Home, 11min., Belgium Directed by Hanne Schillemans, Ralph Timmermans Home is a short film about the fragility of life and the virtue of solitude. A faceless figure attempting not to resist the endless waves of pointlessness.
Get to know the filmmaker:
What motivated you to make this film?
Home grew out of a shared fascination with the fragile, often uncomfortable terrain of solitude. We were both navigating a kind of existential tension: the absurdity of life, and the strange peace that can arise when one stops resisting it. The idea that everything is ultimately out of one’s control and perhaps even pointless and the realization that this, paradoxically, can be liberating. That thought, oddly enough, gave us comfort. The film became a way to give form to that feeling.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
It’s hard to say exactly when the idea began. We think Home found us during a hike through desolate nature, when we unexpectedly came upon an empty house. It felt like stumbling into the middle of a concept. We didn’t plan it, we just recognized it. From that moment to the final cut, the process took about 18 months. Much of that time was spent letting the idea unfold, allowing it to simmer before taking shape.
Ute Bergk answered the set of questions I emailed her on the airplane on her way to Budapest, Hungary to complete the television mini-series “Emerald City”. Based on the “Wizard of Oz” universe, Ute promises that the series is “going to be something else” and that director Tarsem Singh is a delight. Two months in Hungary and they are wrapped.
She was happy to answer these questions on the plane and send them my way. In fact, I might have this interview posted before she lands.
Matthew Toffolo: You were the Set Decorator on the action/comedy “Grimsby”, which is currently at a cinema near you. How was your working experience on that film?
Ute Bergk: Yes ‘Grimsby’ came out a few weeks ago. I have been working with Sasha BC before- we build the stage for ‘FunkyZeit’ in Berlin for him /for the movie ‘Bruno’. It’s was just an introduction to the madness of a comedy. Sasha is very mesmerising – it’s more like a life event working with him , really. ‘Grimsby’ was scripted like a feature film, but that didn’t mean anything. The writers were on set all the time and creatively made changes continuously. Now- in hindsight- I can say, that one needs to have quite a team in the background to serve the needs. There is a lot of running around! My experience- interesting but very stressful and full on speed!
MT: Is there a difference when doing set decoration on a comedy film in comparison to a straight up action or drama film?
Ute: Yes- I guess there is. Every comedy I have worked on is always reassuring the moment (of laughter) and rightfully so. But on film all has to be managed the same way like a drama / action pic. The Set Dec. Challenge with Sasha was to decorate cool as always but at the same time having in mind, that certain furniture or dressing actually have a ‘role’ too. A sofa needs to be big enough to walk on or a curtain strong enough to swing from..
PHOTO: Sasha Baron Cohen and Mark Strong in GRIMSBY:
MT: How was the Batman Begins and The Dark Knight experience? You helped create a more grounded and unique comic book world that set the tone for this genre. When working on #2 specifically, did you know that you were going to be a part of such an iconic film?
Ute: Well, well – I am very thankful to have had the opportunity!
When we first arrived at the ‘stage’ where we build ‘Gotham City’ on “Batman Begins”, it took 15 minutes for the door to slide open. I was aware that this is going to be …big. But the process is the same ..you take your piece of chalk and start outlying the sets onto the stage floor. ..Here is we’re the monorail will cross, here it’s ‘leg’ , a little further down ( a few mins walk..) the entrance to the opera.. We walked a lot!
On #2 we mainly did all stunts and action sequences there – the ‘stage’ was big enough to allow that. Not to forget the iMax cameras zooming by on wires every now and than.
PHOTO: Gotham City in BATMAN BEGINS:
MT: “Enemy of the Gates” is such an underrated film as the production design felt so real, almost like we were in 1940s WWII Russia fighting off the Nazis. What are your memories working on that film? Was the entire Art Department shocked that you didn’t receive an Oscar nomination?
Ute: I am really glad you are asking me this! It’s a long way down on memory lane but this was the greatest experience so far. I was very early into my career and it just happened that I was asked to join the team. We shot it in Berlin and the former East Germany. The set was enormous! Well… I thought so being a youngster. But truly it was. It was the biggest movie in Germany at the time. The logistics required to make it happen were just ..thrilling ..I would say now. The whole art department worked together and I can not recall any ‘counterproductive activities’ amongst us. I developed a close bond to the Russian community and still maintain friendships from those days. The Designer Wolf Kroeger came up with these amazing designs all drawn on paper – sometime a drawing would be up to 4/5 meters long ..on a paper roll. We had to create Stalingrad , destroyed by the war and did a lot of research on bricks and rubble. Wolf insisted to have bricks from a special factory in Russia and so we had lorryloads after lorryloads coming in. Container full of rubble! I earned my nickname ‘rubble-queen’ there- and if I may go to question 10 from here- if you find it thrilling to find yourself in freezing conditions somewhere far from home trying to explain to a Russian speaking lorry-driver on overtime to dump his bricks carefully – I guess you would make a reasonable good member of the art department!
