“That’s The Password In This Town” by Marfisia Bel
Beyond the Short Official Premiere
Sara makes the most difficult decision of her life as she transitions into adulthood. A coming-of-age story exploring the themes of revenge, healing, and accepting that what we have suffered in the past doesn’t have to define us.
Directed by LA-based filmmaker Marfisia Bel and supported by Film Independent, That’s The Password in Town is a subversion of the rape-revenge film genre. Inspired by Andrea Arnold’s Red Road, the short film embraces the point of view, emotions and state of mind of the survivor. Rather than focusing on violence against the perpetrator - just a glimpse in the film - we dive into Sara’s psyche. Grappling with a tremendous amount of pain and anger, she has to choose how to channel these emotions to allow herself to heal from within, find closure and be hopeful for her future.
Shot in California between the towns of Chino and Monrovia, That’s The Password in Town feels as if it could be taking place anywhere in Midwest America. The location was specifically picked to highlight the turmoil hidden beneath a veneer of a perfect, safe, little community. As is often the case with many teenagers in small town America, Sara wishes to escape from the area but her unresolved past still binds her to it. That’s The Password in Town represents the journey she is making in owning her strength and realising that she holds the key to take charge of her life.
Everything from the cinematography to the sound design places us firmly in Sara’s mind. We see and hear only through her eyes and ears. Inspired by the works of Kelly Reichardt, That’s The Password in Town is quiet and intimate, with music only used in key emotional moments to bolster the increasing anxiety and tension in Sara’s mind.
That’s The Password in Town is a film about catharsis. There is no learning or teaching moment, rather a desire to connect on an emotional level and share one’s powerful journey in accepting that what we have suffered in the past doesn’t have to define us.
From The Director
“The idea for the film is a very personal one. I was inspired to write the script after I discovered the man who took advantage of me in my youth had a daughter. This made me wonder if this person now had a different outlook on his actions.
To me, the film is a subversion of the rape-revenge genre that, instead of focusing on violence against the perpetrator, explores the psychology of the person who experienced that act. This is why it was central to barely show the man in the film — because it is not about him. It was important for me to shoot this project because I have rarely seen films that depict justice in a nuanced way, focusing on healing for the victim opposed to punishment for the offender.”
- Marfisia Bel
credits
Starring Sharar Ali-Speakes / @Sharar Ali-Speakes, CJ Hoff, Cole Billhofer, Gamal Sharaf El-Deen, Rouguiatou Dia & Elisa Abramson
Written & Directed by Marfisia Bel
Producer: Esteban Zuluaga / @estebanzuzu
Director of Photography: Brody S Anderson / @bs_anderson
Production Designer: Cameron Ritchie
Editor: Jing Han / @hhhjing
Sound Designer: Michael Kriebel / @theeetone
Original Music: Corey Madden
Casting Directors: Bret Howe, Stacey Rice (Betty Mae Inc.)
Production Manager: Gia Rigoli / @giarigoli
First Assistant Director: Michael Nicholas
Production Coordinator: Veronica Kompalic
First Assistant Camera: Sam Sargeant
Second Assistant Camera: Brooke Mueller
Gaffer: Cooper James
Key Grip: Hao Hu
Set Decorator: Nina Hartmann
Set Dressers: Will Rubinstein, Safi Nazzal, Maya Nazzal, Zach Lewis Miller
Sound Mixer/Boom Operator: Jaime Tapia
Script Supervisor: Christian Arroyo
Colorist: Keyhan Bayegan / @kbaycolor
Poster Designer: Sara Abruna
Title Designer: Amanda Siegel
Final Sound Mix Recording Studio: Golden Beat Recording Studio / @goldenbeatrecodingstudio
Contains a sample of Radiation by KOMMAND
Presented by Discordia Cine / @discordiacine
Supported by Film Independent / @filmindependent
About Marfisia Bel
Raised in Winnipeg MB, Marfisia developed a passion for filmmaking at a very young age while spending many harsh winters inside watching films obsessively. She is currently based in Los Angeles CA, working as a producer and director after gaining her MFA in Film Directing from Chapman University. Her scripts have been recognized by Slamdance’s screenwriting competition. Marfisia’s award winning thesis film, Drawn Curtains, screened worldwide at Academy-Qualifying film festivals and was nominated for the 2018 ASC Student Heritage Award.
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