Hi, my name is Caitlin Busby and I am the director of Bedbugs.
So I think bedbugs presents itself
initially to be about one thing.
And then you kind of quickly realize that there's some deeper
stuff going on.
As we all know, COVID hit the world in
the spring of 2020, and
I was in grad school in New York City at the time,
and everything went remote and I was in a writing class
and I had this just wonderful teacher,
and he gave us an assignment which was so simple,
but he just said,
Write a short story synopsis around an image
that you just can't shake from your mind.
And I just kept seeing this image of this woman
dragging this mattress out of her apartment and spray
painting the words bedbugs on it.
But I kept feeling like there was more to it
than just real bedbugs. So
that was the image that just sparked everything
I started exploring from from there
in both my directing classes and my writing classes, shooting
exercises on the weekend, surrounding ideas
with the script and like, slowly kind of like carved out
the idea in the script for Bedbugs.
You know, I'm in grad school because I want to pursue
filmmaking on on a different level.
And my hope is that with every single film I tackle,
there's real meaning and energy and purpose behind it
for me on a personal level.
So for this film, I really wanted to explore,
you know, challenging topics that exist, topics that feel
taboo in a lot of ways as far as how we talk about them
in art
and explore them emotionally as human beings in the world.
Since shooting bedbugs, it has become an even more
complicated landscape.
But I am, you know, very aware of
of the ideas behind like bodily autonomy
and like what women are faced with culturally and in society.
And like,
I just want to find ways to empower people and spark
spark conversation as best I can in my work.
You know, can't leave that there right?
Why?
The city will fine you.
There's like 50 people living in this building.
How will they know it's me?
I could call them and let them know.
And you're out.
100 bucks.
You serious.
Yeah. Okay.
Well, you're probably going to the dumpster down
the corner.
That's very avant garde.
Okay.
Yeah.
So is it true? But bedbugs.
I think this fashion statement is just for show.
It's heat.
You know that.
That's what kills them.
That's way at least
you smoke the
thanks for the help.
Yeah.
Happens.
You know, we live in a city as no matter who you are,
the sort of ---
they get in and I smell blood.
They're coming for you.
Oh, it's snuck in on me.
Sorry.
It's one of my favorites.
Comfortable midline.
Good mattress for a fresh start.
You guys deliver?
Yeah.
Free delivery. Same day.
We could even take away the old one.
That's okay.
But delivery is great.
Take your time
Excuse me, miss?
You dropped this.
Thanks.
Yeah, no problem.