Sundance 2019: Stefanie Abel Horowitz talks sometimes, i think about dying

Katy Wright-Mead appears in sometimes, i think about dying by Stefanie Abel Horowitz, an official selection of the Shorts Programs at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

Stefanie Abel Horowitz spoke with Solzy at the Movies about her short film, sometimes, i think about dying, holding its world premiere during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. The short held its world premiere this evening.

Stefanie Abel Horowitz, director of sometimes i think about dying, an official selection of the Shorts Programs at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. Photo by Haley Hill.

Congrats on the world premiere of sometimes, i think about dying during Sundance! How excited are you to bring your short film to the mountain?

Stefanie Abel Horowitz: Out of my mind excited. It’s the most exciting thing to ever happen to me.

This short film is based on the play Killers by Kevin Armento. What was it about this dark comedy that attracted you to the project?

Stefanie Abel Horowitz: Well, first off Kevin is an incredible writer so it was easy to fall in love with the material. But it’s also a story about how we relate to one another, how we find connection, and how we allow people into our lives so as not to feel so alone in this world. I love that stuff. My dad is a psychiatrist so I grew up talking and thinking about those kinds of things, and now I make art about it.

What was the writing process like in adapting the play into a short film?

Stefanie Abel Horowitz: It was fun! Katy (the lead actress) and I did it together. We were lucky because we’d worked on the play together as well, so we had very intimate knowledge of the main character. We definitely ran into some challenges when adapting the story for the screen but they’re all too difficult to describe here.

Is your sense of humor just as dark in real life?

Stefanie Abel Horowitz: Not at all.

Overall, what has been the most challenging aspect in transitioning from directing theater to that of commercials and film?

Stefanie Abel Horowitz: I think the biggest difference is that in film the point of view is always changing. In theater we learn how to move the pieces around inside of one frame, but in film you can (and should!) move the frame around the pieces. So, it was a big shift to teach myself how to think that way.

Who are some of your influences as a filmmaker?

Stefanie Abel Horowitz: Spike Jonze. Nora Ephron. Mike Mills.

Outside of the premiering the film, is there anything that you’re looking forward to doing during Sundance?

Stefanie Abel Horowitz: Seeing other people’s movies! And meeting the other filmmakers and film teams!