FILM FRENZY

Rani DeMuth (inset) is the writer-director of And Now I Lay Me Down, starring Jane Kaczmarek (DeMuth Photo: Anastasia Lebedeva; Film Photo: No. 5 & Brooklyn Reptyle Productions)

By Matt Brunson

(Q&A Corner is a semi-regular feature on Film Frenzy that focuses on those both in front of and behind the camera: actors, directors, writers, and other cinematic movers ‘n’ shakers of all stripes. In this installment, I interview writer-director Rani DeMuth.)

Malcolm in the middle? More like Jane at the center. Along with Frankie Muniz (as the title character), Jane Kaczmarek was clearly the star of the hit TV sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, as evidenced by her seven consecutive Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She’s essayed other starring roles over the course of her long career, and that includes her latest project. In the short film And Now I Lay Me Down, she plays the central role of Celia Dalvi, an aging actress who’s having a particularly rough day.

Rani DeMuth is the writer-director of And Now I Lay Me Down, drawing from both her personal experiences and her imagination to create this pointed and pensive seriocomedy.

Film Frenzy: What was the inspiration for And Now I Lay Me Down?

Rani DeMuth: I was having the worst day ever. I had just lost part of my nose to skin cancer and my film career was at a standstill. On this particular day, rather than masking my pain, I let myself really experience the suffering of not being where I wanted to be in my life, particularly as a film director. In other words, I had a meltdown. After my meltdown I meditated for 20 minutes, and when I got up I saw an entire short film flash before my eyes. And Now I Lay Me Down was inspired by the existential dread of losing my looks and career in one fell swoop. Amidst flashes of pink and gold I saw an aging woman in the film industry dealing with rejection and the challenges of being a mother. And Cheetos.

Many heavy subjects are examined in the film — aging, divorce, suicide — and yet a sense of humor is maintained throughout. Was there any point when you considered making this a straight drama, or did you feel the comedy was always integral to the story?

I always saw this film as a Dramedy. I wanted the story to be funny and poignant, to poke fun at my character while honoring her. I just watch and listen to my character in my mind and write down what I see and hear. I trust my characters to lead the way.

Humor finds its way into everything I do. There’s no stopping it! I feel like Dramedy is the genre that’s most true to life. It leads me to find humor in serious subjects and can thereby make them more palatable.

Celia has several interesting relationships or at least exchanges with those around her, including her assistant, her gardener, and her agent. Was there much in these aspects of the film that were drawn from real-life incidents — e.g. cursing at the agent, dealing with amorous looks from the gardener, binging on Cheetos — or was all this material created solely for the film?

Celia’s relationships with her staff were drawn from my imagination. This being said, there’s emotional truth in these relationships and a commentary on wealth and entitlement.

While I’ve never cursed out my agent as Celia does, lol, I do sympathize with any actress dealing with youth-obsessed Hollywood. I see ageism everywhere I look. Just turn on the TV and chances are you’ll see an actress who is mere months older if not younger than their onscreen children. [36-year-old] Emmy Rossum playing [27-year-old] Tom Holland’s mom in The Crowded Room,  [29-year-old] Angelina Jolie as [28-year-old] Colin Farrell’s mom in Alexander, and [46-year-old] Charlayne Woodard playing the mother of [51-year-old] Samuel L. Jackson in Unbreakable are just a few examples of ridiculous casting.

What’s the ultimate message you want people to take from this short?

Through self-introspection you can heal yourself.

When I came up with the idea for this film about a woman who just couldn’t take it anymore, I began to research suicide. I came across this staggering statistic that nine out of 10 people who attempt suicide and fail never go on to try again. People reported experiencing instant regret and saw how their problems weren’t worth losing their lives over. Celia’s character plays out this same narrative.

How did Jane Kaczmarek become involved?

My executive producer Christina Sibul first suggested Jane Kaczmarek. They were both Yale School of Drama graduates and Christina had been to a fundraiser at Jane’s house. Christina even told me that Jane’s beautiful home reminded her of a home my fictitious character might live in. Ironically, we ended up shooting the film in Jane’s house!

After I imagined Jane in the part of Celia Dalvi, I couldn’t get her out of my head. I wrote her a letter, and before I knew it, we were in a Zoom meeting together. We both had laryngitis and sounded like frogs, but we proceeded to make a lovely connection.

Was there anything specific in Jane Kaczmarek’s past works that made you think she would be perfect for the role?

When I’m interested in an actor for a role, I watch everything they’ve done that I can get my hands on. I watched several episodes of Malcolm in the Middle, Jane’s most recent indie feature, Killing Eleanor, and many interviews. For me, the most informative content to watch is their interviews. I like to see how they are in person. What touched me the most among everything I watched from Jane was an interview where she talked about trying to connect with deceased mothers of Holocaust victims before portraying one herself. I was so moved listening to her speak. I knew that Jane was a tremendous actress and a profound person with whom I could connect on a deep level.

Just recently, I saw an article stating that, among contemporary actors, Eric Roberts has appeared in more films than anybody else — over 800! He had starred in your short The Double two decades ago — was it his involvement in that which made you use him for the small role here, or had you two remained in touch all these years?

It’s true, Eric’s IMDb page is crazy!

I wanted to cast a recognizable face opposite Jane Kaczmarek, so I instantly thought of Eric Roberts. While we haven’t kept in close contact, I adore his wife and manager, Eliza. As a filmmaker, you have to take a lot of chances and get yourself out of your comfort zone. Asking Eric, an Oscar-nominated actor, to play a cameo in my short film wasn’t easy, but thank God I did! Eric was down for the gig.

I saw that you’re making your first feature-length film. What will the movie be about?

I’m very excited to direct my first feature! The ball is in motion and good things are happening. End of the Line is about a dysfunctional LA family who struggles to reunite after the mother, in a midlife crisis, decides to pursue performance art.

Which filmmakers would you cite as favorites?

I love the old masters. Akira Kurosawa, Ingmar Bergman, and Agnès Varda are spectacular. If we’re talking living directors, Greta Gerwig, Yorgos Lanthimos, and Janicza Bravo are really rocking my world. They all have unique vision.