Hardcore punk rock is probably not the first thing that pops into your head when you think of Roadside Attractions' new crime comedy Riff Raff. The film, starring Bill Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, and Pete Davidson, is a story about how there's no such thing as the perfect life, how pasts always catch up to those they chase, and how family can (and almost always will) give you a reason to live and die.Yeah, you're not getting the punk rock vibe yet, are you? Okay, hear me out.I chatted with the film's director, Dito Montiel, who made his mark with his autobiographical indie drama A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, about his work on Riff Raff and quickly discovered the influence his hardcore punk rock past had on his approach to filmmaking.He told me, "I make noise and I keep making it." That noise he's making is something all filmmakers need to hear if they want to learn how to survive the film industry. No Film School: You got your start in filmmaking with A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, a super powerful drama—autobiographical. What made you want to make the jump into this darkly comedic story about family dysfunction...and lots and lots of killing? Dito Montiel: Well, when you see Saints, it's a pretty dysfunctional family, a different version of one. Originally, it was written by John Pollano as a play where everyone was in a room together, and PJ Ransone, who's an actor I love—he's...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Wednesday, 26 February