Noel Paganotti – An Ideal of Liberty

Noel Paganotti, the filmmaker behind An Ideal of Liberty took some time to answer some question about his film that will be playing at the Utah Film Festival January 7th at the Towne Hub in American Fork UT. 

An Ideal of Liberty is set in 1929, an African American couple is being forced out of their home by the government after a railroad is set to be built on top of their land. Bill will have to choose between leaving with his wife and baby or stay and protect his house and legacy.

What was the inspiration to make An Ideal of Liberty?

I wanted to tell a story that wasn’t afraid to be real, to tackle real life issues, and that could relate to each one of us individually. A powerful film, with topics that some consider we shouldn’t be talking about. But to forget is to repeat our history, and I believe that important stories can never be forgotten, but instead have to be shown to all. This was the inspiration for me to make this film.

From idea to completion, how did An Ideal of Liberty change?  

I always wanted to make a western and after seeing the Hateful Eight play out in one location I said to myself: “So its doable”, but I wanted something different. And it started that way, and as the film was being written I noticed that this wasn’t it… This wasn’t a film about a hero or a villain, this was the story of a man that didn’t want to lose his home and family, but he was forced to pick between them… So, after many changes, the western turned into western/drama until ultimately, became An Ideal of Liberty.

What was the biggest challenge in getting this film made? 

The ending. The entirety of this film was interesting and incredibly intense to write, but the ending needed to work. I was terrified… Because if the ending sucked, the whole movie no matter how good, became pointless. The script was only completely locked for shooting one week prior to principal photography. Another challenge was the location and clothing. I couldn’t find the house… I searched for weeks until I found one where I was finally certain… And when I visited the place, I was 100% in. This was it.

What do you think is the most important takeaway from your film?

Fight for what you believe in. The road ahead is bumpy and scary, sometimes the whole world is against you. But always pick your battles and don’t be afraid to show who you are in the process, because ultimately, the one that will take the consequences of any action, is YOU.

If you could have a do over with An Ideal of Liberty is there anything that you
would have done differently? If so, what would you change?

Nothing. I believe that if we question ourselves with what could have been not only it is torture, but it all lead to the moment we all watched. All the hits or misses of the writing throughout the process were there, so that ultimately we could all watch the final product.

What do you have in the works?

I am currently working on a thriller/horror feature film called, “SLEEPLESS”, and I am looking for investors. A murder mystery set in a small town, where everything and everyone seems to be against you, bringing in inspirations from David Fincher’s SEVEN and Dennis Villeneuve’s PRISONERS. A dark murder mystery, attempting to stop a serial killer, before its too late. I’d love to share more details but… shhhhhh, it’s a secret still! Keep your eyes and ears open for more information!!!

Noel Paganotti is a Brazilian filmmaker, who graduated Film & Media Arts BA from the University of Utah.

Noel has been selected internationally for his films, in the USA, Italy and Brazil, for his films “Cruciatu: Life is a Game” and “A Wish from the Moon”.

Also working as an Editor for “Safer At Home”, an LGBTQA+ Web-Series about a couple in marriage counseling, discussing many important topics such as the Black Lives Matter Movement, the struggle of the LGBTQA+ community in the USA and the recent rise in racism towards the Asian Community, during the pandemic.

The pilot screenplay for In Search of Shadows became a finalist at the Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay Competition.

He aims to tell personal stories that resonate across cultures, time, that give out an IMPACT to whoever watches his films.