Head over Heels. Official Selection of MoMo ’19.

At the end of 2017, the Russian Space Agency ROSCOSMOS announced a short film contest for films shot on smartphones. One of the participants was Leonid Grigurko and his wonderful story about an earth girl having an unearthy dream.

Notes from the MoMo Jury: “Beautiful!! Really fun story and very cleverly done. The camera and visuals tell the story – a story that has some levels to it as well. Simple and strong short. Gorgeously shot.”

We are very proud to have it in this year’s Official Selection of Mobile Motion Film Festival. It will be screened on May 11 at Kosmos in Zurich.

Interview with Leonid

What is the story behind your film?

At the end of 2017, the Russian Space Agency ROSCOSMOS and Mobilefilmmaker announced a short film contest. The competition had two important conditions. First, the movie should be filmed on a mobile phone and second, its duration should not exceed one minute. Cosmos is my passion. It was the good case when my profession and my hobbies came together at one point. I began to invent a script with great interest. It was a challenge! I realized that telling a full story in one minute is very difficult. Every second of screen time is important. This kindled my interest even more. Exactly one month passed from the idea to the finished film.

What were the steps which led you to make it?

This story is a reflection of my inner self, my dream. Yes, I dream of flying into space. But, most likely it will never happen. But I dream, this is my most important task. Everything in my life I do as if I was undergoing preflight training. As if I was preparing to join the astronaut corps.

What equipment did you use?

I shot it on my iPhone 6. My friend lent me an electronic steadicam for smartphone and a pair of lighting device for one day. The sound was recorded on a “ZOOM” recorder and a lavalier microphone. But that’s all. I found a suitable apartment for filming on the Internet and agreed with the hostess. I Invited a familiar make-up artist, sound engineer, costume designer, colorist. They all helped me for free. I will not get tired of thanking them for it! Oh yeah, I bought a gymnastic horizontal bar, something for costumes and printed posters with my favorite women astronauts.

I did not use any apps, only the standard camera application. I edited in Adobe Premiere Pro.

What were the steps which led you to make it?

I sent a funny YouTube video to my friends, in which a mom swore at her daughter because she dropped a plate of scrambled eggs. It was this kind of mother and daughter that I needed for the film. I used it as a reference. Later, my sound engineer sent me a photo of Dasha. She is a young model. I saw her and I realized – this is her, my main character. If I were Luc Besson, she would be my Mila Jovovich, one hundred percent!

How much did you know about filmmaking before you made this film?

I studied at the director of interactive cinema in St. Petersburg State University of Cinema and Television (St. Petersburg, Russia). I have one movie filmed during my studies which was seen only by the closest people. “Head over heels” is my first work that goes to the festivals.

What did you like about filming with a phone? What were the downsides, if any?

Creativity is born out of limitation. A simple smartphone camera and simple lighting devices are pushing to use them to the maximum of their capabilities. This is a good experience as it allows you to carefully focus on the details. The action of my film takes place in the same plane, in one perspective, on the same wall. It was a conscious choice, to work with one plane. Thus was born the key artistic trick dividing this flat space into two different worlds.

How successful was the film, personally and in gaining an audience for your work.

We won that competition from Roscosmos. And my dream came true! My movie flew into space. My brainchild is now on the International Space Station. Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov sent me a video letter from space and thanked me for my movie. It was so real that it was impossible to believe. Has my life changed? Yes, I will never be the same again. I have found many happy eyes all over the world, I have visited countries in which I have never been. I continue to speak in a universal language understood by people of all nationalities, in the language of cinema. And I get answers, many answers.

Read more about… The Mobile Motion Film Festival.

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