Bio- Director Brian Lilla is an Oakland, California filmmaker whose evolving success hinges on his
creative ability to merge marginalized people with intimate storytelling. Lilla's 2000 directorial debut 20 To
Life, a documentary on underground pool skating, was selected as an opening short to Sony Pictures Dog-
Town: The Z Boys Story, and later received international distribution through VAS Entertainment. Taking to
the streets of Oakland in 2004, Lilla directed the feature documentary Ghetto Fabulous. Following the daily
lives of young black men known as the Falcon Boys, Ghetto Fabulous unveils the talents, struggles, and
truths of living in the face of murder, poverty, and crime. Lilla’s latest documentary, Tale Of Two Bondage
Models, screened to sold-out audiences at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival and went on to show at
international festivals around the globe. Returning to his mountaineering roots, Lilla's latest documentary
Patagonia Rising investigates the global topics of water and power.
Q&A
1...Do you think your art helps in any way...how?
My documentaries are brief windows into situations and peoples lives that are constantly happening around
us. If we were living in pre-historic times, I would be the caveman who would volunteer to carve on walls
after a hunt rather than skinning the beast. Filmmaking for me fulfills the role of preserving a moment in
time. Being a documentary filmmaker gives me access to investigate situations I would normally not be a
part of. Once I document a situation, the hard part is making sure it is accurately portrayed to the audience.
That's the bottom line. If I misrepresent a person or situation, I'm the one who is going to get skinned. I've
had guns pointed at me while shooting in the ghetto and multi-billion corporations threaten me legally. I
always to defer to accuracy. If the story I'm telling is accurate, people back off. The story then has to be
told in a way that audiences will sit through it. What I experience as a filmmaker usually transcends on to
the screen. In the end, I think my art as a filmmaker is to draw bridges between the subject and the
audiences. Once that is done, it's on to the next hunt.
2...Why should people pay/trade for your work?
The last 11 years of filmmaking has been a great experience that constantly challenges me artistically and
professionally. From learning how to work with light, sound and framing to being patient and sensitive to
people who are exposing themselves on film, I feel more confident now that I get the job done. It took me a
few years to realize that if I was going to do this full-time, I needed to treat it like a business. When people
pay me to shoot, edit or direct, there is an expectation that I will deliver. What they are paying for is both
the technical knowledge and artistic perspective I bring to projects. After 11 years of developing my craft, I
now understand what people are paying for. Depending upon the project, my rates are always changing. Big
budget productions pay the bills. If there is a low budget to no budget project that I deeply believe in, I try
to make it happen.
3...What are you working on now?
Patagonia Rising is a feature documentary which investigates a proposal to build 5 large scale dams in the
heart of Patagonia, Chile. Patagonia is the third largest freshwater reserve on the planet and is now on the
verge of an ecological catastrophe. Fifteen years ago I was in Patagonia and the place blew my mind. When
I was approached to direct a documentary that could potentially impact the decision to not build the dams, I
immediately jumped on board. Before filmmaking I feel as though much of my life was solely focused on
having good adventure. If I can continue to make an impact through filmmaking while keeping the
adventure alive, I'll stick with it.
Contact Mr. Lilla
e-mail: lillafilms@yahoo.com
