‘Can I Get a Witness?’
Ann Marie, I will give you these duties.
Can you give a brief synopsis of your movie?
Image via Mongrel Media
Weve mitigated climate change.
We’ve eradicated global poverty.
We have true trans-species democracy.
Image via Photagonist at TIFF 2024
We just have to…
SANDRA OH: Don’t give it away.
FLEMING: …make a few little sacrifices for it.
Are we not giving it away?
Image via Photagonist at TIFF 2024
OH: you’ve got the option to’t possibly give it away.
you might just hover that with that question: What would you be willing to give up?
Something you came up with that made your idea feel whole?
FLEMING: Very much the initiative for this is the climate.
I’m from Vancouver.
I used to live in the West End.
Image via Photagonist at TIFF 2024
There’s always thoughts of earthquakes, tsunamis…
There was information on the news about the CPP would the age limit going up for that?
I really love the world that was built.
Image via Photagonist at TIFF 2024
And I said, “Absolutely!
OH: Ann Marie and I are longtime collaborators.
Again, it is a fable.
Image via Mongrel Media
At the very beginning of the film,it’s kind of like a fable.
There are things to learn in it.
It’s up to you to take whatever you wanna learn in it.
Image vai Photagonist at TIFF 2024
That was a great practice to live in.
I love when people meet each other and they create a long-lasting collaboration.
Can you tell me how the two of you met?
FLEMING: I saw you in a short at the CFC.
OH: Helen’s?
FLEMING: Yeah, with Adam Beach.
OH: I did a short with Helen Lee at the CFC with Adam Beach calledPrey.
You saw me there; I sawyourshort film,You Take Care Now.
I was just like, “Who is this filmmaker?”
I really remember that feeling.
FLEMING: And we almost made a film together back in the early ’90s that didn’t go through.
It’s meant to be.
I’m shocked I remember this other follow-up question that came to my mind.
Can you tell me some new qualities of your own story that you only found through your collaborators here?
You have to repress feelings to be able to do your duty, really.
When we were shooting, it was such an emotional experience for everybody.
The film, when w were editing it, we went, “Oh my goodness!”
It was like a nature bath.
I couldn’t believe how invested all of the actors were and all of the crew.
People say this, but it was really truly a collaboration.
Everybody can see their hand in it.
‘Can I Get a Witness?’
Keira, this is going to be really awkward for you!
These two people showed up every day so prepared, so invested.
It was such a pleasure.
I say this all the time, that I’m totally not blowing smoke.
It was just a wonder.
Every day I went, Thank you, Keira!
Thank you, Joel!
We were all just shaking all the time, just going, I can’t believe it.
They’ve done it again.
You get so much more emotional dimension.
They only know what they know.
We know, as we should, much more.
That just makes this great dynamic.
And it’s because of them.
You’re really great at discussing the content of this film without ruining anything.
I’m very impressed by that.
I’ll narrow it down to the two of you now as scene partners.
JANG: You had so many more words to say than I did.
I just really appreciated that.
You’d think you’ve done like a thousand before.
It was just really special.
Every day was a new experience for us.
It was like our own little field trip on our bikes.
OH: Did you just say prolific?
Butit’s really just to get closer and closer to the creative source.
Not every place you’re able to have a direct line to the creative source.
It matches where I’m interested in.
I don’t know how many hours, days, we spenttalkingabout it.
Things have shifted climate-wise, but also tech-wise, AI-wise the incoming of AI.
It’s really just to have a hand in that conversation.
That’s really why I am interested in producing.
And also Roxstar Entertainment, our event producing partner and Photagonist Canada for the photo and video services.
