Heart to Heart with TOE TO TOE Filmmaker, Emily Abt

story by Jocelyn M. Goode
photo: courtesy of Emily Abt

This Friday, February 26th at 7pm, acclaimed indie film Toe to Toe will host it's New York City premiere at the Village East Cinema. The movie, written and directed by Emily Abt, is about two high school senior girls from different ethnic and class backgrounds, who struggle to keep their inter-racial friendship, despite competing athletically and socially against each other. FAIM Internet Magazine had the great opportunity to receive candid answers from Emily about her intent and experience making the provocative film. Read what she had to share below...



FAIM: What is the significance in exploring a black/white dynamic over any other racial combination?
EA: I've always been very interested in race relations and especially in the relationship between black and white women in America. Interracial friendships between us are not as common as one would think (according to the NYTimes, interracial friendships end at age 14 for 87% of Americans) and I wanted to make a film that explored why. The film is inspired by some of my own experiences, I too attended an elite, politically-correct prep school on the east coast, and there are parts of my personality in both the Jesse and Tosha characters.

FAIM: What were some challenges you faced on a personal level and a logistical one while producing this film, and how did you overcome them?
EA: Financing was of course a huge challenge. Once I was on set, the main challenge was capturing what was on the page without getting distracted by outside forces. Directing would be the most fun job ever if it weren't for the constraints that face every shoot. It was difficult to capture great performances and scenes with so little time and resources, I couldn't let myself get distracted by anything that wasn't directly related to those two goals...The lacrosse scenes were indeed very challenging but we had a great coach, Samantha Eustace, who helped us choreograph those scenes and also helped train the girls. She actually plays our lacrosse coach in the film.

FAIM: How does this film challenge the status quo in terms of media targeted at young women and girls?
EA: I wanted to make a film that challenged the status quo on race and sexuality. The character of Jesse and her story tries to raise questions about the rampant sexualization of teenage girls. The "lets get f-ed up and hook-up" lifestyle is so ubiquitous in pop culture these days. I think this trend endangers young women so I tried to tell a story that showed the darker side of that lifestyle and how young women can get hurt even when they think they're just having fun.

The relationship between Tosha and Jesse hopefully inspires folks of different races to be more real with each other, even when that's awkward. What I love about the girls' relationship is that it's complicated and it deals with the messy, subtle forms of racial tension that are usually overlooked by mainstream media. Some of their conflict isn't even about race but it gets amplified by the fact that they're from different backgrounds. These girls are authentic with each other, they don’t always say the polite thing and they don’t shy away from conflict with each other. I think there's beauty is that realness and it leads these two girls to a place where they're willing to sacrifice a lot for each other.

FAIM: What type of impact do you want this movie to have on audiences?
EA: My background is in documentary so I wanted TOE TO TOE to drip with authenticity and I wanted it to mean something real to audiences. Story must always come before political message but my favorite films have both...I'm not sure how folks will react but I hope they're moved, entertained and inspired by it. Isn't that why all us filmmakers do what we do?

Those interested in attending may purchase advanced tickets online at http://villageeastcinema.com. Directly after the screening, there will be a Q&A session with Emily Abt along with the film's lead actors, Louisa Krause and Sonequa Martin. The post-premiere party will be at the Blind Pig Bar, where guest will have an additional opportunity to chat with the cast and crew. For more information about the film and to read other reviews, visit Toe to Toe's facebook page.