SXSW Interview: Elizabeth Reaser & Director Andrew Droz Palermo On ‘ONE & TWO’

Kiernan Shipka stars in ONE & TWO. Photo courtesy of Bow and Arrow Entertainment.

Preston Barta // Editor

One of SXSW’s best features is undoubtedly Andrew Droz Palermo’s ONE & TWO. The film is a dark and powerful drama of the inseparable bond between siblings.

While Palermo may not be a household name, his feature film debut will surely put him on top and make him known. From the get-go it was apparent ONE & TWO was going to be something special – based on its small human narrative and the supernatural elements surrounding it – but it got better by the minute. It’s a real sly wonder of a film.

Writer-director Andrew Droz Palermo and Elizabeth Reaser.

Fresh Fiction had the chance to sit down with Elizabeth Reaser (THE TWILIGHT SAGA) and Palermo (cinematographer of YOU’RE NEXT and RICH HILL) to talk about the mystery of their film, the richness within, and if they would lead a similar life.

One of the things that I loved about the movie is that it is so reflective– like the scenes with Daniel (Grant Bowler) and the kids, where they question themselves and where they are. Going into the mindset of your characters, do you learn something more about yourself in the process? Do playing characters in movies affect who you are as a person?

It’s unfortunate that Grant had to leave early because I was really interested with his perspective of evil, with portraying such a mean guy on screen. But he played it so well.
It made me think about at what point does evil become likable. You know, like Darth Vader or something. What do you think?

Was it easy or difficult to walk away from when principal photography wrapped?

I imagine it’s nice to work on it, leave and come back after awhile so it feels fresh again.

This movie, to me, was a powerful drama about the inseparable bond between siblings. I’m not sure if you have brothers and/or sisters, but are that close with your siblings?

Do you think you would ever live in an isolated environment like they do in the film– away from technology and the outside world?

ONE & TWO screens tomorrow, Mar. 18 at 7:45 p.m. at the Satellite Venue: Marchesa.

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Preston Barta

I have been working as a film journalist since 2010, dividing the first four years between radio broadcasting and entertainment writing in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. In 2014, I entered Fresh Fiction (FreshFiction.tv) as the features editor. The following year, I stepped into the film critic position at the Denton Record-Chronicle, a daily North Texas print publication. My time is dedicated to writing theatrical film reviews, at-home entertainment columns, and conducting interviews with on-screen talent and filmmakers, as well as hosting a podcast devoted to genre filmmaking (called My Bloody Podcast). I've been married for ten happy years, and I have one son who is all about dinosaurs just like his dad.