JAInterview3

ML: Tell me about Govindini's exotic dance in KALIFORNISTAN.

JA: [Laughs.] She had a lot of fun doing that. I wanted her to look as sinful as possible. And she does.

ML: I understand that she played a major role behind the scenes, as well.

JA: She was the executive producer on KALIFORNISTAN, and she was involved in every phase of the production - writing, casting, photography, costuming, also the editing of the film. She's very much responsible for the documentary-realist style of the film ... that style is something she really loves. Govindini’s kind of a natural at this stuff because she has an intuitive sense of storytelling - which is actually all filmmaking is. It’s storytelling that moves.

I would've asked her to do even more on KALIFORNISTAN, but she was always off in a corner somewhere reading about Hegel or Antonioni or something. She keeps busy.

ML: I wanted to ask you about how Los Angeles is depicted in this film. It's a side of the city we never see.

JA: KALIFORNISTAN takes place in LA harbor, and almost entirely at night.

I wanted to show people a different side of LA - basically the non-glamorous side. The abandoned warehouses, the alleyways, creepy tunnels, gun shops, strip clubs, whatever. Places where dangerous people would go to hide.

I also wanted people to feel like they were seeing LA through the eyes of a foreigner, someone who isn't even aware of the show-biz side of Los Angeles. Someone who just views the city as another port town - nothing more. Like Karachi or Surabaya. I wanted KALIFORNISTAN to feel like a foreign film that just happens to be set here.

ML: Tell me about some of your collaborators on the film.

JA: A lot of really talented and generous people worked on this film. Two people I'd like to single out are my composer Steve Greaves, and also John Barrett who plays the bounty hunter in the film. Steve is a very imaginative, up-and-coming composer who's starting to get a lot of attention now in Hollywood. His music has this retro, sexy vibe to it. The music Govindini dances to, 'The Devil's Harem,' is about the sexiest thing you'll ever hear.

Actress & filmmaker Govindini Murty.

<< Kalifornistan to Open Free Thinking Film Festival, Nov. 12th, 2010! See HERE. >>

Actor Reuven Jerzy plays an Al Qaeda financier in KALIFORNISTAN.

As for John, he's an exceptional martial artist and a fine actor whom I've known for a long time. He has a very expressive face, like he's lived a little bit, and he really acts with his eyes. He also co-ordinated some nice fight scenes for us.

I also owe a very special thanks to Gretchen Brooks and Rebecca Julian. The post-production process on this film was very long and technically complicated, and the two of them were a tremendous help and support. They've both been angels and I can't thank them enough.

ML: KALIFORNISTAN was made independently, outside the Hollywood system. And you've told me that this sort of film could never be made within the Hollywood system.

JA: Right.

ML: Why is that?

JA: The title?

ML: [Laughs.] Is that all?

JA: Have you seen our trailer? I mean, you can't exactly pitch this kind of film in Hollywood these days. The industry's a little too shiny-happy for that.

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