Writer and director Wyatt Rockefeller boldly embarks onto the Martian frontier for his feature debut Settlers, a dystopian sci-fi western. The plot centres around parents Reza (Jonny Lee Miller) and Ilsa (Sofia Boutella) as they seek refuge whilst striving to build a prosperous life for their young daughter Remmy (Brooklynn Prince). When their home is threatened by the mysterious Jerry (Ismael Cruz Cordova), the family face a desperate battle for survival.
Set on an evolving Martian frontier in an unknown future, sci-fi drama Settlers centres around a family’s battle for survival. As parents Reza (Jonny Lee Miller) and Ilsa (Sofia Boutella) try to build a life for their daughter Remmy (Brooklynn Prince), their home is threatened by mysterious stranger Jerry (Ismael Cruz Cordova) who is looking for answers. I took the opportunity to sit down with the writer and director Wyatt Rockefeller to chat about his striking debut…
You’ve had quite the journey to finally making your first feature, after lots of shorts, commercials, and docs and a break for politics too. What was it about Settlers that made you take the plunge?
Well, when I first had the idea for Settlers, I was actually working on another feature to come off the heels of one of my shorts. I had the spark of an idea and then it all came really quickly. It hit me at a gut level which is a good sign! I mentioned it to a few producers including my wife who’s actually one of the producers on this, and the story really told itself. Within 15 minutes, I had the plot in my head right up until Jerry puts the gun on the table.
Sean Baker made some waves in the film industry when he released crime comedy Tangerine a couple of years ago, shot entirely on an iPhone. The critical acclaim of the micro-budget marvel helped to springboard the director to his next feature The Florida Project; a mother-daughter drama set in the dishevelled surroundings of Disney World. Taking place at the Magic Castle motel run by Bobby (Willem Dafoe), the story centres around fun-loving six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) and her friends. As they happily run riot around the town, her mother Halley (Bria Vinaite) struggles to make ends meet, going to increasingly desperate measures to pay the rent each week.
Cinema Perspective 