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SXSW Interview: Aaron Hillis, ‘Fish Kill Flea’
Directors:Brian Cassidy, Aaron Hillis, and Jennifer Loeber
Film: ‘Fish Kill Flea’
Category: Documentary Features (World Premiere)
em>Sites: Official | SXSW
Screening: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 10; 11:30 a.m. Monday, March 12; 11:15 a.m. Friday, March 16; all at Alamo S. Lamar
Film synopsis from SXSW.com: Once thriving, a dead mall in upstate New York is now home to a ragtag flea market, living proof that the American dream is in perpetual decay. Blending verite with a stylized wit, this heartbreaking portrait raises questions about our disposable culture through the unfiltered lives of its eccentric community.
Is this your first time at SXSW? If not, what has your experience been like in previous years?
A friend of mine was shooting a PBS doc on SXSW when I visited him in 1998, and just following him around for a few days convinced me to move to Austin a few months later. Until I relocated to New York in 2001, I savored the opportunity to see fantastic new films and bands every March.
What are your impressions of the festival compared to others of its kind around the country, and of Austin as a film town, in general?
I work as a film journalist and critic, and of all the fests I’ve attended over the years, none have been as thrilling as SXSW. It’s a party the size of a city! As for Austin itself, I think whoever coined “the third coast of filmmaking” was on the mark, specifically in terms of independent productions.
What do you hope to take away from your time at the festival?
Having access to industry folk is cool and helpful, but I’m most excited to connect with other filmmakers to have a little “you show me yours, I’ll show you mine” exchange. I don’t mean that in a dirty way… not entirely.
Why should audiences be excited to see your film?
Our funny, sad, strange little movie doesn’t cop to the tired formulas of the documentary genre. When we set out to preserve the memory of this eccentric flea market community and the dead mall that housed them, we felt they deserved more than the same old archive footage montages and talking-head interviews. We just hope audiences respond to our unconventional approach.
Are there any other films screening that you hope to see?
Yeah, the line-up’s pretty choice this year. Off the top of my head, I can’t wait for ‘Hannah Takes the Stairs,’ ‘Quiet City,’ ‘Orphans,’ ‘Campaign’, ‘Silver Jew’ and ‘American Zombie.’
Any restaurants, parties, tourist locations you want to get to while in town? If you live in Austin, where do you suggest out-of-towners visit while in town?
New York has the lousiest Mexican food, so I plan to eat nothing but Trudy’s, Guero’s, Curra’s, Polvo’s, and pretty much anything with an apostrophe in its name for a week. Then I’ll wash it down with a gallon of Kerbey queso or Mag mud.
When you think of Texas and the movies, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
I’m reminded of that first shot in ‘The Last Picture Show,’ gliding past that dusty drive-in. The second image that springs to mind is a kegger by the moon tower, and every Austinite better know what I’m talking about.
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