Tribeca Interview With ‘Dirty Towel’ Callie Carpinteri, Emma Parks, And Emilee Ford

On behalf of The Cinema Spot, I got the opportunity to directly interview the cast and crew of Dirty Towel this past weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival. This was the highlight of my career and something that I genuinely enjoyed being a part of.

Below you can find a transcription of my interview with the cast and crew and how much I truly admire their work! Happy Tribeca Film Festival!

The Dirty Towel As a Metaphor

Charnice Horne: How did you guys first come up with the metaphor and usage of the Dirty Towel and its later symbolism within the story portrayed here? Have you ever had a ‘Dirty Towel’ moment in your present life that informed your filming experiences on this short film?

Callie Carpinteri (writer/director/producer): The idea of Dirty Towel came to us a little over a year ago. Growing up [as] a woman in this world is an often challenging and confusing thing. The opinions and expectations of others are constantly put onto us, especially when it comes to sexual choices. In 2024, it’s easy to feel like we’ve moved beyond things like slut shaming, but the truth is we haven’t. We just don’t talk about it as much, which can lead one to feel isolated and alone in their struggles.

Over lunch one day, we got to talking about this social stigma regarding women’s sexual choices and found a safe haven in our shared experience. We felt seen. The more we talked about this shame and where it comes from, the more we realized how relevant it still is. We talked to our friends and family, finding that, unfortunately, almost every woman has felt shame for their sexual choices at one point or another.

The Roots of the Tribeca Short

CC (con’t): One friend told us about a metaphor of a “dirty towel” her mother used during her sex talk. As soon as we heard that metaphor, the idea for the film was born. From there, we worked on finding visual ways to incorporate the symbolism of it throughout the film, especially in moments of Charlie [Emma Parks] feeling the most shameful. 

To develop the story, we pulled from so many moments and experiences in our own [lives], especially ones where we felt like a dirty towel. Though it was a vulnerable experience to do that, we just wanted to make the story as authentic as possible so it could really have an impact on those watching it.

Bringing Dirty Towel to Life

CH: How long did it take to put Dirty Towel altogether? Were there ever moments when you guys questioned how exactly the vision would all come together for the short film? What was it like when you all found out you had been selected for Tribeca? 

CC: The idea for Dirty Towel was first born in March of 2023. Emma [Parks] and I spent a few months (till roughly about June or July) figuring out what exactly we wanted to [do] for the short, writing the script, and preparing the vision. We then moved into pre-production between May and August, shot in August, and finished post-production by December.

Because of the different genres, there were so many times we questioned how and if it would all come together. It’s so nuanced in the tone between coming-of-age, comedy, [and] drama that it really was trial-and-error and experimenting with different options, whether that was in the performances, the edit[ing], or the music. In the end, so much love and care from each person was put into this film that it couldn’t have turned out better.

Finding out we got into Tribeca was a dream. I actually think it took about ten seconds of hearing we got [accepted] in before I broke down into tears. It’s a surreal and very special experience to be premiering at a festival we’ve dreamed [of] for years. Getting to call each other crew member and hearing their screams or cries (or both!) of excitement are core memories for me now. We’re just so incredibly grateful.

Emma Parks as a Co-Writer on the Tribeca Short

CH to Emma Parks (co-writer/producer/actor): How was it being a writer on this film and then having to translate the writing to on-screen acting? 

EP: Getting the chance to bring a character to life that I had a hand in writing was not only a gift but also a very unique experience. I believe it added layers of depth to the project. As a co-writer, I had a deep love and passion for the story which then translated into my performance. Usually, when I approach playing a character, I spend a lot of time analyzing the script and filling in any blanks in their story. I then take everything I’ve learned and create a complete character who feels like a real person. Writing this project put me steps ahead. I knew Charlie like the back of my hand. I knew her history, what makes her tick, her wants, and who she is at her core.

Honestly, Callie and I both put a lot of ourselves into Charlie. Overall, it was a pretty smooth transition from writing her to playing her. I also think my acting background helped immensely in the writing process. As we wrote, I often said lines out loud to make sure they all felt natural and right for the moment. It was this combination of my acting and writing background [combined] with Callie’s incredible writing skills that helped us create an honest and relatable story that many people could see themselves in. 

