During the Amfest Filmfestifal there was a master-class of American screenwriter and movie director Whit Stillman in VGIK on September 23-d. In his conversation with the students he touched upon the short movies. Whit Stillman said that a short movie was the first chapter of a long book.
Whit Stillman has created only four movies, but each of them has become an important part of cinema world. The director is a master of depicting modern life.
After the master-class Whit Stillman showed his film «Damsels in Distress», about college girls obsessed with fashion who meet the new girl and try to control her.
The title of the movie refers to the classic «Damsel in Distress». The director happened to hear the song from the original movie performed by Fred Astaire and understood he wanted to use it for himself. He also used the original title of the movie.
Whit Stillman also shared his future plans about the screen version of "Lady Susan", an unfinished work of Jane Austen.
At the end Whit Stillman wished the students of VGIK searching for interesting plots and not being afraid of speaking about serious themes.