Zachary
Heinzerling
didn’t go to film school but the Houstan, Texas native did go to the same school as Wes Anderson, which happens to be where “Rushmore” was shot. He auditioned to play the role of Dirk
in “Rushmore: when he was in the 6th grade but didn’t get the part. A philosophy major in college, he says he mostly learned about making films through watching them and therefore credits Tarkovsky, Pennebaker, and the Maysles as his mentors.
What it’s about: It’s a portrait of two married artists who completely need and love each other, but would never admit it.
What else should audiences know?: “It’s about what it means to be an artist– the intense highs and lows,
the sacrifices you make, and the realities you ultimately face. On the
one hand, Noriko, who once gave up art to take care of her husband and
her son, is now re-inventing herself through her work, and finally
escaping Ushio’s long shadow. And on the other hand, Ushio, who gained a
lot of notoriety early on in his career, but never financial success,
is now in his twilight years and struggling to find his legacy and leave
his mark on the art world.”
On the challenges: “One huge challenge for me was figuring out when to stop filming. When
your subjects are living, and their lives are the subject of the film,
the story continues to unfold after shooting stops. While the film
itself seems to take place over the course of about a year, in
actuality, it took over 5 years to make. A lot of that time is just
spent waiting for things to play out, and waiting for the seeds of
change to actualize. I wanted to capture those moments, instead of
trying to force or create something that didn’t feel true to my
subjects.”
What he hopes audiences will walk away with: “Love is complicated. Relationships work or don’t work for reasons we
cannot always articulate. I hope that audiences will recognize
themselves in Ushio and Noriko’s story, and consider their own
relationships after watching.”
Films that inspired him: “One film in particular is Hirokazu Kore-eda’s family drama Still
Walking. It’s a film of such intense inner turmoil and drama, but
presented in a very honest and unsentimental manner. The tension exists
beneath the surface, and arises in moments that are more powerful
because of the quiet anticipation that precedes them.”
What’s next: “I’m in development on two fiction projects that I’ve been
waiting to do for a long time. One is about happiness and the other is
about Mars. I’m also doing research for a hybrid doc/fiction film about
internet culture.”
Indiewire invited Tribeca Film Festival directors to tell us about
their films, including what inspired them, the challenges they faced and
what they’re doing next. We’ll be publishing their responses leading up
to the 2013 festival.
Keep checking HERE every day up to the launch of the festival on April 17 for the latest profiles.
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
