Carissa Gallo on Her Film "Kink"—An Exploration of Friendship, As Told By Kaia Gerber
Published
The director and writer Carissa Gallo wrote her latest narratie short film, Kink, to explore the unsung stories and untold truths of girlhood and friendship. She addresses taboo questions around sexuality and intimacy that are often ignored—and courageously illustrates an honest picture of what it would actually feel like to go there. Her protagonist, Kaia Gerber, indulges the corners of her sexual curiosity by way of her queer best friend. It's a beautiful excavation of self, of sensuality, and of sexual identity. The 35mm short film is already making waves—it won the award for Best Shot on Film (35MM) at the HollyShorts Film Festival.
Gallo and Gerber celebrated the short film's release last Friday at 9 Orchard, hosted by Slicks. The two have different upbringings but similar perspectives when it comes to the beauty of friendship and candid conversation, where two individuals are willing to say what they're actually thinking. Below, for our column How Did You Do It? Gallo tells us the origin story behind Kink.
Megan O'Sullivan: What is the genesis story behind this film?
Carissa Gallo: I had been working on an idea in the early stages for a feature film exploring similar themes. Then, over the course of a few conversations with Travis and Kaia, I realized that a friendship like theirs at the center of the story was really special. They play the two main characters in the film, and we continued to talk as I wrote, so that their unique dynamic could come out in the script. As I wrote the feature, we decided to make the short as a proof of concept.
MO: How long was this film in the making, and what moved it from idea to reality?
CG: I wrote the short in February, we shot it in June, and it was completed by September! Now the feature script is ready, and we are excited about jumping back in.
MO: What's something that surprised you in the process of making the film?
CG: We shot it in one very long day and night. I was surprised, and quite moved, by how nearly every human on set, every department, fully committed themselves. Everyone was so good at their job, working very hard, not complaining, instead saying thank you and that they were happy to be there. I guess I expect people to get grumpy, so that energy and spirit really affected me and makes me love filmmaking.
MO: Who is Kaia's character, and what was the process of building her character like?
CG: Kaia and I are different in how we were raised, our lives, etc., but we’ve always connected over a shared outlook on being women, on friendships, on how we take up space. So this character was very shaped by our many conversations over the past ten years. We like to go into the dark corners in conversation, so it’s fun to explore together weird, kinda freaky, things in characters. I feel very lucky that she trusts me, and is willing to go places with me that are vulnerable.
MO: What does this story mean to you, and what do you hope it reveals to its audience?
CG: It’s important to me to explore women who are nuanced and flawed. To attempt to unearth some of the things we don’t often talk about. It’s been affirming when people watch it and respond with, "Wait, that’s me too." It’s also been affirming to watch straight men squirm the few times I’ve watched it with a crowd. I’m very excited about the feature script and continuing to explore these things.
MO: What was the biggest obstacle you faced in bringing the story to life?
CG: Everything fell into place in a very serendipitous way on this one, which felt rare. But finding the right location took the most effort. I had a really specific picture in my head. Natalie Ziering, our production designer, suggested this beautiful home and I couldn’t imagine it elsewhere, at this point.
MO: What do you hope people take away from the story?
CG: More than anything it’s a story about friendship, so I hope it makes people hold more tightly to their best friends.
