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India Menuez: I was really hesitant to take the role, because of the seriousness of this topic. Like the glamorization of drug abuse, I didn't want to be a part of another film that made self-harm appealing. I have been lucky enough to experience the effects of suicide only second-hand. It is a real, tragic, and complicated thing, but art should be able to discuss all issues.Alexandra Marzella: It's something one contemplates often enough—a possible means of escape. Suicide and artists go hand-in-hand, unfortunately.
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Menuez: Sure, part of a desire for diverse roles and projects is to create a confusing public image, to make people think. But it also comes out of a personal need to be challenged. More then surpassing an audiences expectations, I am interested in also surprising myself.As you develop your identities in film and art, is "coolness" something you take into account? Or is it an accidental byproduct of what you happen to be doing?
Marzella: Sure, the latter. The "cool" vibe you're getting from this particular film is pretty purposeful.Menuez: I try to live up to my ten-year-old self's standard of cool. Beyond that, I try not to feel too embarrassed about the word "cool" and its diluting overuse.
Marzella: I'm not from the city originally, but I can say NYC has changed me in ways I can't really describe. It's possible Family Tree has something to do with this concept but for me maybe it's more about disillusionment with life rather than a particular place.Manuez: New York's constant state of change is what gives it its jagged desperation. The character I play in Family Tree is not from New York like I am. I think she feels like the city that made her is dying, and so she must die with it. But growing up here, I don't feel so melodramatic about it. I guess I just get tired of hearing people from elsewhere complain about the city not living up to their dreams. I don't know if New York City can lose its core authenticity no matter how much it's gentrified.Thanks.