Matt Porterfield – Director – Take What You Can Carry

FRED’s Nicolò Comotti interviews director Matt Porterfield, who presented his mid-length narrative short Take What You Can Carry in the shorts competition of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival.

Take What You Can Carry is a reflection on people, their longing and their surroundings. Matt Porterfield talks about what inspired him to make such a film, and also expands on his interest for the theme of communication. He also talks about making this short film, his first narrative short film in fact, without a formal screenplay and about filming it in Berlin.

Plot: Take What You Can Carry is a journey through day and night, night and day. Lilly has been living in Berlin for a while. She is a US American passing through. She has a lover and no penthouse. The relationship is vague. “You come and go as you please”, he says. “What do you mean?”, she asks. “Nothing.”, he says, “I’m happy when you’re here.” – “I’m also happy when I’m here.” Then he plays guitar and she embraces him from behind. Only briefly, then she packs her suitcase. Lilly drifts between worlds and places. Looking for people and connections but remaining in the external. During rehearsals with the performance group Gob Squad, her thoughts and wishes thrive: words become actions. Back at the apartment, a letter from her home awaits her. Matt Porterfield calmly tells of the longing to arrive in quietly composed scenes.