INTERVIEW | Murder, Puppets, and Feminism: Deana Taheri Discusses How ‘Bill’ Balances Dark Humor and Social Commentary

Deana Taheri’s Bill is a daring darkish comedy quick movie that delves into the complexities of energy, management, and societal norms surrounding gender roles. The movie facilities on a girl who, after enduring years of oppressive conduct from her sexist husband, reaches a breaking level. In a stunning twist, she murders him and turns his lifeless physique right into a puppet, crafting him into her excellent model of a husband. This unsettling but comedic transformation presents a daring commentary on gender dynamics, mixing horror and humor to problem viewers’ perceptions of relationships, energy struggles, and the lengths one would possibly go to reclaim management. The movie cleverly performs with the absurdity of its premise, utilizing the puppet as a metaphor for management in a relationship. Through this darkly comedian lens, Bill manages to focus on necessary social points whereas sustaining its sharp wit. It asks provocative questions: What does it imply to have the “good” companion, and at what price does one obtain management over one other? The steadiness of humor and horror within the narrative provides the viewers a recent and thought-provoking perspective on themes usually left unstated.

Bill was an official choice on the prestigious twentieth Annual HollyShorts Film Festival. The movie’s inclusion speaks to its distinctive capability to merge comedy, and darkness in a method that defies conventional storytelling. The pageant offers the right platform for Bill to showcase its daring imaginative and prescient and problem audiences with its sudden tackle relationship dynamics. In an unique interview, we had the prospect to talk with Deana Taheri, who served because the movie’s author, co-producer, and lead actress. The writer-actress opened up in regards to the symbolic themes she needed to discover by way of such a novel narrative and the way the movie challenges societal norms.

Here’s the total interview with author/co-producer/and actress Deana Taheri.
[Editor’s Note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.]

Aayush Sharma: Congratulations on the good quick movie ‘BILL,’ however earlier than we discuss in regards to the movie, I’d love to listen to about your journey within the leisure trade.

Deana Taheri: I’ve at all times been passionate in regards to the arts, ever since I used to be very younger. I suppose you could possibly say I used to be fortunate in that sense as a result of I by no means actually needed to query what I needed to do. Now, at 26, despite the fact that I haven’t been within the skilled trade for lengthy within the grand scheme of issues, it appears like a protracted street nonetheless. For nearly all of my life, I used to be targeted on appearing, and I’ve at all times cherished writing too. But as I’ve gotten deeper into the world of leisure, I’ve realized there are such a lot of aspects of movie and creation that I actually take pleasure in. That shift actually started throughout my undergraduate diploma at NYU. In my last 12 months, which occurred to be throughout Covid—one other stroke of luck for me—I took a few courses that actually opened my eyes. One was referred to as “Script to Screen” and one other was “Creating Your Own Content.” It was such a revelation to me—I noticed that I may really make my very own work. That was a game-changer. I’d spent a very long time feeling boxed into sure sorts of roles, or that the sort of elements I used to be drawn to weren’t essentially obtainable to me.

So, realizing that I may create one thing myself, that I didn’t want to attend for anybody’s approval, was extremely empowering. And because it seems, individuals needed to work with me and have been excited by my concepts. That was the place issues actually started to take off. I used to be born in London, however I moved so much rising up. Through all these strikes, the one factor that stored me grounded was my love for the humanities. Wherever I went, that zeal was one thing I may faucet into immediately. It’s been a continuing in my life.

Aayush Sharma: How did you provide you with the idea of a girl turning her deceased husband right into a puppet? What was the inspiration behind mixing horror and darkish comedy on this method? 

Deana Taheri: Yeah, I imply, it does sound wild. I received’t shrink back from that in any respect. It was one thing that simply sort of… actually, simply got here to me. And I believe, as a girl on the planet, particularly within the arts, there are sometimes occasions when males will sometimes inform you to alter one thing about your self on your personal profit. But in actuality, they’re asking you to compromise who you might be to make your self extra interesting to their gaze. That thought had at all times been in my thoughts. I personally went by way of a time once I was grappling with what it meant to have autonomy—over myself, my life, what I needed to do, and the place I needed to be. I had this concept tucked away in my notes for some time. When the time got here, I began engaged on it. I don’t suppose I’ve talked about this earlier than in an interview, however I began doing The Artist’s Way, the Julia Cameron ebook—shout out to Julia, I really like you—and adopted her mannequin. I used to be going by way of a section the place I felt like I’d misplaced plenty of my creative worth. It was a tragic time as a result of, having been within the arts for thus lengthy, it was the primary time I actually felt down about it—down on myself, my company, and the way I may make my profession and life occur.

