This April, action has a new address : 86 MELROSE AVENUE. A diverse group of people at a gallery opening is taken hostage by an ex-Marine suffering with PTSD and forced to confront their cultural differences, their pasts, and their looming mortality as time ticks away. Anastasia Antonia, Gregory Zarian, Terri Ivens, Langstone Fishburne, Michael Polak, Andy Evans, Richard Sabine, Helen Kennedy, and Gary Sturm star.
Lili Matta, writer, director and producer of the film, spoke to us ahead of the film’s release on April 20.
What part of the world are you calling home these days, Lili?
I call Los Angeles home; I chose to live in LA and I am very comfortable and happy here. However, Lebanon, my country of origin, where I was born and raised, will also always be my home. I am a Lebanese- American and I am proud of both my countries: Lebanon my birth country and the US my country of adoption. I love them both very deeply!
Have you always been based there?
I came to LA 20 years ago to get an MFA in Film Production from Loyola Marymount University. I fell in love with LA and I stayed.
Was the goal always to direct movies or did you start out doing something else?
I always wanted to tell stories. I used to write poetry and then moved on to scripts. And I knew that I always wanted to direct my own films.
How did you become a writer, first and foremost?
I loved writing. I started very young writing poetry and then short stories. I wanted to study films and write scripts; I have been fortunate that I have been able to follow my dreams.
And have you fused your interests growing up into the stories you write?
I think that undoubtedly our own past experiences shape who we become, our perceptions and views of ourselves and our worldview. Growing up during the war, being a woman from the Middle East, traveling and meeting new people and new cultures have helped me not only grow but also be able to embrace diversity and adapt in a new environment. And all those things are obvious elements in my films.
Did any filmmakers influence you growing up?
I was very influenced by Ingmar Bergman, Luchino Visconti, Claude Sautet, John Cassavetes, Elia Kazan, to name a few. They had an amazing way to tell relatable and captivating stories with such raw emotions.
Tell us about the inspiration for the latest film, 86 Melrose Avenue?
86 Melrose Avenue is a very personal story that combines a bit of myself in every character in my film. It addresses major themes relevant to today’s world. You gotta watch it!
They don’t make movies like these anymore do they?
I think, unfortunately, they are very rare. The gift of cinema is that it truly has the ability to be educative, transformative and create social change through entertainment. That was my hope for 86 MELROSE AVENUE. I wanted to make an engaging and entertaining film that would also address serious social issues.
Where did you find your actors?
I knew a couple actors from before, who I wanted to have as main leads in my film. The rest of the actors were through casting.
Has the pandemic affected the film’s release at all?
The pandemic has definitely taken a toll on the entertainment industry. As you can see theatrical release has been almost paralyzed. But I am keeping my fingers crossed for our film release! Gravitas Ventures is doing its domestic distribution and Glass House Distribution is doing its international distribution; they are both wonderful!