Le Refuge - conversation with writer and director Elliot Thomson on the making of a short film

While in New York, Hollister & O’Toole had the enormous pleasure of speaking with the amazingly talented writer and director Elliot Thomson – founder of Empire Arts Film Corp. Elliot’s short film “Le Refuge” is currently enjoying a very successful run at festivals around the globe – from Istanbul to the Cleveland International Film Festival – an Oscar-qualifying fest, where it recently won Best Comedy Short out of 224 films. Le Refuge elegantly tells the tale of an American lawyer – on vacation with her family in Lausanne, Switzerland – who’s coming unhinged from the guilt of representing the manufacturer of a cheap car that tips over when it turns left. Talking with Elliot is like viewing his art – witty and thought-provoking – and very, very engaging. We might as well call this podcast How to Make a Film with Integrity.  Holding on to Your Vision.  Collaborating without Compromising. Elliot aimed high, and landed on his star. Come along for the ride - listen to how his short film is linked to Broadway greats, the New York Philharmonic - and even the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. We spoke to Elliot for nearly 2 hours - truly, one of the most engaging afternoons we’ve had. While we couldn’t manage to whittle that conversation down to a length shorter than “Le Refuge” itself, we wanted to include here as much as possible - since, in our opinion, listening to these 38 minutes with Elliot is a gift (and one that sure beats the price of film school). Integrity in (wry) storytelling.  That’s what it’s all about. Caption for photo:  Tony Award nominee Jessica Hecht, writer/director Elliot Thomson, Tony Award winner Frank Wood, and crew on the set of “Le Refuge”. #ScreenThoughts #ShoutouTs: #LeRefuge #CIFF #DeanMinow #WomenMakeMovies #VanessaRedgrave #SchindlersList #JessicaHecht #FrankWood