SOLITAIRE

"There's more loneliness than anything else in the world."

-Champion (1949)

SOLITAIRE

Solitaire is a 10-15 minute dark comedy short film about a desperately lonely security guard who seeks companionship as his playing cards come to life during a game of solitaire.

WHY WE NEED TO MAKE THIS FILM

This film explores the themes of loneliness, isolation and self-deprecation. These experiences are not only timelessly universal, but they have become especially prominent within the recent era of COVID 19. Through our film, we hope that we may reflect upon these shared experiences of loneliness with perhaps a smile and a tear.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The writer and director of this project is Brian Gill, an aspiring young filmmaker in his fifth and final year of the UOA Screen Production Programme. People say that he reminds them of David Lynch, but only because when they see his face, they think of the Elephant Man.

The amazing Amy Kerry serves as the producer of this film. A UOA Screen Production graduate, she brings to the table her both her formidable administrative ability and her passionate love for storytelling.

The cinematographer for this film is Hendrikus De Vaan. He has worked in the film and animation industries since 2009. His eye for story driven imaging has seen him work as a filmmaker in both NZ and Europe, winning multiple awards along the way.

You can view his incredible cinematography show reel HERE

OUR CAST

JOHN played by Romain Mereau

GWEN played by Peata Panoho

THE KING played by Barnaby Olson

THE QUEEN played by Emma Campbell

The JACK played by Thomas Fink-Jensen

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP

Solitaire is a film project made and developed by students at the University of Auckland. We are asking for your help to bring this project to life. $4500 helps us cover the costs of:

• Hiring our experienced Director of Photography and his camera team
• Renting out the perfect location to shoot the film over a few days
• Paying our a talented cast of actors
• Costuming our playing card characters in authentic royal regalia
• To afford catering and travel for all our lovely cast and crew members

Boosted is an all-or-nothing campaign, so any contribution is incredibly appreciated!!

Director’s Statement

The idea for this film first came to me during the long Auckland lockdown of last year. It was the loneliest I had ever felt in my life, a sensation paradoxically shared by many people. I immigrated to New Zealand from the Philippines five years ago, and even now I sometimes struggle to form connections and bridge the cultural divide.

They say the purpose of storytelling is to help people better understand themselves. I want to tell a story about loneliness that might pass on some feeling of strength to people battling their own demons of alienation and isolation and perhaps provide some hope for change.

Producer’s Statement

 “Solitaire” is an invoking representation of isolation; how seclusion can take a toll on not just a person’s wellbeing but also their understanding of their own identity. This is crucially important to showcase since these past three years with the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone around the world has experienced some form of isolation.

The emotional impact we intend to portray through this film is a sense of familiarity and hope. Although the film has dark tones and imagery we hope to bring a sense of relief to viewers who can some what relate to these themes of loneliness and loss of self. The pandemic has interrupted people’s lifestyles such as flatting and being forced to move back home, or perhaps not having the luxury of living with others and being forced to live on their own. We hope this film brings people a sense of comfort, that they are truly never alone.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT!!

-Amy Kerry and Brian Gill

Producer/Director of Solitaire