A visual twist on Sonnet 134 by Shakespeare through the eyes of a young conflicted mother who must repay a debt to her childless sister. Created for The Sonnet Project New York where filmmakers are tasked to visualize all 154 Shakespeare sonnets using 154 unique actors in 154 landmarks from New York City.
Sonnet 134 is one of the select Sonnet Project videos utilized for educational and theatrical international Shakespeare programs throughout Europe and South America.
[Drama, 3 Minutes, 5D, Color, English and German]
Story & Direction by Edward Shieh
Cinematography by Dave Giles
Original Score by Steven von Kampen
Starring Christiane Seidel, Anna Gutto, Sebastian Beacon and Baby Benjamin
Voice by Christiane Seidel
©2013 Red Rope Productions. Made in participation of The Sonnet Project & The New York Shakespeare Exchange
The New York Sonnet Project was created by the New York Shakespeare Exchange.
Read about the project in the NYTimes.com here (April 04, 2013) and here (April 05, 2015).
––––––––––
"So now I have confessed that he is thine,And I my self am mortgaged to thy will,Myself I'll forfeit, so that other mineThou wilt restore to be my comfort still:But thou wilt not, nor he will not be free,For thou art covetous, and he is kind;He learned but surety-like to write for me,Under that bond that him as fast doth bind.The statute of thy beauty thou wilt take,Thou usurer, that put'st forth all to use,And sue a friend came debtor for my sake;So him I lose through my unkind abuse.– Him have I lost; thou hast both him and me:– He pays the whole, and yet am I not free."
––––––––––
2015
Queens World Film Festival (USA)
Kansas City Film Festival (USA)
NewFilmmakers NY (USA)
Aurora Picture Film Festival (USA)
Indy Film Fest (USA)
CineFuturo Film Festival (Brazil) FEATURED SONNET
IndyFest (USA) MERIT AWARD
La Costa Film Festival (USA)
Columbia International Film + Video Festival (USA)
St Louis International Film Festival (USA) ACADEMY® QUALIFIER
Eugene International Film Festival (USA)
Filmstock Film Festival (USA)
Bath Film Festival (UK)LA Shorts Awards (USA) BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
2016
Bronx International Film Festival (USA)
Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival (USA)
Rochester International Film Festival (USA) HONORABLE MENTION
Media Film Festival (USA)
Bare Bones International Film & Music Festival (USA)
Taos Shortz Film Festival (USA)
Columbia Gorge International Film Festival (USA)
Connecticut Film Festival (USA)
Aaretaler Kurzfilmtage Festival (Switzerland)
Williamsburg International Film Festival (USA) HONORABLE MENTION
Route 66 Film Festival (USA)
Statement
I wish to thank the New York Shakespeare Exchange, and Executive Director, Ross Williams, for creating the Sonnet Project. And allowing me to create Sonnet 134. The Sonnet Project is a wonderful initiative for filmmakers to visualize all of Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets, each using a unique actor and landmark location through out New York City.
The Sonnet Project team has been dedicated and true in preserving Shakespeare’s text. Yet still allowing reasonable creative expression and interpretation.
Our location was under the Bruckner Expressway in the South Bronx.
As a director, I enjoy employing twists and different perspectives. However the idea of altering the love triangle between Shakespeare, his best friend, and the woman they love in Sonnet 134, was not on purpose.
Inspired the location, the image of two women, perhaps relatives, face to face in a different kind of situation was immediate. I was lucky to have assembled a talented and cooperative cast including our star, Baby Benjamin, who was only several months old. Still, we were on baby time and fortunate to film everything I needed between naps.
We hope you enjoy Sonnet 134 and look into the Sonnet Project NYC.