Interview with the Stars of The Baby Formula
Comedy's Weird Science Gives Birth to Laughs
Jun 19, 2009
According to published scientific reports, stem cells from two female mice have yielded ‘sperm’ and pregnancies. Alison Reid's film the Baby Formula simply flips the concept into the human realm where we meet our plucky pregnant pioneers.
The women’s families are only grudgingly accepting of their sexuality to begin with and this latest news is just too much. Who’s the real father? Is it a brother? No one believes that they are pregnant with each others children and a ton of dysfunction is let loose. Parents, step parents, grandparents and friends attempt to come to terms with the news as the mothers to be weigh things in this ‘reality’-style comedy from first fim feature director Alison Reid.
Suite 101 spoke with Megan Fahlenbock and Angela Vint. The Baby Formula's baby mamas, in Toronto.
AB – This is rare - maybe the only time two pregnant stars played pregnant leads. You’ve made movie history.
MF - That's exactly why Ali made this film! She always wanted to tell the story of two women having each others biological children, but the movie probably wouldn't exist yet if Angela or I hadn't gotten pregnant when we did. When she found out we were both pregnant, we started shooting the next day!
AV - It was so amazing to be a part of a film that actually encouraged me to embrace my pregnancy instead of hiding it behind camera angles or lighting tricks. You very rarely see pregnant women in films and to have 2 of them at the same time, being sensual and intimate with one another was a cool process to be involved in. I was so lucky on so
many levels with this film and being able to work in such a great environment made me feel sexy and helped me to enjoy my pregnancy even more.
AB - The film posits that human sperm can be made from female stem cells, as in mice. And I was told it isn’t science fiction. I’m guessing you’re about to get a LOT of attention over this. Are you ready?
MF - I think so ... I'm not a scientist of course and I have only read a few articles on the science ... but Alison has my back. So bring it on!
AV - I only hope that the science we present in our film will get people interested in talking about it. Hopefully it can bring a little positive awareness to it so that it may be able to continue with the research and one day makes it a reality. I think everyone should have the right to fall in love with whomever they want and be able to create a family from within that relationship, regardless of sexual orientation or fertility challenges. Stem cell research is currently trying to find a way to do that so if we can help that in the slightest of ways it would be an achievement.
AB - You shot the film with Alison Reid, a first time director, on a micro budget, and shot in her home. Is it fun working so personally with the cast and crew?
MF - Definitely. I'm not going to lie, I do love having a trailer, and a big paycheck, but I love the "family" a micro budget instantly creates. I'm a down to earth girl, and I believe that we all have a job to do to make a great film and we are all equal, so I try to create that family-feel on most sets that I'm on. But with something like this, which was such a personal experience, and really micro, we were all there for the love of the art, and in turn, each other.
AV - When you work on a low budget feature it is very different than working on a blockbuster. Since there is so little money available for everyone, you know that the crew is there for the art- not the paycheck. With that in mind something really cool happens.
AB - The film had humble beginnings as a short and now it’s a full feature, a success on the film festival circuit and it’s been sold in several countries. Do you think about that?
MF - Honestly, I try not to think about that because I don't want to be disappointed if my career isn't affected, positively of course. But I definitely secretly hope that my agent is going to get a call from someone BIG wanting to make a movie with me, and offering me a lot of money to do it!
AV - I was so excited to hear about how well embraced we were by the European audiences. I have dual citizenship and would love to have the ability to work in European cinema. Coming from a Scottish household I was raised on BBC TV and film so to be able to work in those circles would be a dream come true for me.
