Au-revoir, he is France-bound!
Trinidadian actor and filmmaker Paul Pryce is heading to the 70th Annual Cannes Film Festival in France this weekend. His debut short film “Come Out, Come Out,” will have its world premiere at the festival’s short film corner — a non-competitive film screening at the event. The actor said he was thrilled to learn his film got into the prestigious affair and it somewhat solidified his drive to create as a black filmmaker.
“It’s really gratifying to experience especially because I’m an actor by trade but I really believe in making my own work as an artist of color in this industry — it’s really important that you find avenues for yourself,” he said.
“I’m very excited to see something that I made from scratch go into the world — it really reaffirms my desire to tell my own stories as a producer and writer, and to have more agency in my creative process.”
The 12-minute film “Come Out, Come Out” is a short thriller that follows a mother being stalked by her estranged husband. Pryce said that although this was his debut film, it was actually a decade-old project that he recently revisited last year. Writing the screenplay was a test of his creativity, and he aimed to keep viewers at the edge of their seats in his electrifying story, he said.
“I thought it was exciting to challenge myself to something that is self-contained with two characters in one location, and viscerally center what would happen if someone is trapped in a bathroom and the only thing separating them is a door?,” said Pryce. “It is actually pretty terrifying movie and it came out of wanting to venture and foray into writing.”
And with such a big platform to show his artistic creation at one of the biggest film festivals in the world, now thousands will get to see his work on screen for the first time. He is unsure how people will receive the film but wants it stay on the mind of viewers.
“I just want someone to have a real emotional experience watching it that it leaves some feeling like the molecules in their body was rearranged,” said Pryce. “I want them feeling, ‘Wow, what did I see — this film has me thinking about certain things.’”
Pryce leaves for France on Saturday to attend the festival and debut his film for the first time. And with a potential opportunity for movie buzz and connections with other creatives, he said he looked forward to a rewarding outcome.
“Maybe we may expand the film into a feature-length movie — that is very much on the cards,” he said. “But we’re also looking at it as a calling card or door opener for other productions and collaborations.”