PHOTO: The grand set design in ENEMY AT THE GATES:
MT: Describe the working relationship between the Production Designer and Set Decorator?
Ute: The Designer works very close with the Director. The Decorator works very close with the Designer, but the roles are quite different, I’d say. The Designer has a passion to create using his vision. The Decorator depends more on actual facts than fiction. Is a decor ..available. Do we need to make? Fabricate? What are the practical lighting requirements ? In what I am doing now this has become quite a concept..as ‘Emerald City’ is lit by the ‘Two Moons..’ But generally the Decorator has to be quite ‘realistic’ at some point and the Designer occasionally has to compromise , which they normally don’t like doing.
MT: How soon before production begins does the Set Decorator begin working? What is your initial task?
Ute: At least 3 months prior to the shoot and not long after the Designer is on board.
Initial task? Doing the job with full passion and ability.
MT: What does the Art Department look for in their Production Designer?
Ute: Not always does the Art Department choose with whom to work. An Art Department sometimes can consist of a lot of people and I cannot answer on behalf of all those involved. For me the person I work closely with has to be artistic, visionary, funny, entertaining, always switched on and human. At the end of the day it’s just a movie.
MT: What does the Production Designer look for when working with their Set Decorator?
Ute: You have to ask a Production Designer this .
MT: Besides the films you’ve worked on, what movie have you seen the most in your life?
Ute: Movie seen the most- u mean more than once? Probably “Mulholland Drive” cause I tried to figure out the architecture (there is none..!)
After having worked on “13 hours” – I thought the movie “Timbuktu” is just wonderful, but I have only seen it once- the soundtrack in on my Spotify playlist!
MT: Do you have any advice for high school and university students who want to work in the Art Department in the film industry?
Ute: If you enjoy all things weird and wonderful you have found your space. But only experience can tell if you succeed. It’s competitive and not easy to break into – if there is no other place in the world for you than go for it. Just like the Giant in ‘BigFish’ – see if you like it.
____ Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK DAILY Film Festival on http://www.wildsound.ca and also held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.
Watch the festival NOW for the next 48 hours by signing up for the FREE 3-DAY trial using the link, or go to http://www.wildsound.ca
hurricane, 6min,. Cuba Directed by Héctor Almeida An inner hurricane summons errant images and drifting fragments of time, dragging them toward a threshold that resists form. A voice, part invocation, part echo, emerges from within the storm. Between the lived and the imagined, memory disintegrates and reconfigures, not to be understood, but to be felt. This is a ritual of passage: where chaos becomes a kind of language, where what is lost is not retrieved, but transformed, and what dies, opens.
EIGHT MINITES, 7min,. Australia Directed by Tim Stiles Award-winning actor, filmmaker, and comic book creator Big Tim Stiles talks about his struggles with depression and suicide.
Tango in Twilight, 11min., Argentina Directed by Teresa Herminia Mular MD This film explores the life of a 74 year old man, a chemist, who developed blindness at age 28 presumably from an innocent post graduate party prank, going awry at some point. Although this is a presumptive diagnosis one can’t rule out glaucoma as a primary illness.
Srebrenica, 2min,. France Directed by Thibaut Fleuret This work is about Srebrenica, Bosnia, place of the last european genocide where thousands of muslim people were killed.
ComVida-20, 3min,. Italy Directed by Ana Cavazzana It makes us reflecting about who we are and who we will be from now on. The title is a Portuguese wordplay: «ComVida» is similar to «CoVid» meaning, simultaneously, «With Life» and «Invite». With life we are invited to stay alive!
Cupid’s Treasures, 7min., USA Directed by Bryce Mackie A humorous look into one of the largest adult sex boutique stores in the Midwest.
the small world, 2min., Iran Directed by Sadegh Ghasemi The watchmaker has made a small world out of his broken watches.
Universe of Ukraine, 3min., Ukraine Directed by Alexander Sparinsky «Universe of Ukraine” is a documentary music video-essay for all people who want to know what war in Ukraine is and what are Russian killers today, in the 21st century; about all the troubles and griefs that this invasion brought…
Submit to the Festival via FilmFreeway. Deadline Today:
We are honored to be the winner of the Best Micro-Short with “Crisis Point”. The audience feedback melted our hearts and it confirmed us that our efforts were really worth it. In our opinion, film making is all about reaching people out, and this Festival captures this essence perfectly. The Festival is really a blessing for offering such important milestones in promoting the selected films. The communication and hospitality is top notch. We are so eager for the next tiers of the festival. We will certainly choose this Festival for our next projects as well.
