-Who is Vivianne Rosenberg?
I came from Nabas, Aklan, in the Western Visayas Province of the Philippines, which is quite literally the
gateway to a paradise called Boracay Island. I immigrated with my family to San Francisco, California,
when I was eight. I am the third child of eight, six girls and two boys. Presently, I reside with my family
in Los Angeles, California. I have been married to a wonderful partner for 29 years, we have four adult
children, and I am a doting grandmother to Jude.
I’m a lifelong storyteller and adventurer. My humble beginnings and upbringing in a foreign country are
formative. Traveling from the Philippines to San Francisco as a young child, coupled with an immersion
in music, art, food and literature from the ’60s to the ’90s, fueled my imagination and shaped my
worldview. It’s also worth noting that my upbringing was non-traditional, even by immigrant family
standards. There were a lot of complexities within my family of origin that are deeply ingrained in who I
am. I became a dreamer, consumed by thoughts of my aspirations, the people I’d encounter, and the
places I’d visit. These experiences instilled in me a strong sense of self-expectation and ambition, coupled
with a natural desire for independence and freedom from a young age.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
I fell in love with film/cinema before moving to America. We lived in Manila for a year while waiting for
our final Visa. My grandmother, Josefine, loved going to the cinema and I had the luck of asking her one
day if I could come along with my two older sisters. The experience was unlike anything we’d ever done
growing up in an oceanside province.
Walking closely with my grandmother and taking a seat, I smelled food, tobacco, candies, felt cold air,
which was the air conditioner filling the massive room. I was in bewilderment at the people sitting in
rows. Once the lights went out, I squeezed my grandmother’s hand, and soon I was captured by the big
screen showing a beautiful, dramatic woman crying. Although I could not understand the dialect, I
understood the plot, the romance between the two characters, and their hardship. It brought so many
emotions to my young, innocent heart. I still love going to the theatre and remembering the actress’s
name, Susan Roces.
–Tell us about your project, “The Connecting Betrayal”.
My screenplay, The Connecting Betrayal, is a psychological thriller and an epic story about a woman
experiencing a midlife crisis—the Connecting Betrayal came at a time when I was in the depths of
depression, vulnerability, and a serious series of doubts in my life.
I really wanted to highlight the often untold but largely universal experience of aging women- the grief
and loss of family and friends over time, but also the dreams, desires, and longings that both re emerge
and develop. The hormonal changes that women experience during menopause can lead to self-doubt and
a lack of confidence. For those of us who spent years raising families, the empty nest highlights a shift in
one’s purpose. I found myself looking at my life from a bird’s eye view, searching for the things I thought
I was missing in the wrong places.
Not unlike so many women, this time in life was very tumultuous for me. Who are we if we aren’t just mothers and homemakers? Where do I begin and end, separate from my family and my children and/or
grandchildren?
I was able to take my experiences and my ideas of self and others around this time and transform them
into Valerie’s story.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
I continue to be inspired by my legendary father-in-law, Stuart Rosenberg, who was most remembered for his Film Classics: Cool Hand Luke, Amityville Horror, The Pope Of The Greenwich Village. He was a
true visual storyteller and master of his art; He was the first to direct an actress to make car washing look
seductive with just soap and water. He also created the iconic scene of the prison guard on his horse
wearing sunglasses where the camera hones in and you see what is reflected onto the sunglasses: the
prisoners’ reflections on the ground. This ability to tell stories in ways that zone in on the details in a way
that is practical but poignant. You feel the sexiness and lewdness of the woman washing the car and you
feel the oppressive way the prison guard stands sentinel over the prisoners. Secondly, I admire Martin
Scorsese for his impressive accolades and ability to bring out the rawest and grittiest performances from
his actors. I loved the Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Killers of the Flower Moon, and The Wolf of Wall Street. –
-What do you dislike about the world, and what would you change?
I dislike the violence in the world, our communities, and the corruption in Politics. There are some
solutions, which include beginning at home. Teaching your children self-respect and for others, from
drugs to bullying, and learn to choose the right people to have as friends. In politics, we can vote for the
right reasons or for someone who can be positive and protect the country. It often feels like so much is out of our control, but I do think if I could change anything, it would be to provide others with the empathy and accountability to each do our part as agents for good. It would be a start.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I imagine that cinema will have only AI and computer-generated creative visuals—I fear humans will be
less and less necessary and actors might not even be needed! My hope is that this isn’t the case and that
actors, writers, and creatives across the industry are still highly sought after for innovative thinking and
purpose.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
WILD FILMMAKER has created opportunities for individuals such as myself, who seek to bring ideas to
life through their art and creativity. In my case, this presents in the form of my script. It’s a platform that
celebrates the human side of film and cinema and I am humbled and grateful for this opportunity and for
being interviewed by WILD FILMMAKER. It’s incredible and it’s WILD.
