NZIFF Q&A 2021 - Jan Oliver Lucks, There is no I in Threesome

How’s your 2021 been? 

In general a weird year of course, but personally it has been the best year since 2015! Felt like personal progress was on hold until this film came out and now, suddenly, a lot of life has been crammed into a short 10 months. I am super grateful.

Give us the elevator pitch for your film in 10 words.  Fantasised about having threesomes? What if your partner says “yes”?

The one moment of your film that stands out Using a home-enema-kit in front of Bowie the dog, who is now forever scarred.

The one moment of your film that you wish you could have changed After HBO came on board we made some great changes with them. Especially in the final act. There is one shot we cut (thematically it didn’t make sense anymore) and I miss it. It was Zoe cowering on the 10 meter tower after I had jumped. She looked deflated and cold and alone. A long shot drenched in melancholic beauty.

The one moment of your film that you think audiences will connect to This is a film about a relationship, not polyamory. So I think some of the highs and lows will be very relatable to anyone that has been in a long term relationship.

A moment I love is when I meet my fiancée’s boyfriend for the first time. I think we usually have a sense for when someone is a threat to us as a couple. Someone that could destabilise the “us”. In the film we just bring all that animosity and primal rivalry to the surface. 

The one moment of production during a Covid world that saw you enraged by the pandemic. 

For us this current Delta outbreak is the top-tier bummer. After more than 5 years making this film, we as a team are so excited to finally show our film at home. Losing all of the Auckland screenings and having remaining New Zealand locations run only at 50% capacity. It sucks.

Especially because we are not 100% sure when HBO will release There is No I in Threesome in New Zealand via streaming. I really feel for Marten Rabarts and his team at the NZIFF having to organise and run a film festival in such uncertain times.

The one moment of production during a Covid world that really saw you seize your film's concept and refuse to give up.  We had many hurdles before Covid but we never wavered and got through it all. It has been an incredible team with the astute and experienced leadership of Alexander Behse and Alex Reed. Filmmaking is problem solving. Always.

What's next for you?  I just signed with US based talent agency ICM which is great. They have facilitated meetings and new connections and now I am developing a series about Wilbur and myself trying to become more of an “alpha-male”, only to discover how stupid and harmful that pursuit is.

The one film from the 2021 New Zealand International film Festival that everyone should see - apart from yours.  I am most excited to see Fiona Clark: Unafraid by Lula Cucchiara. Lula is such a positive force for empathy and acceptance… I can’t wait to see that translated into image and sound on the big screen.