Those who stayed constantly talk about the future.
Every other house in Freimfelde, a former working-class neighbourhood, is empty. The lack of jobs, the absence of local suppliers, and the presence of decay are long-term effects of structural decline: in these parts of former Eastern Germany, the reunification of 1989 led to the closures of vital companies, caused high unemployment rates, and resulted in massive out-migration.
In Freiimfelde, people’s sense of the present is challenged by two absent levels of time: the no-longer of the past, which everybody remembers differently, and the not-yet of a future – fragile and in contradiction to the municipality’s vision of the seemingly empty neighbourhood.
An intimate portrait of five residents, “The Painters of the Future” examines current living conditions in Freiimfelde, tensions between post-industrialization and gentrification, and the ubiquitous call to “participate” in urban development.
Watch Today’s FREE Film Festival: Best of DOC Shorts Fest
Scheduled for Friday, May 30, 2025 8:01 PM EDT
hurricane, 6min,. Cuba Directed by Héctor Almeida An inner hurricane summons errant images and drifting fragments of time, dragging them toward a threshold that resists form. A voice, part invocation, part echo, emerges from within the storm. Between the lived and the imagined, memory disintegrates and reconfigures, not to be understood, but to be felt. This is a ritual of passage: where chaos becomes a kind of language, where what is lost is not retrieved, but transformed, and what dies, opens.
EIGHT MINITES, 7min,. Australia Directed by Tim Stiles Award-winning actor, filmmaker, and comic book creator Big Tim Stiles talks about his struggles with depression and suicide.
Tango in Twilight, 11min., Argentina Directed by Teresa Herminia Mular MD This film explores the life of a 74 year old man, a chemist, who developed blindness at age 28 presumably from an innocent post graduate party prank, going awry at some point. Although this is a presumptive diagnosis one can’t rule out glaucoma as a primary illness.
Srebrenica, 2min,. France Directed by Thibaut Fleuret This work is about Srebrenica, Bosnia, place of the last european genocide where thousands of muslim people were killed.
ComVida-20, 3min,. Italy Directed by Ana Cavazzana It makes us reflecting about who we are and who we will be from now on. The title is a Portuguese wordplay: «ComVida» is similar to «CoVid» meaning, simultaneously, «With Life» and «Invite». With life we are invited to stay alive!
Cupid’s Treasures, 7min., USA Directed by Bryce Mackie A humorous look into one of the largest adult sex boutique stores in the Midwest.
the small world, 2min., Iran Directed by Sadegh Ghasemi The watchmaker has made a small world out of his broken watches.
Universe of Ukraine, 3min., Ukraine Directed by Alexander Sparinsky «Universe of Ukraine” is a documentary music video-essay for all people who want to know what war in Ukraine is and what are Russian killers today, in the 21st century; about all the troubles and griefs that this invasion brought…
Tango in Twilight, 11min., Argentina Directed by Teresa Herminia Mular MD This film explores the life of a 74 year old man, a chemist, who developed blindness at age 28 presumably from an innocent post graduate party prank, going awry at some point. Although this is a presumptive diagnosis one can’t rule out glaucoma as a primary illness.
It was an honor chatting with Emmy Nominated editor Allyson C. Johnson. She is currently editing the critically acclaimed series “The Get Down”.
Matthew Toffolo: You edited two episodes of “The Wire”. How was this working experience? Did you realize that you were a part of one of the great TV shows in history?
Allyson C. Johnson: The Wire was my first TV series so I didn’t know what to expect. I had been cutting features and docs and everyone kept telling me TV was soooo different but it was HBO so we didn’t have to deal with the commercials and other restrictions put on you by Network television. I think we all knew it was a really good series but when you’re in the trenches it’s hard to step back and actually see the bigger picture. So, no, I had no idea it was going to be as big as it is. It was a great experience because the Producers were smart, creative and trusting of the editors and it’s always a pleasure to work with a talented cast like the one on the Wire.
MT: What film that you’ve worked on has been your most valuable experience?
ACJ: I think Monsoon Wedding was my most valuable Feature experience so far. It was my first film and I learned so much from working with a great Director like Mira Nair. She has an amazing talent for making a performance as good as it can possibly and giving a film real heart.
