2016 Sundance Trading Card Series: #14. Brett Potter – Jacqueline (Argentine)

Eric Lavallee: Name me three of your favorite “2015 discoveries”.
Brett Potter: Koji Shirashi – His documentary horror films are these sprawling, epic mysteries that turn up in insane ways. Koji if you’re reading this, I want to remake Shirome in the United States!!! HGTV – I can kill an entire Sunday watching Fixer Upper, House Hunters and Love it or List it. How do I produce one of these shows? How do I make money producing reality TV, and flipping real estate at the same time??? Luxuria Music Radio – I am really into bossa nova, exotica and space-age lounge music. This radio station has changed my life. Put it on during a work day and you’ll feel better. Apoquel – I have a dog named Bibi that has suffered from horrible and debilitating allergies her entire life. This year, a wonder drug named Apoquel was introduced to the market and my pupper now lives a normal, happy pupper life.

Lavallee: Your collaboration with Bernardo dates back to 2009’s short Bad Kids and more recently, the Sundance animated winning short Yearbook, we’re wondering if you could provide some insight into the Bernardo’s working style and sensibility as a filmmaker. What makes him tick?
Potter: Bernardo is very practical and low-key. He works with what’s directly available to him. He’s not obsessed with technical aspects of film production, which makes our sets small, lean and effective.

Question 3: Conceptually, Jacqueline (Argentine) appears to have strange bedfellows in terms of genres with the thriller being merged with the mockumentary. Could you discuss what you liked best about the project when Bernardo pitched you on the idea of the film.
Potter: The film sounded like nothing I’d ever seen before, but not at the expense of it being accessible for a large audience. I like movies that bend genres and play with genre expectations. I also really like micro budget movies right now. So Jacqueline is in my producing sweet spot.