So, I began The Artist’s Way, and as I used to be free-writing and dealing by way of the workout routines, this concept actually started to take form. The idea of a ragtime soundtrack and clown-like efficiency got here to me in a short time as a result of one factor that stands proud to me in regards to the mistrust in feminism is the absurdity of what girls are anticipated to do exactly to be accepted or cherished. I needed to stretch that concept to the intense. What does a girl must do to be free? Does she must turn out to be a person? Even then, what does that imply? Could she actually puppet round this physique for the remainder of her life? Is that possible? Or is it simply one other type of entrapment, the place she’ll by no means be free as a result of the one strategy to do something in life is by masquerading as her husband?

Deana Taheri in a nonetheless from ‘BILL’ (Photo Courtesy: Deana Taheri)

Aayush Sharma: How did you strategy the position of Lilith, particularly in portraying her emotional journey from suppressed anger to a manic state of empowerment and management?

Deana Taheri: Well, I went by way of my course of as an actor. Once the script was written, I attempted to separate my roles—switching off my author mind and turning on my actor mind. I analyzed the given circumstances, constructing a psychological image of who the character was, the place she got here from, and the way a lot she even remembered about her life earlier than being married to Bill. I needed to domesticate a deep sense of resentment, one thing that felt acquainted primarily based on private experiences, which made it simpler to faucet into these feelings. When it got here to the second of killing him—poor Yianni, who performed Bill—I actually simply let go. Honestly, I didn’t do a lot particular preparation for that. It felt like all of the prior work and my very own emotions fueled the second. I bear in mind we had a couple of workforce members upstairs through the scene the place I screamed, they usually have been shocked. I imply, who screams like that in day by day life? I didn’t know what it will sound like till it occurred, nevertheless it got here out as this uncooked, feral, animalistic wail. It was intense, but very liberating as an actor.

From the start, I knew the music can be her voice. That’s why the rating was so necessary. Lilith doesn’t converse—perhaps she doesn’t even understand how or has forgotten—however the music was meant to specific her feelings. I drew inspiration from the likes of Buster Keaton, Peter Sellers, Charlie Chaplin, and even Mr. Bean, performers who relied on music to mirror their characters’ emotions. I needed to amplify that, mixing it with bodily comedy. It additionally symbolizes her journey towards freedom, whereas capturing the insanity of her resolution to show Bill right into a puppet. As for the ultimate second, the look to the digital camera—it was a deliberate wink to the viewers. It was the primary time anybody immediately acknowledged them, virtually asking, ‘What do you suppose will occur subsequent?’ The responses to that second have been fascinating, as individuals interpret it in numerous methods.

Aayush Sharma: Your scenes with Yianni Sines after you stab him are among the most unusual sequences I’ve seen in any type of film. How did you guys handle to do this and the way a lot time did it take to movie these sequences? 

Deana Taheri: The complete shoot happened over two days. Most of the primary day was spent filming Yianni alive and effectively. After that, Emily, the director, and I went by way of a number of concepts about what the puppet may appear like. We knew it wanted to be made out of discovered objects, issues that might exist in her residence however in a kind of heightened, magical method—just like the broomsticks popping out of the cabinet. It couldn’t simply be a wonderfully crafted marionette that you simply’d count on to see. The thought of making a puppet from a mixture of supplies was at all times going to be enjoyable. Emily got here up with the cap and the tie hooked up to the again, which I cherished. We even had broomsticks protruding of his head more often than not, although I hadn’t but discovered absolutely management his head. As for working with Jani, I’m extremely fortunate. He’s an incredible actor, buddy, and collaborator. We’re really engaged on one other movie collectively proper now—one I directed that he wrote and stars in. For a job like this, particularly involving bodily closeness, there must be an implicit belief, whether or not you realize one another or not. Although he appeared like he was dead and I used to be controlling him, giving me all his weight, in actuality, there’s no method I may elevate an individual like that utilizing sticks and have the ability to transfer so simply. It was a really heightened actuality we created.