PHOTO: Still from the film “Monsoon Wedding”:
MT: What is the art to being a great TV SHOW editor? How is working in TV different than working on a feature film?
ACJ: I really don’t think there is a difference between a “TV show editor” and a Feature or Doc editor. Now that there’s streaming and cable TV not all TV has the issue of having to stop the story every 8-12 minutes to add a commercial break. The big difference for me is that in TV it’s not a given that the editor will be at the mix. I still don’t quite understand why that is since the editor knows the show inside and out and can be a huge help during the mix. Network TV tends to want more close ups and to be on the actor’s face when they’re speaking plus having to find spots to put commercial breaks that will not be intrusive can be a challenge. Also, working on a series, although the director does the first cut, he/she doesn’t end up having the final say as they would in a Feature film because the Showrunner is the one who must make sure the series has one look and one feel.
MT: Have you ever been surprised after wrapping a production on the success or non-success of a film/TV show? I’m assuming you’ve experienced both pendulums – a film that you assumed was going to be a hit and the audience/critics didn’t respond. And a film that you assumed wasn’t going to do well and then ended up doing very well.
ACJ: I am ALWAYS surprised at the outcome. There are so many different opinions and tastes in this world. I think we just have to make sure we are working on a show or film we believe in and enjoy and not worry about what everyone else thinks. Unfortunately reviews can make or break a show and these days so can social media so I hope people will give a show a chance before they let someone else decide for them.
MT: What is an editor looking for in their director? What is a director looking for in their editor?
ACJ: Big picture? We spend so much time in the editing room together it’s imperative that we can laugh together. More specifically? I always hope for shots to cutaway to so we are not forced into performances that might not be the best and/or continuity issues. I would imagine a director would want an editor who is open to trying new things without complaining.
MT: Is there a type of film that you would love to edit that you haven’t edited yet?
ACJ: I was a musician in college and have always been drawn to musicals. Although I’ve worked on many Rockumentaries in addition to the NBC series Smash and The Get Down for Netflix, I still haven’t cut a musical Feature Film and would love to do that.
MT: What film, besides the ones you’ve worked on, have you seen the most times in your life?
ACJ: Aside from the films you watch a thousand times when you’re a kid I think I have probably seen Cabaret, Broadcast News, Sleeper, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harold and Maude, Minority Report, A clockwork Orange and The Heat. Sorry, couldn’t just pick one. That doesn’t mean there aren’t other films that I loved but some films you just can’t watch over and over again even if you love them.
MT: What suggestions would you have for people in high school and university who would like to get into the industry as an editor?
ACJ: Get a job in a cutting room, any job doing anything. It’s important to be exposed to the process as much as possible and to meet people in the business. If you’re an assistant already cut scenes on your own in your spare time using the footage for the show you are working on so you can get some practice and show them to the editor and ask for pointers. Learn the AVID.
MT: Where did you grow up? Was working in the Film Industry something you always wanted to do?
ACJ: I grew up in Great Neck on Long Island. I always wanted to be a musician and ended up going to college for that. However, I was very involved in Theatre at my High School too and I had a great love for film when I was growing up. Unfortunately it never occurred to me that I could do that for a living. We didn’t have phones that we could use to shoot our own movies and I didn’t know anyone who worked in the business so it seemed a little too out of reach until I got to college. I went to SUNY Purchase and it had a great film program. While I was there I took a few film classes on the side. That was the beginning for me.
_____ Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the Daily Film Festival every single day downtown. And also held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.
Watch the festival NOW for the next 48 hours by signing up for the FREE 3-DAY trial using the link, or go to http://www.wildsound.ca
The Stars My Destination, 135min., Japan Directed by Keishi Suenaga A retired Russian-Japanese soldier Eiji Onodera (Keishi Suenaga) was going to his hometown in Japan. But on his way, he was caught and given a new mission by his ex-colleague Captain Vadim Dadikov (Gohnosuke Tokuda). Onodera and his father would never be free unless he completes the secret mission. He and the Master Sergeant Zinaida Zasyekina (Satoko Enmei) go to Hokkaido to monitor an ex-officer of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Toshio Honda (Taiyo Sawa). Honda has killed 27 people including his colleagues, and is hiding in a mountain with a mysterious beauty, Risa (Riho Yoshioka)…
Deadline Today to Submit to the Festival via FilmFreeway:
We had a wonderful experience with this festival. Communication was clear, timely, and personal. What stood out was the effort they make to build community. We’re grateful that our short film ‘Home’ was awarded Best Art Film. Thank you for creating a space where experimental (dance) films can be seen, heard, and felt. Hanne Schillemans & Ralph Timmermans
Festival Reviews 