2023 Woodstock Film Festival: A Conversation With Filmmaker Brittany Snow about her Film “Parachute”

In celebration of the 2023 Woodstock Film Festival, INSIDE+OUT catches up with Brittany Snow to talk about her indie film, Parachute, starring Courtney Eaton, Thomas Mann, Joel Mchale, Dave Bautista and Kid Cud. Courtney Eaton (Yellowjackets) gives a startlingly brave performance as Riley, a smart, young, beautiful woman fresh out of rehab for what she describes to a potential new boyfriend as an “eating thing…body stuff.” But while Parachute takes us, with an unflinching eye, into the freefall world of Riley’s harrowing struggles with body image, this is not an “issue” movie. It is actually a love story—or better yet, a story that explores both the need for love in one’s life and the limits of love’s ability to heal.

Directed and co-written by Brittany Snow (Pitch Perfect), who has been open about her own struggles with body image, Parachute brings a generous empathy to Riley’s journey without ever pulling its punches. What does she see when she looks in the mirror? What do any of us see? This is a terribly revealing inquiry.

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INSIDE+OUT: Tell us about your latest film, which will be shown at this year’s festival. 

Brittany Snow: Parachute is a coming-of-age film about the difficulties of falling in love when you can not love yourself. I wrote it a number of years ago and directed it last May. 

What inspired you to choose a career in the film business, and what was your journey? 

I’ve been in the film business since I was a child. I was raised as a kid actor and luckily felt very compelled to do it. I’m grateful I have been able to do it for so long. This movie is partly about a time in my life in my early 20s when I had to take some time off of my acting career and focus on my mental health. I always knew at 22 that if I got through that time, I would use it to inspire something creative. My journey has been up and down but always rewarding. I’ve had to fight my way through in a lot of ways, mostly battling my own mind. 

What was your most rewarding or the most challenging project to date?

I think Parachute was the most rewarding and challenging. I spent most of COVID-19 studying and watching as many movies as possible. I felt like I put myself through film school in a way. After prepping and shooting, I spent every morning for three hours scheduling and preparing. Every night, I spent at least two hours dissecting and planning. I had a lot of doubts about myself since it was my first feature, and I had to really learn how to deal with an overwhelming amount of stress. All that being said, every night felt like a high. It was so beautiful to feel all the pieces coming together and to feel supported from so many talents. I don’t think there’s any better feeling than realizing that others are joining in your vision and feeling it as well. 

What are your thoughts on technology and the changing landscape of the TV and film industry? 

I think it’s a moving train and we need to jump aboard. Yet, I know there will always be a yearning for the classics and the beauty of going to the movie theater. Just like my opinion on social media, I think it can be used for good and also bad. I truly hope we, as a collective, can learn how to use technology in this business for more creative and artistic endeavors and not just ego. I am not naive and understand how hard that will be, but one can hope.  

What is one question you’re constantly asked, or what’s the biggest misconception about what you do? 

How lonely it is to be creative. When I am writing or prepping, I become a bit insane. I try to lose myself in what I’m studying. It’s my favorite thing to be immersed in a subject and become connected. It’s also an amazing feeling to learn new things and read as much as possible. I feel like some people don’t understand how much balance it takes and how important it can be to take a step back. What we do is not who we are. I’ve had to learn that. My parents, bless them, taught me the opposite, and although it makes me driven, it is so important to do nothing at all and just be. 

Can you put your finger on what makes a great Director/Writer and who inspires you? 

I can not put my finger on what makes a great writer/director, but I do think it has to do with a bit of swag, taste, communication, vision and magic. I think it takes being prepped and then, on the day, open to anything. Many of the most beautiful moments of my film are because I let my actors take me with them. I trusted them completely, and I trusted that if we all worked together, they could show me things I never even thought of. 

What are you working on now that you’re excited about?

I am in the middle of writing three different projects. All of them I am very excited about for various reasons. I think my next goal is to direct something I also act in. 

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? 

I have always wanted to freeze time. I speak a lot without thinking, and I spend a lot of time wondering why I just spoke so haphazardly. I would also love to just live in moments for a little longer. There are so many times I wish I could take something in, truly, without distractions. 

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About the Woodstock Film Festival
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Founded in 2000, the Woodstock Film Festival (WFF) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that nurtures and supports emerging and established filmmakers, sharing their creative voices through an annual festival and year-round programming to promote culture, diversity, community, educational opportunities and economic growth.

WFF provides innovative mentoring and inspired educational programs benefitting filmmakers, students and diverse audiences while serving as a powerful cultural and economic engine for New York’s Hudson Valley and beyond. Such efforts have consistently resulted in the festival being hailed as one of the top regional film festivals worldwide. The Woodstock Film Festival is an Oscar®-qualifying festival in the short film categories – Live Action Short Film, Animated Short Film, and Documentary Short Film.

Now in its 24th year, 2023 promises to as exciting as ever! 2023 lineup and Tickets HERE.
Full and Weekend Festival Passes are available – Get Your Festival Passes HERE