Middlebury filmmaker Kyle Rodgers, who used Waterbury-area locations to make a short film about how mental illness affects a loving couple, will show that film on Nov. 5 in Seymour.
The 20-minute film, “The Universe Is Under No Obligation To Make Sense To You,” tells the story of Kathryn and Jessica. Kathryn is having a psychological episode where she sees her doppelganger, who abuses her. Jessica tries to help her.
The film gets its title from a quote by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson about the chaotic nature of the universe.
Rodgers, a Vernon native and 2004 graduate of Rockville High School, learned filmmaking at Manchester Community College and the University of Hartford.
He has made films before — a science fiction short and a short doc about “the meaning of home” — but this film is based on his own experiences.
“The idea sprung from me. I would physically hurt myself. It did it for a long time. I was aware I was hurting myself and I was trying to stop doing it at the same time,” Rodgers said. “I wanted to physically portray that, rather than internally and mentally portray it, by depicting it in film.”
The couple, though same-sex, is inspired by Rodgers and his wife.
“You need someone to help get you through it. The character of Jessica is partly based on my wife. The character of Kathryn is an amalgamation of things I’ve learned in therapy and discussed in groups,” he said.
He said he hopes to inspire others with mental illness to reach out.
“I wanted a way to help people know that if they seem like they are all alone, they are not. There is always someone willing to listen to you,” he said. “It took me a long time to come to that realization.”
It was filmed at Rodgers’ house in Middlebury, Pies & Pub restaurant in Middlebury, Ace Hardware in Watertown and other locations in Waterbury. Drone shots establishing the location were all filmed above Waterbury.
The film has made the rounds of the festival circuit: Silk Road Film Awards in France, Gothamite Film Awards in New York, Indie Movie Spark Film Festival in the Netherlands and four other international festivals.
The Seymour screening will be at the Strand Theater, 165 Main St., at 7 p.m. Admission is $5. Rodgers will do a Q&A after the screening.
Susan Dunne can be reached at sdunne@courant.com.
