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How do we deal with losing someone we love? Is it even possible to move on? These questions are explored in Handling the Undead, a film that meditates on topics such as grief and loss and the impossible wish of wanting the past to become the present. Handling the Undead, which is based on the best-selling Norwegian novel of the same name, premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.\n\nIn today\u2019s episode, No Film School\u2019s GG Hawkins, speaks with Director Thea Hvistendahl to discuss:\n\nThea\u2019s feelings and thoughts post-premiere\n\nHaving the sound and images tell the story as opposed to dialogue\n\nHer approach to directing and staging actors\xa0\n\nUsing a mix of real people, prosthetics, VFX, and dolls\n\nFinding the balance between looking dead but not like zombies\n\nThe challenges in shooting the final scene\n\nHow Thea became a filmmaker\n\nFinancing the feature and shooting in multiple countries\n\nGetting the balance right between the different stories within the film\xa0\n\nFeeling anxious during the screening process\n\nTrusting her gut feelings in the editing process\n\nHaving a much needed celebration when the film was finally finished\n\n\n\n\nMemorable Quotes\n\n\u201cFor the human brain, it\u2019s more unsettling the more realistic it is\u2026 I wanted it to be as realistic as possible.\u201d [16:15]\n\n\u201cThe finale was the hardest part to solve, but it worked in the end.\u201d [20:21]\n\n\u201cIt really pains me to do stuff that doesn\u2019t feel right, but sometimes I try it.\u201d [27:29]\n\n\u201cIt dragged out a very long time, so it wasn\u2019t like a cathartic moment\u2026It was a very slow finishing process.\u201d\xa0[30:07]\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s always better to make something\u2026rather than wait and hold back.\u201d [31:16]\n\n\n\nMentioned:\nHandling the Undead\xa0\n\n\nFind No Film School everywhere:\nOn the Web\nhttps://nofilmschool.com/\n\nFacebook\xa0\nhttps://www.facebook.com/nofilmschool\n\nTwitter\xa0\nhttps://twitter.com/nofilmschool\n\nYouTube\xa0\nhttps://www.youtube.com/user/nofilmschool\n\nInstagram\nhttps://www.instagram.com/nofilmschool\n\nSend us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com!\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices