Filmmaker Matt Carter (In From the Side): "Come For the Shorts, Stay for the Drama"

Dennis connects via zoom with Matt Carter, the London-based co-writer and director of In From the Side, a romantic drama about a forbidden love between two players in a gay rugby league. Matt talks his own rugby background and why he wanted to explore the issues of monogamy and infidelity rather than the coming out and homophobia themes that are so common in gay films. Matt also talks about the casting process, when he knew his two leads Alexander Lincoln and Alexander King had chemistry and how he approached directing the pair in the film's steamy love scenes. He also discusses how he got the movie made while working a full-time job in visual effects and breaks down all the different hats he wore on the production: co-writer, director, editor, director of photography, composer, visual effects...Matt even picked up oil painting to create images for the closing credits! Other topics include: the first time he saw the film with an audience, his most surprising fans, masculinity in sports, star Alexander Lincoln's meme-ready dreamy glances and what Matt learned about himself through the long odyssey of making the film. https://strandreleasing.com/films/in-from-the-side/