Once we taped our toes to the broomsticks, we have been actually locked in. We had just one strategy to sit down, which was on a bench, rigorously positioning ourselves so we may relaxation. We needed to apply strolling collectively as a result of we didn’t have anybody relying on us. And since Yianni needed to maintain his eyes closed, he couldn’t see the place to hit his marks. That put the accountability on me to information him. Trust between us was key. As for rehearsals, we didn’t do a lot. On the day of filming, we chopped up the brooms and simply went for it. We in all probability had about an hour to apply earlier than we began taking pictures, however Yianni’s dedication to the position made all the things work easily. Plus, we had an unimaginable workforce that we may belief. They’d give us suggestions like, “Relax a bit extra,” or “Deana, make it appear like you’re holding him up a bit extra.” Trust among the many complete workforce was essential, particularly in these moments.

Aayush Sharma: What was the importance of the waiter nonchalantly handing the invoice to the corpse? Was this a deliberate commentary on societal denial or obliviousness to gender points? 

Deana Taheri: Absolutely, and I believe there’s a bigger message right here as effectively. The waiter, being a faceless character, may symbolize anybody. The thought is that should you turn out to be a person, you are able to do no matter you need—you will get by with out restrictions. The second when she appears to be like on the viewers, asking, “Who’s going to pay for this?” is critical as a result of she’s by no means had this type of freedom earlier than. In this world, she’s by no means had to consider these issues. Maybe individuals like her by no means be taught, or perhaps they’re simply caught in that mindset. What’s attention-grabbing is that this isn’t one thing we regularly see mentioned in a contemporary context. That’s why, originally, we introduced within the iPhone with the bunny case and had the waiter reference modernization, like when he says “LOL” at one level—which is sort of a humorous, up to date contact. There’s additionally discuss of surgical procedures and beauty enhancements, very fashionable concepts.

But that last second isn’t simply in regards to the societal denial of gender inequality—it’s in regards to the absurdity of it. How far can we push this narrative to the purpose the place the viewers thinks, “Well, that’s ridiculous, that might by no means occur”? And then realizing, effectively, it did occur.

Aayush Sharma: Now, that the film has received Best Horror at HollyShorts. What are your aspirations for the movie?

Deana Taheri: We’re nonetheless deep within the pageant circuit, and we simply received phrase that we’re finalists for Best Dark Comedy Film on the Austin After Dark Film Fest, which is tremendous thrilling! So sure, the pageant circuit continues to be ongoing. But past that, I’m additionally growing a feature-length model of the movie, which is able to look fairly totally different, in fact, nevertheless it’s in progress. Emily and I are at all times grinding. She’s been engaged on plenty of tasks—she directed 4 or 5 wonderful music movies this summer time, which have been nice apply for her. As for me, I simply directed my first movie, A Boy Like Me. It’s a narrative a couple of boy who discovers he’s a clone of his father and has inherited his father’s reminiscences. The movie offers with generational trauma—what’s handed on and what isn’t. Jani, who performed Bill, wrote and starred in it. We labored with plenty of the identical workforce from Bill, together with Sam Perry-Falvey, the cinematographer, and DVA Films, who did the lighting. We’ll seemingly be working with most of the similar individuals in post-production as effectively.

As for Bill, we’re specializing in growing the function model whereas additionally seeing the pageant circuit by way of. Emily and I do know we’re new to this world, and whereas some would possibly see that as an obstacle, we don’t. HollyShorts, specifically, was a improbable pageant to premiere at due to the wonderful networking alternatives. We actually made essentially the most of it. I’m simply excited to satisfy extra individuals and get extra eyes on this movie that we’ve labored so arduous on and love a lot. That’s essentially the most thrilling half—having extra individuals see it. It’s actually cool!

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