Introduction:
No Strings is a comedy-drama that follows climate organiser Milly as she prepares for her first live TV interview and is told some explosive news. It explores power, betrayal, gender, hierarchy, influencer culture, the climate movement and the way racism is misinterpreted and misrepresented for political gain. This is my debut film.
Inspiration:
No Strings is inspired by true events. In the film, Milly is forced to grapple with an antisemitic comment made by the leader of the climate movement she’s part of, one that he wants to celebrate and uplift, which she’d rather bury. In this context, antisemitism was weaponised for a publicity stunt.
Though this film was written some years before October 7th 2023, we ended up making it not long after that turning point in history, at a time when antisemitism was starting to be widely weaponised for something much more chilling and violent: the Palestinian genocide, and the subsequent silencing of dissent and protest.
I knew I both could not and should not attempt to convert this film into a statement about Palestine that I was not qualified to make, and to which I certainly couldn’t do justice in a nine-minute narrative short film. However, I also couldn’t make a film about antisemitism and not acknowledge the reality of this weaponisation. It wasn’t possible to make No Strings without deep and thoughtful consideration, and it’s not possible to talk about it now without this same attention.
It’s hard to articulate how deeply involved and personal this film is, and how inadequate it feels in this moment. I remain hopeful that, in its own small way, and at the very least, No Strings portrays a different perspective and offers some food for thought.
The Process:
We filmed this over 2 days in April 2024. The main creative challenge was making sure to give the comedy space and time to shine through. The next challenge was not to laugh out loud on set when Josh and Jessie absolutely nailed it. Because we shot in one room, we also had to think about varying the shots enough to keep the visuals interesting, but not to detract from the dialogue, which is front and centre in this film. I was so lucky to work with my incredible DOP, Helena Gonzalez, as she really drove that, but as with any short film, I wish we’d had an extra day to test out a few more ideas. Also, they say don’t work with kids, and I would like to add to that – don’t work with clocks. Never work with clocks. Nightmare for continuity.
What It Means to Be a Finalist:
I was under no illusions that No Strings would not have an easy or simple festival run – I don’t shy away from political themes, but I know the film industry has its own battles in this arena. Being selected at such a great festival has helped me feel that all is not lost. I’m honoured to not only be a finalist, but to be nominated for Best Screenplay. I’m thrilled that our short has been received so well by the Worcester Film Festival, and I’m really excited to be part of it.
Where to Watch / Follow:
You can follow my work on my Instagram, @molly_lipson1 and on my website mollylipson.com.
