In a world of vastly unoriginal film content, Eructation is a film that dives into the life of Kaylee, a woman attempting to go for the loudest burp ever recorded.
Ahead of its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in March, Victoria Trow spoke to us about the film’s conceptual origin and all-around journey.
Film News Blitz’s Oscar Trinick brings us this interview on the inspirational mockumentary short.
The origins of ‘Eructation’
Where on earth did you come up with the idea for something like this?
Victoria Trow: “The idea for this literally came because Kaylee burped in my face.
“We were hanging out on a beach, we’re kind of in a big friendship group, and we were hanging out on a beach in Central Oregon, and I was right next to the beer cooler, and she grabbed a beer, chugged it, and then just ripped this fat burp.
“And so I said to her, ‘Wow, that’s amazing. What an amazing burp’.
“I complimented her on it, and she said, really boldly, ‘I’m going to go for the world record’.
“So obviously, as a curious human, I was like, tell me everything. What’s the record? How loud does it need to be? How do you burp so loudly?
“And I just, we chatted for about two hours, and she just answered all of my ridiculous questions.
“And then after the weekend, I went away, and I was thinking about this. And she was saying things when we were chatting, like, well, I’ve got this talent.
“I’ve got to try and do something with it, right? And that just really stuck with me.
“And then I thought this would be an amazing short documentary. So I eventually pitched it to her. And she said, yes, after she said no.”
The stylistic choices
Obviously, it is kind of in a documentary style, but it almost feels like a mockumentary, like you’re kind of making fun of this kind of athleticism that is being pushed to ridiculous points. Was this kind of always the approach that you wanted to go for?
Victoria Trow: “I bumped into her [Kaylee] at a food cart because we live in the same neighbourhood.
“And I went, ‘I want to make a documentary’. And she went, ‘What the fuck, no’.
“And so then I was like, OK, will you let me pitch it to you? And in the pitch I gave her, I’d made this mood board, and my whole thought was, we will elevate this burp, and we will make it beautiful.
“And I’m really inspired by fashion film. I love movies so much, so I really wanted to give it an aesthetic.
“But it’s like that Venn diagram between the absurd and the artful, and then what can be in the middle.
“But yeah, and every choice we made with the crew that we assembled and how we shot it was all to elevate it and to give it an aesthetic.
“I think that doing that, it made something that is kind of gross, a burp.
“And the documentary gave it a look and a vibe, and it, yeah, I love that you picked up on the mockumentary thing because I love mockumentary film so much. It’s always been a huge inspiration for me.
“I love that when I’ve even told people this idea, they’re like, it sounds like a mockumentary. And then I love being able to say it’s real and people don’t believe it.”
Was it tough for you to find this balance between the comical style and this inspirational side of the story?
Victoria Trow: “Not really. I think that it kind of went hand in hand right from that first chat I had with Kaylee on that beach where she said, ‘I’m going for the world record for loudest female, but if I’ve got a talent, I’ve got to try it, right?’
“So the two things came hand in hand. I think it’s a very absurd topic and quite unbelievable.
“But then, you know, I’m thinking a lot about world records, these people, it’s very easy not to go for it.
“It’s very easy not to go for most matchsticks in a nostril or, you know, most bees in a beard.
“But if you can do it, why not?
“I honestly, I found Kaylee really inspiring, and the amount of thought she put into how to get the world record, some of the tactics she used are weird and crazy and awesome and so visual as well.
Getting ready to show ‘Eructation’ at SXSW
How does it feel to be able to premiere this at a major film festival for you?
Victoria Trow: “I mean, it’s beyond what I expected. I think I made this film to make something for me. And it was my, it’s the first thing I’ve ever made. So I really had zero expectations for it.
“And so the fact that people have received it so well, and it’s going to SXSW. It’s just incredible. And I’m so excited to show it to people.
“I cannot wait to watch it in a movie theatre with the sound in 5.1 and hear that burp with a room full of people and just see how they react.
“I think that’s going to be the best thing, the best feeling in the whole world.”
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