Film by Ava Torres and Helmann Wilhelm: Killing Time

 

 

 

“Killing Time” is about Evelyn, a disgruntled, actress who – years after graduating from university – is still in debt and still searching for work. Never given the chance to experience life to the fullest, Evelyn decides to check into a five-star hotel to commit suicide, but not before maxing out her credit cards.

“Killing Time” came to my co-director, Helmann Wilhelm, and me while having a conversation about the spatial relation that hotels have with the individual. It later evolved into us researching about hotels, the people that inhabit the space, and events that take place in hotels. We came across a story about a young woman who checked into a five-star hotel to commit suicide, but changed her mind immediately. The sudden change of heart sparked a dialogue between us as to what could have changed her mind, and the possible explanation behind such a rash decision in the first place. Thus, we came up with the idea of Killing Time; however, instead of rehashing the typical story about someone who did not commit suicide due to love, we decided to tell the unique story of someone who wanted to experience decadence before death, and equated self-worth to the objects she owns. We wanted to explore this concept through the lens of someone in their late-20s and expand on what kind of consequences it would have on a person who has bought into a culture of instant gratification—the result being one of cyclical numbness.

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Ava Torres has a love for film and photography and is never seen without a camera. She has worked as a VFX and Production Assistant on the award-winning documentary, “My Father and the Man in Black,” which was selected at the Raindance Film Festival, NXNE and the Vancouver International Film Festival, among others. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto in Cinema Studies and Spanish, and she has most recently completed her Masters in Spanish Literature.

Born in Denton, Texas, Helmann Wilhelm has been writing screenplays since he was 16-years-old. A graduate from the University of Toronto’s Cinema Studies program, he has previously worked as a Script Reader and Production Assistant for the Nakamura Group, and has more recently worked as Trainee Assistant Director on “Suicide Squad” with Margot Robbie, Will Smith and Jared Leto. Helmann is currently writing his 5th feature, “Macabre Christmas” while working as a member of the Directors Guild of Canada.