A Follow-Up to the Tribeca Short

CH: The end of the short film felt like it needed a sequel afterward (haha), have you ever considered creating a Part Two to the Dirty Towel? If so, can I have a front seat to the creation of the next project or even potentially be a part of it? 

CC: Haha of course! You know, I love that you felt that way at the end because that was our hope and intention. We always knew we wanted the short to serve as a proof-of-concept for a larger feature film and have spent the last few months writing it! Our initial intent for the short was to have both Charlie and her mother, Elizabeth [Laura Coover], as main characters, but we felt that we wouldn’t be able to do both of their stories justice in such a short time. 

The feature actually follows both women equally and serves as a coming-of-age for both of them as we explore the themes of generational shame, self-worth, identity, family, and more on a deeper level. We’re looking for producers and funding right now for the film, so hopefully, we’ll be able to make the feature and share it with the world soon!

Media Influences on Dirty Towel

CH: This short film reminded me in many ways of some of my favorite coming-of-age films, both before my time and in the present day. It made me wonder: were there any other pieces of media that you were directly inspired by when creating this short film? 

CC: That is such a high compliment, thank you. We were very much inspired by coming-of-age films like Lady Bird, [The] Edge of Seventeen, The Perks of Being A Wallflower, and more. All of those movies are very character-driven versus plot-driven, which is something we pulled a lot from as our film is very similar to that. We were very inspired by Lady Bird as it showed a really authentic portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship in all its complex beauty, and we wanted to do the same.

The Visual Flair

CH to Director of Photography Emilee Ford: Visually, Dirty Towel is very beautiful and communicates effectively the story of innocence and the transition from girlhood into womanhood. How did you communicate with Callie to create the visual strategy for Dirty Towel? 

EF: Thank you so much! I’ve been lucky enough to have a strong creative partnership with Callie for over three years now, so we do have a pretty formulaic approach when it comes to our pre-production process to get to our desired visual style that encapsulates Callie’s vision. But for Dirty Towel, we knew immediately what we wanted it to look like, especially because I myself had my own iteration of the dirty towel metaphor told to me as a child as well. When Callie pitched the idea to me for the first time it was kind of a deep cut for me. We were heavily inspired by Lady Bird in terms of color and lighting.

We wanted the film to have a natural yet nostalgic look to it. Most importantly, this story has a lot of physical manifestations throughout Charlie’s journey, and we wanted to make sure the camera movement and lens choice reflected that to ultimately show how her mental state was seeping into the camera work as well. We utilized handheld movement during the more chaotic scenes and specifically during the climax of the movie to help crescendo Charlie’s feelings of shame and guilt. I’m very grateful to have a close working and personal relationship with Callie, so all of this culminating together came very naturally for us.

Wrapping Up

CH to CC: It would seem as though you have a long future in this line of work. Is there something that you would like all your projects—upcoming and current—to say or speak to [you] as a director? Also, are there any specific directors who directly inspired your style and the way you create?

CC: Thank you, that really means a lot. As a female filmmaker, something I’m deeply passionate about is telling authentic female-driven stories that inspire conversation and empower women. I hope to continue to make films that share the experiences of women and make them feel seen and understood. If my films can make someone feel good about themselves and who they are, [then] that’s all I could ever hope for. 

I have always admired and looked up to other female directors such as Greta Gerwig, Sofia Coppola, Emma Seligman, and Celine Song. They have all told such personal, real stories in their films, which I deeply admire and have inspired me to do the same in my own films. Additionally, I think the way Greta tells her stories and works with her fellow crew members is so inspiring. She creates such a welcoming and open environment for ideas and collaboration while still staying true to her vision. It’s what I’ve tried to do myself throughout each project I’ve had the pleasure of making.

Dirty Towel‘s Takeaway

CH: Finally, what is the central message that you would like audiences to take away from this [Tribeca] film? Is there a consistent theme that you want to leave up for interpretation for audiences who may happen to consume this short film in the future?

CC: The central message I’d like the audience to take away from the film, especially for our female audience, is that you shouldn’t feel shame for your choices. I hope the audience feels empowered and confident in their choices, sexual or not, regardless of the opinions of anyone else. I want everyone to be able to interpret the themes and empathize with the story in whichever way it speaks to them, whether they felt pressure from family, society, religion, or more. Whether people watch this film now, next year, or in ten years, I want to spark meaningful conversations and catalyze a collective shift in societal perspectives around sex and shame until we live in a world [that] is positive and accepting.

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