about reversion
In a world in which the past, present, and future unfold simultaneously, REVERSION tells the tale of Eva, a woman desperately trying to avoid a destiny in which she kills Marcus, the man she loves. Part gritty road movie, part lo-fi science fiction, part love story, REVERSION traverses the sprawling landscape of Los Angeles in search of fate, free will, and the nature of morality.
production notes
Mia Trachinger's first feature film, bunny, was a critically well-received festival favorite that screened all over the world. When it came time to embark on her next project, Trachinger chose an equally ambitious and original film. Though REVERSION has a markedly different tone, visual style and rhythm than bunny, it returns to an alternate reality, a world in which the familiar and unfamiliar exist side by side. I love the idea of taking the everyday and adding one unusual element which stands everything ordinary on its head calling attention to all the small details of our behavior and our daily lives that we often take for granted, Trachinger says. Its all about making the ordinary extraordinary.
Putting her own unique spin on the lo-fi, sci-fi genre, Trachinger has created an allegorical tale in which a swath of society suffers from a genetic mutation a missing gene that prevents them from experiencing time in a linear manner. In the parallel universe of REVERSION, the characters endure life as a chaotic jumble of past, present, and future: actions have no consequences, destiny is written in stone, morality has no relevance.
For her subject matter, Trachinger found inspiration for her film in the Bush Administration. I, like many people, have been frustrated with them for a long time. But finally I got to the tipping point and I thought to myself, What if everybody acted like these people? With no regard for the past, no consideration for the future? They seem to have no sense of cause and effect and I wondered how our society would function if we all behaved in that way, she says. When she read the work of a New Zealand physicist who theorizes that time doesnt truly exist and that humans evolved to recognize it, the second element fell into place. I knew there was a world there to explore. While the world of REVERSION is decidedly sci-fi and extraordinary, its passionate love story is what makes the film a richly emotional experience.
Trachinger and casting director Elizabeth Campbell set out to assemble a cast that reflected the reality of Los Angeles. Auditions were held over a period of two months. When Leslie Silva came in to read, Elizabeth and I were floored. I cant remember anything about the audition except that I couldnt look anywhere else, except at Leslie. I would simply describe her audition as catlike and arresting. We were in a speechless stupor afterwards and once I regained my senses, I had to send Elizabeth running after Leslie to get her contact information. Once they had cast Leslie Silva as Eva, the search was intensified to find her an equally compelling Marcus. When Jason Olive came in to read with Leslie, there was amazing chemistry between them. I immediately knew they would make an incredible leading couple for the film, Trachinger says. The film was shot over fifteen days in August of 2008. Production was tough, Trachinger says. It was quick and it was raw. Its incredible what we covered in 15 days. In fact I think much of the vitality and visceral energy of the film comes from our insistence of pushing ahead and making the film, despite not always having the right equipment or the right location but just doing it. The flexibility of using whatever is in front of you and making it work is something I really enjoy as a director. It was an incredibly dynamic project.
The streets of Hollywood and Los Feliz provided the backdrop for most of the action and resulted in a Los Angeles that is both familiar and fresh, gritty and glamorous. The streets that we shot on in East Hollywood are streets that I drive on every day. For me, REVERSION is very much a regional film, even though it was shot in the heart of the film industry. This is my neighborhood, says Trachinger.
To create a specific visual style for the production, Trachinger and cinematographer Patti Lee chose a small, light HD camera, the Panasonic HVX- 200. There was a certain raw energy and vitality to the script that Patti and I wanted to capture, so we decided to go hand-held for the entire production. We also wanted a feeling of grittiness and rawness that would express the visceral smash-up existence of our characters, she says. Consequently, they put the camera in constant motion, used dynamic framing devices, and chose authentic locations to provide the texture, light, and color to complement the story.
After shooting her first feature on 16mm film, digital video was a revelation to Trachinger. I love the freedom of shooting digital of not worrying if youre rolling and you have to wait while another car passes before you can start the take. We shot incredibly quickly and it looks beautiful. I was able to concentrate on performance and not worry about how much film I was burning. Im a convert. I love it.
Ultimately, REVERSION is a striking personal vision of great imagination and uncommon depth. It not only captures a distinctive panorama of Los Angeles, but it raises complex questions about love and violence, fate and human nature, morality and the true dimensions of time. I love films that start in one place and end somewhere else you couldnt have imagined, Trachinger says. Films that have a richness of intention and texture, that introduce you to a new world. And, of course, films with strong performances. Mostly I like films that give you something to gnaw on, films that make you think for days. Thats a gift. I guess thats what I hope to give my audience, something to discuss and debate, a film that lingers and stays with you and just maybe allows you see the world with a fresh perspective.