Hannah’s story arc in particular seems to be the center of things.
That was a purposeful decision. I think she had a really strong story. She went through a lot that year. And maybe because I related to her the most — I mean, I related to all of them, but there is something very personal about her story to me. You can’t help putting yourself in a movie in some ways.
What made you choose to limit the filming to their senior year?
Your senior year is such an important year because you still have all of the social pressures and all of the BS that goes on in high school, but in addition to that you’re having to make these ill-informed decisions about your future. Because you don’t know anything about the world outside your fishbowl — especially in a small town. That’s all you know: this little chess game you’ve been playing. I don’t think a Mitch and a Hannah — the popular jock and the bohemian but cute girl — would have gotten together any other time except for the spring of senior year when they know they’re leaving soon anyway. Things start to break down a bit because everybody knows they’re going to go far away from each other. You’re not quite an adult, but you’re leaving your youth behind.
After Sundance, you decided to add a kind of credit-roll epilogue about each of your subjects, explaining how they fared two years out of high school. I was glad you did that.
I think it’s a relief to know that they’ve grown up and they’re okay, and some of the ones who had some bad behavior have obviously changed, and grown up, and realized their mistakes.
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