We invite you to read the interview with Calvin Reeder, the director of „The Oregonian”. It seems that we can expect something really dark & bizarre with this specific feeling characteristic for B-movies of the 70’ties. Seems like something for me. Can’t wait.
There is a place. A place where the skies are wide and the forests are thick—and strange. You can lose yourself forever in these woods. You’ll meet truckers with problems and old women with strange powers. You may even make a furry friend. Just be sure to stay quiet. Spend some time with a woman from Oregon who is lost on the road and running away from her past. Now she has a chance to experience everything the grotesque Northwest has to offer, whether she likes it or not.[sundance.org]
First of all, could you tell few words about your previous movie activities?
I started making films back in 2001 with my good buddy Brady Hall. We were dedicated to shooting on film and even cut our first projects by hand on a Steinbeck flatbed. Although those early attempts were far from successful, I developed a real taste for the 16mm aesthetic. I moved on to make a handful of short films that really helped me find my voice. Two of them („Little Farm” and „The Rambler”) played Sundance in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
So far we don’t know much, what „The Oregonian” is about – could you shed some light on the story?
A woman leaves the farm and enters the unknown. It’s an unfriendly and often psychedelic journey, a psychic mystery.
When I heard for the first time about „The Oregonian”, I automatically thought about „Texas Chain Saw Massacre” and „Deliverance”. Does your movie have anything in common with these classics or is it just my imagination?
I guess some of the imagery in „The Oregonian” may conjure some similarities, but story wise it is very different from both of those. I do like those films though, who doesn’t?
Does the movie contain any supernatural elements or is it all about ordinary human violence?
I’m going to say „yes” on the supernatural, however I’d describe it as more metaphysical than supernatural. The film delves deeply into its uniquely thick atmosphere and stays there unrelentingly. That very atmosphere is unsettling and at times down right nasty. So it’s not a ghost movie and it’s not a shoot ’em up, it’s equal parts terrifying and beautiful. I took great pains to make my story as original as I could.
You work again with Lindsay Pulsipher. She’s the star of „True Blood”, you still work on independent movies. Could you tell us about your relationships? Will you work together in the future?
Lindsay and I are a couple, we have been dating almost 6 years now and have made 5 films together. I’m sure there is more movies in our future. The True Blood thing is fantastic for her. She was also on a show called „The Beast” with Patrick Swayze on A&E before „True Blood”, so she’s been balancing between my strange little films and the television world for some time now. It’s a challenge, but always worth it.
Your movie will be screened at Sundance in a couple of weeks. Do you have any particular expectations connected with the festival?
I guess I just want people to talk about it and think about it. I’d be really sad if people forgot about this movie the day after or something.
Thank you for the interview!