LBB Film Club: Limbo
Friends, filmmakers and first-time director duo, Ben Ivers and Christian May first found out about the town that would inspire their documentary short ‘Limbo’ through a phone call – a rather serendipitous one, you could say. That conversation introduced them to a forgotten Bombay Beach town, inspiring a journey of discovery as they sought to tell the town and its inhabitants’ story through film.
Produced in collaboration with production company Gnarly Bay, ‘Limbo’ subverts preconceptions of a narrative woven around harsh living conditions and solitude, and instead showcases how community thrives in the face of adversity.
Uncovering a thriving, resilient community and growing artist movement, the film offers testimonials from the town’s residents, with a particularly poignant one coming from protagonist Dave, who describes it as “a place where you get to celebrate the brokenness”.
To find out more about the making of the film, which is currently traversing the documentary circuit, LBB’s Abi Lightfoot spoke with Ben and Christian.
LBB> What a striking trailer! Firstly, I’d love to know the inspiration behind the film - how did you find out about this forgotten Bombay Beach town?
Ben and Christian> The story all stemmed from just a single phone call. Our friend Rod called out of the blue one day and wanted to catch up. He described a trip he just went on in some forgotten town just outside of Palm Springs called Bombay Beach. What drew our attention was his voice was full of passion and excitement - it was a place that was so broken yet so enlightening all at the same time. He told us about Dave Day, his gracious host, the eclectic art around Bombay, and the diverse group of individuals that inhabit it. Rod emphasised how spending a week in this town completely reset him mentally. And as soon as he mentioned it being the best mental refresh in his life, that was the moment we knew this place was special and we had to share its story.
LBB> What was it like visiting and gearing up to film within the town, did you face any unexpected challenges?
Ben and Christian> We had some unexpected challenges specifically with our scheduling. Dave, our protagonist, had some responsibilities pop up that week so we had to reschedule the interview for the last day of filming. Although this wasn’t our initial plan, we think it played well since it allowed us to build rapport with Dave and ultimately helped him open up during our interview process.
LBB> How did you engage and build trust with people within the community, encouraging them to share their stories?
Ben and Christian> Other than our producer Rod, this was the team’s first time meeting Dave and the rest of the film’s characters in person. We spent a lot of time before and in between filming exploring the town together and learning about the hidden history that only the locals would know about. Our genuine interest combined with our goal to use the film to help the town allowed for a deeper sense of trust and empathy between us and the locals.
LBB> There’s a powerful quote in the trailer; “this is a place where you get to celebrate the brokenness”. How does this idea come to fruition in the full documentary?
Ben and Christian> We love this quote. Dave was full of incredible one-liners, but this one particularly stood out as soon as he said it because it really does exemplify the town. Throughout the film, we explore the harsh testimonies of individuals in Bombay Beach. A lot of the people there have dealt with very visceral experiences or traumas. Rather than being consumed by a sense of despair, the people at Bombay Beach find solace in a community built around those shared experiences.
LBB> Is this the first time you have worked together on a film project? What was the experience like, and what were the key takeaways?
Ben and Christian> It is our first time directing together! It was a really cool creative exercise making this film as a duo. We both have editing backgrounds and during the shoot we were always thinking how specific moments would play in post, and from there figure out what else would be needed to supplement those beats. Given the timeline and run and gun nature of the shoot, this allowed us to make directorial decisions on the fly.
LBB> Colour grading, sound and composition was led by Gnarly Bay employee Jared Blizzard, how did he work with you to bring your vision to life?
Ben and Christian> Jared is extremely talented and he really cares about his craft. He added a whole new layer to the mood and feel of the film. We needed the colour and music/soundscape to give a sense of desolate rawness while also showcasing the natural beauty of the landscape. Both the colour palette and final mix reflect a balance of remote isolation and depth.
LBB> There’s an overarching feeling of positivity, hope and rebirth in the film - did you anticipate this when you first began work on the project?
Ben and Christian> Going into the field, this wasn’t our main focus. Our original plan was to capture the artists and community of Bombay, highlighting the harsh living conditions of the town. However, upon meeting Dave, an immediate sense of levity was introduced. His warm and inviting demeanor set the tone for everyone involved in the film.
LBB> ‘Limbo’ is currently making its way around the festival circuit, what has the initial reception been like from audiences and critics alike?
Ben and Christian> We think it’s been well received so far! We have been accepted into several film festivals so it’s been really motivating that there’s still an interest for stories like these. We’re really proud of what we’ve been able to make and we hope the message resonates with the people that watch.
LBB> And finally, if you were to do this again, is there anything you’d do differently?
Ben and Christian> If we had more time to scout and prep, we could’ve planned a few more elaborate and stylised set ups for the story. However, having to stay nimble is what allowed us to get such candid testimonies that we couldn’t have been able to recreate otherwise.
