong way to metabolize what had happened.
Although the film’s theme revolves around grief and trauma, it’s important for me that at the forefront of this story there is a father-daughter relationship, inspired by a bond I shared with my own father. While Lottie takes the first step towards reclaiming control of her life, the encouragement she gets is from a man who wants to solve difficult emotions as if they were a problem to fix. A man who’s used to making jokes every time things become too serious. And yet a man who still provides the best protection from the reality and harshness of the real world.
The feeling I am most trying to communicate with this film is that of tender warmth. Like the warmth of the sunset sky that connects the present and the past that overshadows it, there’s a natural beauty in an unpolished interplay of Lottie and her dad, which I hope is relatable for many.
Our goal is to ensure the cinematography supports Lottie’s perception of reality, distorted by the experienced trauma. Adding a few elements of magical realism will help convey the feeling of her loneliness and confusion and assist in identifying with her experience.
Sound (or lack thereof) has a vital role in this project. At times, we intend to tell this story purely through sound without a corresponding image. We believe that allowing the audience to visualise their own version of the events will give them a sense of agency over the whole story and leaves a more lasting impact.
Last but not least, nature plays an integral part in this film and serves as a reminder for Lottie, the world and her life didn’t end with the crash even if sometimes she feels it should have.
We are interested in painting a realistic yet poetic picture of life with trauma. Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea (2016) is one of the films we're inspired by, with authentic dialogues and silences that reach your heart, bringing some unexpected laughs. Like in Manchester, we want the flashbacks to run seamlessly through the film’s narrative.
"Manchester by the Sea” dir. Kenneth Lonergan
As for cinematography, we would like to convey the intimacy and visual poetry that can be found in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colours: Blue (1994). Kieslowski succeeds in setting the tone to mirror the protagonist's experience of dealing with grief.
"Three Colours: Blue" dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
On an aesthetic level, Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste of Cherry (1997) is also a key influence. Our film is minimalist in that it will be shot mainly in a car. Kiarostami is a master of exploring the fragility of life in a limited setting, with nature playing a crucial role in his films.
“Taste of Cherry” dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Our goal is to raise £8,000 pounds and we need all the help we can get! Making films is costly and even the smallest contribution matters!
BUDGET BREAKDOWN
If you can’t support us financially, sharing a link to our campaign or telling your friends about it can also help us to bring ‘The Colour of the Sky That Day’ to life, and will be greatly appreciated.
With your help, we can really become the team that makes it happen. Thank you for taking the time to consider our project!
