Charting a path in film and entertainment is as individual as those that choose to take the journey. For some, the jaunt is direct. For others, it proceeds along winding roads where valuable lessons are learned along the way. For Lisa France, director, co-writer and co-producer of Anne B. Real, the trip has been nothing short of eclectic. As such, it makes her feature film debut all the more compelling.

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In 1999, France wrote, directed, produced and starred in her first short film, Love In Tow, which won Best Comedy honors in 2000 at the Filmstock Film Festival in London. France directed several other short films, including Casting, Tripwire and Finding Phyllis and she is the executive producer of the Oscar-nominated student short film, Fair Play (starring John Heard and Ed Asner). France's previous work in feature films includes serving as the first assistant director on Uninvited Guest, associate producer on the documentary American Roulette and co-producer of Tollbooth.

MOSAEC caught up with Lisa France and asked about her journey to the director's chair as well as directing her first feature film Anne B. Real.

How did the project come to you?

Anne B. Real came to me through our company Reve Entertainment Group. We had bought the script.  I wasn't originally going to direct it, but rather produce it. Luis Moro, who raised the initial funding for the film, suggested to Josselyne Herman, our other partner, that I direct the film rather than just produce with Luis and Josselyne. I read the script and thought the story was exceptional, but that the script needed quite a bit of work. Because we owned it, I was able, with Luis, to rewrite it to tailor it more to what we were committed to as filmmakers and as a company.

What interested you about The Diary of Anne Frank?

Anne Frank was an exceptional little girl living under the extreme fear and stress of WWII and the Holocaust. Despite the danger and fear, Anne still managed to be human. She writes with heart and true grit. Her life is inspiring even today. I found it amazing that she was still able to discuss her feelings about boys, her parents and other friends and family with candor and grace while still being emotionally available. The diaries are fresh and informative. They are far beyond a 12 year olds years. There are so many things about Anne Frank that drew me to the text once I was attached to direct and rewrite that it's really difficult to put into words, as there is an essence, a spirit, a passion that transcends all the obvious heroic qualities.

What influenced your selection of passages from the Diary?

Luis and I spent a lot of time reading and rereading the diary. I think we each read it at least 10 or so times looking for what could be something a young Afro-Latin girl who is trying to find her self-expression could pull from the book that would inspire her to carry through with being heard and fully expressed. Thus, the through line quote:

All children must look after their own upbringing. Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right path, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands

When you contacted the Anne Frank estate, what was the initial reaction?

Actually, I did not contact the Anne Frank estate. Luis (Moro) did. He decided to call the president of the Anne Frank Foundation, Buddy Elias. Buddy also happens to be one of the last, if not the last, living relative of Anne Frank. He is also a copyright holder of the script. From what I recall Buddy was excited by the idea of having Anne's words inspire a modern tale. After he read the script he immediately agreed to let us use some of the sentences. Once they saw the film they said they were extremely moved, so much so that they watched the film twice in a row.

Was the Frank family surprised about the context in which you wanted to use the work?

I don't know if they were "surprised," but they were certainly thrilled that the film was being made with "African Americans." Thus, perhaps surprised by this as it was an unusual combination.

Did the Frank family have to be convinced of the Diary's applicability to the experiences of the community reflected in the film?

No. Not at all. I think of all the people in the world that have learned that they can learn from other cultures and other worlds it's them. Additionally, they were proud to share Anne's words in such a unique way to not only inspire, but to support one of our goals, literacy.

To your knowledge, is this the first time that hip-hop has drawn on themes from the Diary of Anne Frank? 

No, there is a song, and I think it's by OutKast, but I'm not sure who the artist is, but it has a few lines about Anne Frank. In fact, I think there is a line to the effect, "You are so Anne Frank..." Other than this, I'm not sure of any other Anne Frank references in the hip hop world; but, I wouldn't doubt it if some start to pop up in the near future (smiling).

Why did you want to do a story about a troubled young girl trying to find her way out of confusion, adversity and angst?

I think it's not just about a girl.  I think it's a part of being a young teen. I think boy, girl, black, white, Latin, Serbian, wheelchair, super athlete or whatever that we all deal with our shortcomings. I think it's all relative. I happen to be a female and I happen to have overcome some adversity in my own life as I still do being a female director.  It's a tough gig out there, but still I know I'm not the only one. Thus, sharing a film like this makes the vibe accessible to everyone, not just women, men etc... Even adults can relate. My own mother loved the film because it brought up memories for her and one of those memories was of her love for The Diary of Anne Frank. I didn't know my mother had such a deep affection for this book, but now I do. My father too, was truly moved by the film. Keep in mind, my parents are in their 50's and not big hip hop fans.  Thus, I think it's a credit to the way we kept the hip hop in the film clean and accessible to any and all ages and races.

What appealed to you most about the project?

That we could shoot it on my block (laughing).  Seriously though, there is something to be said for making a film in your hood. Woody Allen and Spike do it all the time, why not Lisa France? Josselyne and Luis have actually poked a little fun at this sometimes as it was kind of lucky that I could roll out of bed and go to work. 

