Oscar-winning filmmakers discuss mechanisms for cinema's success

Free and Roe offered unique insights into the intricate creative process, thematic exploration, and emotional depths of their groundbreaking work. The session, titled ‘Best Day Ever: How We Won An Oscar,’ also looked at the enduring impact of winning an Oscar, as the filmmakers shared firsthand experiences and reflections of the journey towards winning the prestigious accolade.

“Winning an Oscar felt like a dream come true,” said Roe. “At a certain point, it seemed like a ridiculously impossible dream, but then it became a reality.”

The journey began in 2018 when a mutual friend introduced Free and Roe, leading to the start of their collaboration. “We started working on a romantic comedy feature film together, but everything changed when Covid-19 hit,” explained Free. “The global protests following George Floyd's murder in the US inspired us to tell a story that resonated. And I went and wrote the script in five days.”

This inspiration led to the creation of Two Distant Strangers, a powerful short film that follows a black man attempting to get home to his dog, only to encounter the same police officer who kills him repeatedly every day. “The film’s concept was born out of the idea of a modern-day Groundhog Day, where the protagonist is trapped in a cycle of violence,” said Free.

“When Trayvon pitched me the idea, the first thing I said was ‘I think we could win an Oscar’, but it was mid-Covid. Everything was shut down. You couldn't leave your house. You couldn't go to work,” recalled Roe.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Free and Roe were determined to bring their vision to life. “Making a short film is fundamentally financially unviable. There's no method really of making money with a short film. So if you have an idea in this space, you have to find people who are going to help fund it without necessarily wanting a reward,” noted Free.

“People talk about filmmaking being a grind. You have to have an immense amount of belief in the essence of the project. Plus resilience in the face of being told ‘no’ repeatedly…” pointed out Roe. “But this project was the only one that I've been involved in, where the universe kept saying yes.”

“Being nominated was a surreal moment, but winning the Oscar was truly life-changing,” said Free. “It felt like a validation of our vision and a testament to the power of storytelling.”

The filmmakers pointed out that none of it would have been possible without belief and resilience. “When you have an idea that you know is right, you must fight for it with everything you've got,” urged Roe. “We followed our hearts and it changed our lives,” added Free.

Since their Oscar win, Free and Roe have embarked on new projects, including multiple scripted films in production and a documentary aired on HBO. For aspiring filmmakers and storytellers, Free and Roe offered a final piece of advice: “Listen to the world and follow your heart. Channel your belief into your art, and never underestimate the impact of your story.”

‘Best Day Ever: How We Won an Oscar’ was followed by two more interesting sessions on Friday at Xposure. First, the panel discussion Idea to Image, in which filmmakers Ahmed Abdulqader, Danielle Arden, Nada Hashish and Trayvon Free discussed what happens when creativity converges with execution in the process of filmmaking. From the inception of an idea to its realisation on screen, the panellists unveiled the behind-the-scenes magic, sharing their expertise and shedding light on the art of captivating audiences and creating cinematic marvels.

Then, a keynote presentation on Development and Greening of the Film Industry in the Middle East by Glenn Roggeman, CEO of the audiovisual equipment company AED Group, looked at the intersection of cinema and environmental sustainability. The session showed how innovative strategies and ecological assets are shaping the Middle East’s cinematic landscape.