Andrea Dorfman’s animated short Flawed will be screening at the 2010 Hot Docs Film Festival, which kicks off today. It’s a beautiful little film about a budding long distance romance… with a twist – it’s not about whether girl can get along with boy, but whether girl can accept herself. Andrea was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.
Julie Matlin: Can you tell us something about the making of this film? Is there a reason you chose a storyboard approach?
Andrea Dorfman: The storyboard approach to the film was done intentionally – it’s intrinsic to the story, itself. The starting point of the film comes from a time when I was in a long distance relationship and my boyfriend and I sent homemade postcards back and forth to each other. The story of Flawed is told through a storyboard that is made up of a string of postcards that tell the story of the first year of our relationship.
JM: This is a film everyone can relate to – how do you take such a personal experience and render it so universal?
AD: Flawed is the story of my own, personal, flaw but I believe everyone has felt flawed at some point in their lives. It could be something in our physical being that we think is imperfect, something we’d like to change or wish was different – big ears, thick calves, thin hair, pigeon toed…It could even be a personality trait, as in, maybe you think you procrastinate to much or wish you were wittier or wish you could pick up the piano faster. Or maybe it’s not quite being comfortable with all of the changes that come with aging. At the end of the day, EVERYONE feels flawed in some way.
JM: What are you hoping people will take away from this film?
AD: I hope everyone comes away from the film feeling that we’re ALL flawed and through embracing our flaws we’re embracing the most exceptional and extraordinary quality about ourselves.
For screening times at the Festival, check the Hot Docs website.
Become a fan of Flawed on Facebook.
Watch another clip from Flawed.
