Alisa Chau: Why join JUMP CUT?

​Last but not least, we have Alisa Chau who talks about her experience of JUMP CUT 2014! If being part of this festival sounds appealing… sign up to JUMP CUT 2015 team now! 

What was your role within JUMP CUT 2014?
JUMP CUT is HK's first ever independent film festival curated by a group of young students enthusiastic about film. I was a copywriter - basically I was in charge of writing/translating the official JUMP CUT booklet. Everyone had to write a short review or summary about one of the films in our lineup and we collected all of these, added our own views to the bunch and put together what became the JUMP CUT booklet.

What was your favourite thing about JUMP CUT 2014?
My favorite part was definitely the post-screening discussions, I loved talking about the film and trying to see it from another person's perspective. Especially if the film was ambiguous and open-ended, it really gave me a chance to look at the film in a different light and often made me change my initial opinion of the film. There was one film in particular (which became one of my favorite films), the film "We Need to Talk About Kevin", which was about the estranged relationship between mother Eva and son Kevin. It was a very inconclusive movie and discussing it gave me even more questions than answers, but I loved it because I had the chance to really THINK about the movie and explore all the different ways I could've interpreted it.

Any funny anecdotes?
What happens at JUMP CUT, stays at JUMP CUT. Just kidding, filming our "Getting to know the committee members" videos was a fun experience, I learnt a bit more trivial but interesting facts about everyone and burst into laughter every time I was in front of a camera that was recording. I still really love hash browns.

Which film made the greatest impact on you?
Visually, “Paprika” was a film that I found very intriguing and at times quite unsettling. The animation was stunning and mind-bendingly captivating, it was very fast-paced and energetic. The film threaded surrealism and a gripping, complex storyline together perfectly. What I'm saying is go watch “Paprika”!

Why do you think others should join JUMP CUT?
JUMP CUT was definitely a fun, memorable experience. Before JUMP CUT, I wouldn't have gotten so far and deep into the heart of a film as I have, I never would've seen the film from a different perspective, all the different dimensions would've been lost. Watching films with others who are just as passionate about film as you is a great and effective way to think outside of what you normally would. If you love watching films, love thinking and talking about films, love sharing your passion for film then just join JUMP CUT already!

What role does film play in your life?
I think that film is a medium of communication between the storyteller/filmmaker and the audience. It's interesting to see the way the filmmaker bridges the gap between them and the audience through a film that is created in a way to reflect their ideas, worldview and values. I love exploring the worlds that these filmmakers create, it's like learning about a person's perception of life and the way they think.