There’s a new BC film shot here in the province called A Safe Distance. We sat down with the film’s lead actress and associate producer, Bethany Brown. 

OCT: Your film debuted at the Rio Theatre and screened at the Vancouver International Film Festival. A lot happens in the first 30 minutes, and we don’t want to give too much away because we want viewers to experience it as we did. We spent the next half hour on the edge of our seats. It’s the type of film where you know something bad is going to happen. Can you give us an overview of your character, Alex, and her transformation?
BB: That’s such a task because the movie is set up so you see a snapshot of the ending and then bounce back to the beginning. My character, Alex, is a person who has spent her life trying to be a good woman, a girlfriend and daughter. She has a checklist of things she should check off to make sure she’s good at all those things. But it doesn’t leave much room for discovering herself, her own desires and her own identity. Basically, that’s what you get through this movie: an ignition of female desire, which comes with some huge and unforeseen consequences about how that might affect the people around us as we endeavour to find ourselves.

OCT: Most of this film takes place in the great outdoors. It’s like a film noir with a touch of erotica, set amid BC’s beautiful scenery. Another strength is the chemistry you have with the other actress, Tandia Mercedes, who plays Kianna. Talk about your character’s relationship with her.
BB: Kianna was really important to me. It was important to create chemistry and tension where it’s like two magnets, and it’s almost inevitable that they’re going to collide. Whether the audience is rooting them on or going, “Oh, don’t do it!” was the huge objective. One thing that helped was having about a month of rehearsals. We had time together to build trust, explore and get creative. We could think of fun ways to spark up that crackling chemistry on screen. We’re so happy that’s what audiences are taking away from it.

OCT: The chemistry is instant, so you spent time workshopping and getting to know each other. It’s also great to see two strong female characters in a film. The men think they’re strong, but they’re clearly not.
BB: Maybe I’ll leave that with you! No, I’m kidding, because I think we have four complex characters. In my book, nobody’s ultimately good or bad. It’s a series of decisions we each make, and the audience gets to judge whether they’re on our side. I love our male characters because they try so hard and get so much right. Then there are these gaps. I think about Alex and her lack of communication. She doesn’t communicate much of what she’s feeling or wanting, or even give the other person the opportunity to say no or compromise. She comes from such a people-pleasing lens that doing that might feel burdensome. Obviously, she changes throughout the film. I love our male characters and the male actors as well. They’re smart and emotionally intelligent. I can’t rave enough about our cast. It really is a wonderful group of people.

OCT: We’re certainly not criticizing them as actors because they’re delivering their parts to move the story along.
BB: I understand each of them so well from their own perspective. I want it to be complex, and I want us to see ourselves and some of our own mistakes in these characters. We’re all going to make mistakes.

OCT: Your character’s transformation becomes apparent early on. You’re on a camping trip with one of the male characters, and you come across as someone doing this for your partner’s benefit rather than your own. We also love seeing actors expand their credentials off camera. People will recognize you from The Flash, The 100, Charmed, The Good Doctor and Murder in a Small Town. You’re busy as an actor, but you’re also the associate producer. The more tools in your arsenal, the better.
BB: I wanted to take on that role because, as you say, I’ve spent so many hours on set. I didn’t want to miss opportunities to help. We had people taking on roles for the first time. Our director was directing a feature film for the first time, and we had someone in a supporting or another lead acting role for the first time. I didn’t want there to be moments when I could have offered something but couldn’t because I was only the lead actor. I wanted to come in as a producer and say, “Hey, I’ll offer anything I can in my arsenal with any level of mentorship.” I knew I could help us get over the line with distribution, a festival run, or even packaging if we needed to discuss that. During pre-production, I attended rehearsals. We also set things up so actors could meet me in a coffee shop to run lines, work on characters, do our bookwork and analyze the script together. It opened up opportunities for me to connect with different members of our team.

OCT: I love the fact that this movie premiered at SXSW.
BB: It sure did.

OCT: That’s one of the coolest festivals on the planet. How exciting is it to bring this movie home? You were born in Burnaby and grew up in the Okanagan.
BB: It’s weirdly special. Going to the other festivals felt far more like my job. I often go on location, but at the Rio Theatre, so many family and friends came out, and I’m thrilled. I texted them, saying, “Just so you know, there’s intimacy and some violence in this film,” because it’s part of my job, and I wanted to warn them ahead of time. It’s so different when you put it in the context of my friends and family who’ve known me since I was really little. They’re coming to see this movie, and I’m like, “I still hope you like me after you see this film.”