Wink
A lonely and slightly repressed housewife discovers an unusual way to spice up her afternoon.
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Monika PetrilloDirectorFlyabout
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Monika PetrilloWriterFlyabout
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James BaumgartnerProducer
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Caitlin BrandesKey Cast
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Michael ChandlerKey Cast
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Stephan DalyaiDirector of Photography
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Drama, Romance
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Runtime:15 minutes
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Completion Date:June 6, 2017
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Production Budget:11,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:HD
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Dances With Films Film FestivalHollywood, CA
United States
June 6, 2017
World Premiere
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER -
Marina Del Rey Film FestivalMarina del Rey
United States
October 7, 2017
BEST ROMANCE -
Austin Film FestivalAustin, TX
United States
October 28, 2017
Texas Premiere -
Pittsburgh Shorts Film FestivalPittsburgh, PA
United States
October 28, 2017 -
Hollywood Film FestivalHollywood, CA
United States
November 16, 2017
MOST INNOVATIVE SHORT -
Global ShortsHollywood
United States
AWARD OF MERIT -
BogoshortsBogota
Colombia
December 7, 2017
South American Premiere -
Beloit Film FestivalBeloit, WI
United States
March 3, 2018
Wisconsin Premiere -
Omaha International Film FestivalOmaha, NE
United States
March 10, 2018
Omaha Premiere -
Deep in the Heart Film FestivalWaco, TX
United States
February 23, 2018
Waco Premiere -
Cleveland Film FestivalCleveland, OH
United States
Ohio Premiere -
North Hollywood CinefestNorth Hollywood, CA
United States
March 26, 2018 -
Richmond International Film FestivalRichmond, VA
United States
Virginia Premiere -
Bogoshorts - Under the MoonBogota
Colombia
March 8, 2018 -
Chicago Independent Film FestivalChicago, IL
United States
April 28, 2018
Chicago Premiere -
Soroptimist Club StuttgartStuttgart
Germany
July 19, 2018 -
International Short Film Festival DetmoldDetmold
Germany
June 23, 2018
German Premiere -
Cindependent Film FestivalCincinnati, OH
United States
August 23, 2018
Cincinnati Premiere
BEST COMEDY SHORT , Nomination BEST DIRECTOR SHORT FILM -
Covellite International Film FestivalButte, Montana
United States
September 15, 2018
Montana Premiere -
Dam Short Film FestivalBoulder City, NV
United States
February 10, 2019
Nevada Premiere -
Desert Film SocietyPalm Springs, CA
United States
November 3, 2018 -
Buenos Aires Film FestivalBuenos Aires
Argentina
July 15, 2019
A native of Germany, Monika Petrillo wrote, directed and edited the short film "Wink" which has earned multiple awards during its successful festival run. Her documentary feature "Flyabout" premiered at SXSW, inspired people worldwide and was picked up by Halogen TV network. Both films can be found on Amazon Prime.
Working shoulder to shoulder with many prestigious directors, including Robert Rodriguez, Richard Linklater and Mike Judge, as an accomplished script supervisor, Monika has been on an internship to direct for her entire professional life. She shadowed Jamie Babbit on "Silicon Valley" (HBO) and James Ponsoldt on "Sorry For Your Loss" (Facebook Watch), as well as Robert Rodriguez in the editing room during "We Can Be Heroes" (Netflix).
A life-long adventurer, Monika earned her pilot’s license at age 24 and soon thereafter set out to fulfill a dream of flying around the continent of Australia. She lives in South Pasadena, CA, with her husband and two children.
Why is it that a certain song we’ve heard a hundred times on the radio is suddenly digging at our hearts, even making us cry, when we happen to catch a stripped-down, unplugged version of it with nothing but the singer-songwriter at the piano? I believe it’s because the perfect, smooth and overproduced studio version can sometimes distract from the raw emotions hiding underneath. That’s why I worked to keep my film simple and subtle. Today we are so used to seeing movies densely packed with fast action and effects. I wanted to invite the viewer to slow down and zero in on what is going on behind the eyes of one lonely woman; because to her, that longing makes up her whole universe.
The inspiration for Wink came from my godmother. On a road trip through Death Valley she casually mentioned the idea of a surrealistic story about a blonde in an unsatisfying marriage and a gold fish, set in Paris of the 70s. As soon as I heard that, I could see the whole film in my mind. Only, I wanted to set my film in the real world of 2017. Back in LA, I took a break from the other script I was working on and surprised myself by putting the entire thing on paper within three hours.
A story centered around a relationship where appearances betray the loneliness inside offered great opportunities to focus on visual details. I chose a palette of muted colors to reflect the emotions of a woman who lives isolated in her perfect nest. Since there is very little dialogue, I also placed emphasis on the sounds that become so apparent when silence dominates a relationship, as well as the music.
After 28 years of working alongside experienced directors, taking time to raise two children, having made a documentary feature and finally coming across the perfect story, I knew this was the right time to direct my own short. Wink was entirely financed by my savings, but I was amazed to see how much support I received--from friends who offered their house, let me borrow their cars, clothes and furniture, to local artists who volunteered their art. Not to mention the professional cast and crew who donated their time and their talent, enabling me to tell the unplugged version of my story just how I had envisioned it while crossing the barren landscapes of Death Valley.
I feel unbelievebly lucky and grateful. And I can't wait to do it again.
-- Monika Petrillo
writer/director/editor