ASFF Filmmaker Interview: Anya Camilleri

The Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF) is opening in just three days. The City of York will be alight with 200 short films across 15 different venues. Amongst these innovative films will be Perfect, directed by Anya Camilleri with Pandemonium Films Ltd and in association with The Comedy Unit. Featuring Stephen Moyer (True Blood) Perfect is the chilling tale of a redundant estate agent taking on the world. Screened with six other Thrillers, Perfect will be on from 9 until 11 November at York City Screen and the Guildhall. Aesthetica has a quick fire interview with Camilleri to uncover the inspiration behind the film.

A: What is the basic idea behind Perfect?
AC: The premise of Perfect is the idea of a solitary person, a perfectionist, who has been dedicating himself to the same job, day in day out for years, and who has no life outside that job, who suddenly gets fired for no good reason. This makes him snap completely – and he has no longer an identity or sense of belonging, and he goes on a killing spree.

A: That type of storyline fits neatly into our thriller programme, is that your preferred genre?
AC: I don’t have a preferred genre, its stories that I am in interested in and whichever genre works best to tell that particular story.

A: Where did the original idea for the film come from?
AC: I read loads of short film scripts and found this one. The basis of the idea was there but I reworked it and then the script was extensively re-written before shooting.

A: Which films and filmmakers have personally inspired you?
AC: Scorcese, David O Russel, Cassavettes, Ridley Scott. Drive, The Master, Shame, Happiness to name a few.

A: What sort of work have you got lined up for the future?
AC: I am hoping to start shooting a film soon with an amazing Hollywood star who I am really looking forward to working with and I am writing the story of another film as well as developing a TV comedy series called How to Train Man with Island Pictures.

ASFF 8 – 11 November, across the city of York.

Credits
All images from Perfect, Anya Camilleri, courtesy of ASFF.