Also, there was some little synchronicity around it since I do live on Amsterdam [Avenue in Upper Manhattan]. The Frank family was trapped in Amsterdam. The Gothic and hood vibe is all around that hood, so it was truly perfect. My neighbors are primarily Afro-Latin, again, another blessing to set the tone and feel for the film. I love doing research and I had loads for this project so it too was very attractive. I've always wanted to make a Rocky kind of a film and I feel this is that kind of a Girlfight flick that even men can dig. I loved the idea that I was going to combine hip-hop with a classical score. I knew it would be a challenge on our budget, but it was in my dreams, fantasies and mind 24-7. Dean Parker did an amazing job composing the pieces and this was a joy. Studying a world I know very little about is always a challenge, therefore appealing.

What did Cynthia's looking in the mirror symbolize?

Who doesn't look in the mirror? … We all look in the mirror and play and wonder about ourselves. It's one of those universal qualities in humans who can see. We want to see ourselves. Cynthia's fantasy sequences were to symbolize the things I think a lot of teens are thinking about - relationships, family and authority. With Jerome (Ephraim Benton) we were setting up the romance/body identity to a boy and oneself. I think, particularly with girls, that we are constantly bombarded with body image issues and I wanted to address this a little with Cynthia. With Juan (Carlos Leon), her brother, I wanted to show what sometimes comes out of the lead male's mouth or is at least what a girl might imagine he says to her. Lastly, with Principle Davis (Ernie Hudson) I wanted to set up that even her own people are sometimes the very ones who oppress her and who might be the ones we expect to support us, but don't.

Would you say that the process of self-examination through the looking glass is something that's particular to teens?

Not at all, I did it this morning and I am far beyond my teens.

What impact do you want the film to have?

We wanted people to feel inspired to take action in their lives, this was a main goal. Also that people would want to read The Diary of Anne Frank or any book for that matter. That people would see that we can tell an urban tale without the cursing, sex and gratuitous violence that typically shows up in urban projects, yet still provide all the emotional content. Finally, that people are able to realize their own self expression and then take action in that direction.

The character Juan says, "no one wants to hear a girl rapper." He could have easily said a girl doctor, lawyer, director, etc., etc. Respond.

Yes, he could have, but it wouldn't have spoken to the story. Also, there are few to none female rappers. There are far more lawyers and doctors. Doctors, lawyers and even directors are still more accepted as females than rappers.

What factors influenced your casting of the Latino rainbow portrayed in the film? Was it intentional?

Yes, very intentional. I think America, particularly inner city America has become a big melting pot. You really have no idea who is what anymore. In my building there are families that do not look like each other, but they are blood related, first generation relatives. I wanted to show this shift in race. I think it's fascinating that sometimes you cannot tell if someone is of African American decent, American Indian decent or Latin or what? We are going to eventually become so mixed up that no one will know what anyone is. I actually think this is part of nature's grand plan.

In your search for a lead actress, what did you look for? Was it a requirement that potential actresses have both vocal and acting talent?

I wanted a real girl. I did not want a woman. I wanted girl that was on the edge of becoming a woman. She had to be charismatic and have a rich beautiful smile. She had to be physically normal. I did not want some kind of muscle, super model type. She had to be able to act and she had to have musical ability, but not necessarily rap. Janice Richardson had all of this. We got very lucky.

In photographing the film with such bleakness and the various shades of gray, what effect were you trying to achieve? What similarities to the setting of the Diary did you want to establish?

The bluish gray vibe was absolutely intentional in trying to create a visual parallel to where Anne Frank was living. Also, we stayed primarily on long lenses to keep the feeling a little claustrophobic. I wanted us to feel trapped with Cynthia and with her mind. We were in no way trying to say that Cynthia's life was comparable to the life of someone living during the time of the Holocaust, but we were trying to set up a feeling and to set up Cynthia's response to the book simultaneously. MORE >>>.  

 

The original script was full of profanity on every page. There was also more violence. There were sexual scenes that were open for interpretation, but we simply removed them.

In an environment where foul language is too frequently a part of the dialogue on big and small screens and in urban and suburban tales, why did you think omitting foul language from the film was important?

I think the community is tired of it. Not only that, not everyone living in the hood talks like that, nor would they if their mama was around if you get what I'm saying. I know if you let some words that begin with an "f" or a "n" slip out of your mouth around your grandmother, you would probably get a backhand. At least, in my house you would. We wanted to make a film that an 8-year-old kid and a 90 year old could watch together and we would not feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. Urban family entertainment is rare and we felt that the community could use a little love.

How did you get your actors to project the forceful emotions that are typically conveyed when foul language is used?

Carlos Leon (Juan in the film) had the toughest chore for certain, but when we talked about what was under each line we were able to take the offensive language out. I asked all the actors, "When you say the "f" word, why are you saying it? What is there for you when you say it? Are you angry? Are you trying to be cool? Are you trying to be intimidating? Well, whatever the answer is, great - put that emotion into the line written on the page." That's what they did. It was quite a chore, but I think all of the performances kept true to our goal and the emotional values are all there.

