SPECIFICATIONS
"It's So Charming" a short film by "Svend Colding"
Original title: It's So Charming
International title: It's So Charming
Duration: 27 minutes 13 seconds
Country: Denmark
Synopsis:
Silvia, who is pregnant, is at her parents in-law wedding anniversary, and she has been looking forward to it because its the first time she is meeting her boyfriend’s, Christian, side of the family.
Though she quickly realises, that Christian has a horrible relationship with his father, Thorsten. Silvia and Christian had planned to announce the pregnancy, but can’t seem to find an appropriate time for it, due to the dysfunctional father-son relationship. Therefore Silvia decides to reconcile the 2 men, though this Is proving easier said than done.
“It is so Lovely” is a comedy-drama, which the main theme is being able to set boundaries, even though there may not be an appropriate time for doing this.
Team:
Director : Svend Colding
Screenplay : Pernille Hyllegaard
Producer : Miki Schack
DOP : Lukas Daugbjerg
Sound Design : Telma Pil
Composer : Ida Skjerk & Nina Liv Bendstrup
Editor : Jacob Fangel Løgstrup
Production Design : Ronia Hage Tange & Petrine Clausen
Cast : Fanny Bernth, Niklas Herskind, Henrik Birch
DIRECTOR'S INTERVIEW
An interview with Svend Colding by Kiriakos Kotsinis Director of "It's So Charming"Q: Did you have any specific movies that served as inspiration for “It’s so Charming"? A: Regarding the theme and the story, we’ve mostly been inspired by our own experiences and from what we see in society. I’ve watched the patriarchic model both in family enviroments but also in job related situations. They luring you into pleasing them when at the same time you detest their fixated need for power and control. It’s an awkward form of manipulation. I’ve also seen myself as “Christian”, the son, a few times. Not in family enviroments, but in instances of my life where I didn’t have the nerve to speak up and support the ones I loved and where I kinda just went quiet cause I didn't want to make matters worse. To remember these situations now, it fills me with a lot of regret and anger about myself. These are the things I’m trying to work on and hopefully will improve some day. Q: What were the biggest challenges you had to overcome during the shootings? A: I have to say the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Our production was postponed several times and it was difficult to assemble the actors and actresses needed for the big family party. Other than that it was mostly just everyday problems - rain, low budget and tight time schedules. Q: You chose hand-held shooting throughout the entire film. Would you like to justify this choice? How did this serve the story? A: We didn’t wanna make what should otherwise be a happy family gathering to be seen as pleasant and cosy by the audience. Thus, we wanted to avoid being too firm and settle. Our main concern was to stay as close to “Silvia” as possible by using the necessary expressive means so that her experiences and her psychological states could be sufficiently portrayed, rather than allowing to other characters, such as family members and friends, to overshadow her. Q: Werner Herzog agrees with the notion that rule-breaking is a part of the recipe for successful filming. Care to comment? A: Break the rules if you have a solid intention and a clear vision behind this choise. Otherwise you’re just gonna feel like a “fuck filmschool” kinda anarchist. Q: During the film we had the unique opportunity to witness a memorable acting ensemble. What was the process you used for leading the actors/actresses’ dramatic performances? A: We talked a lot about the story. We discussed extensively about our own experiences and how we felt toward the characters. So we did a lot of preparation to make sure that we wanted the same things from the scenes. We wanted to be on the same track, aiming for the same result. Q: What are your future plans? A: Other than trying to figure out why love is tough and why we’re here, I’m hoping to make my feature film debut soon. I have a few ideas, but I just have to prove that they’re good enough. I’m also looking into some series ideas that would be fun to do as well. Q: What is the best advice you ever got? A: Preparation is the key. Or, that everybody goes through a lot of shit, so it’s better to listen than to assume. Svend Colding, Director of "It's So Charming"
DIRECTOR'S BIO
Svend Colding:
Svend Colding was born in 1990 in Aarhus Denmark where he lived until he finished high school. He then travelled to the Big Apple and studied the arts of filmmaking at the New York Film Academy. After studying abroad for a year he returned back home, only to change the scenery yet another time, when Svend was hired as an intern on the Copenhagen based Feature Film “Idealisten”, directed by Christina Rosendahl.
Svend then had various assistant functions on several feature films and TV series, while finding his own identity creating his own productions, mainly functioning as a director and photographer.
He is currently working as Assistant Director on tv-series as "Follow The Money" and "Ride Upon the Storm", while attending a filmschool called 18Frames.
MOVIE STILLS & POSTERS
Director’s Statement
I have often been at family gatherings and felt misplaced. I think most people have tried this experience. Therefore is “It is so lovely” a very relatable story, where Silvia’s situation is very tangible, despite the situation have been put on the edge. Silvia is the “new one” in a social connection, where there are very common ground rules, but also an internal order of who can do what. It is always difficult, hard and awkward, which is exactly what we have been trying to focus on. The aim has been to create a comedy-drama which embraces this awkwardness, but still doesn’t lose the presence with the characters.