Are there any types of stories that you prefer to tell?

Good stories. I would like to be like Ang Lee or Steven Soderbergh because they tell any and all kinds of stories. They do not restrict themselves to any one genre. I hope to fashion my career much the same way.

How did you get your start in the entertainment industry?

I started as an actress. After a little success in that, I began to split my time between being a production assistant and performance. Eventually, I got into the Screen Actor's Guild on Spike Lee's He Got Game. So every now and again, I do stunts to get a little cash and up the adrenaline.

Who or what encouraged you to follow such a career? Why did you decide to work behind the camera instead of in front of it?

Initially, as I said, I was an actress and I decided that if I was ever going to make it in the entertainment business that I would have to make something starring me as I didn't think that Steven Spielberg was just going to come knocking on my door to see if I wanted to be in ET part 2.  Thus, I did just that. I made my own film called Love In Tow. It was a silly little short with Zach Braff now on the show Scrubs and the late Quentin Crisp, and of course, moi. 

I thought it was horrible and didn't want a soul to lay eyes on it, but Ken Branagh, who has been an inspiration and friend, told me I was nuts and that I should absolutely send it out to festivals etc. So I sent it to The Atlanta Film Festival because my mother and sister lived there and I figured if there is anywhere I'd like to screen, it would be where my mother and sister were as they were not only spiritually supportive, but financially as well. So there it was. We got in and it was well received. In the shooting of it, I realized that I preferred being behind the camera. I loved writing and directing. Writing was not, in my opinion, my strong suit; but again, what do you really know about yourself?... It took more encouragement to get a draft of my first feature script called Stay. It has yet to be made as Anne B. Real came in with funding first.

When did you decide upon your chosen career? 

Funny that is... Luis asked me one day after I had done a zillion different jobs in the production realm, "What do you want to be known for? I know you can do everything, but if I told you that you could only choose one thing, what would it be?" Immediately I said, "Director." It was automatic. He said he promised that he would raise the money for my first feature film and he did. We both made a commitment and look what happened. He asked when I wanted this to happen and I said I wanted to make my first feature before I turned 35. We finished shooting Anne B. Real 17 days before my 35th birthday. Wild.

What general advice would you offer to aspiring directors looking to follow in your path?

Lisa Rowe, a great assistant director and producer, who gave me my first long term job as a PA on the Woody Allen film Celebrity, asked me early on, "What do you want to do in this business?" I said I wasn't sure, but I felt I wanted to try to direct. She said, "Direct then." I sort of laughed at her, but she was right. She said, "Take your money, your resources, etc. and go make a movie." At the time, the democratization of video hadn't really taken effect, but it certainly was on the horizon... Nevertheless, I shot 16mm. I spent every cent I had. I maxed out credit cards etc. It was worth every penny. Today, you don't have to do that. Get a video camera, Final Cut Pro or IMovie or any of these little systems and just shoot something. Don't shoot film unless you really know what you are doing as it is far too costly. The advent of video has made filmmaking accessible to anyone. Find out if you are any good. If you can't afford editing software then shoot the film in order. I just did this with my 10-year-old sister Allie. She has always wanted to make a movie with me.  So one day, we just did it. I didn't have any cutting software so we shot in order. It was a blast! We acted in it together. We shot it. We put music in it while we shot it. It was tough, but a fantastic exercise.

What statement do you want to make with your art? When people look back at the breadth of your career and your body of work, what do you want them to take from it?

I hope they find something for themselves that I had never anticipated. I hope they say things I had never planned on them saying. In general, I hope they think the films I make are better than I do. I am very hard on my work and I need my audience to see if the film is any good. I could go through Anne B. Real and give you a painfully long list of mistakes and problems with the film. I pray that list is very short for an audience member. 

Frank Capra, Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, Jane Campion, Francis Ford Coppola, Oliver Stone, John Ford, Billy Wilder, Orsen Welles, Ang Lee, Martin Scorsese, Anthony Mingella, Sidney Lumet etc... are some of the filmmakers that have inspired me to no end. What they have left me with are thought provoking feelings. 

One of my friends saw Anne B. Real and he also had just watched something very commercial and famous - I can't recall the title - I only remember that I had enjoyed the film. I asked him how he liked this more commercial film. He said, "I liked your film better." I said, "Why?" He said, "Because it's not often that a film makes a guy think about his life. Your film made me look at my life." That was a huge compliment. If we do that every time we make a film, well I don't think there is a more humbling compliment.

What other projects are you working on?

Oh boy!  I've become a bit of a crazy writer. I'm writing all the time...Specifically, the very next thing I'm going to do is co-direct with Demian Litchenstein (3000 Miles To Graceland) a quick, simple, film on video. I'm attached to direct a film called A Day In America for Jonathan Sanger, Ed Elbert and Sarah Black next year. There is a film I've written called Unseen starring Philip Bloch that is in development that will hopefully get off the ground early next year. I'm co-writing with Luis Moro a true story that is simply mind blowing, but it requires a lot of research and love, bottom line is we're having a great time!  M

November 2003