Director, producer, writer Talia Shea Levin’s erotic, quirky satire “Make Me A Pizza” (2024) feels like a modern seventies’ mock porn with attitude. A hungry (in more ways than one) woman calls a pizza delivery guy and fantasizes about him delivering more to her than just his cheesy sausage filled pizza, and they embark on a bumpy messy ride together. Inventive, wacky and hilarious, it is sure to make viewers belly laugh.

The film had its World Premiere at SXSW in early 2024 and its California premiere in Palm Springs Film Festival PSIFF in late 2024. It has traveled around the country to international film festivals, winning multiple awards along the way. 

In an interview with Talia about her film, here is what she had to say: 

Can you tell how you got into writing and directing?  

TALIA: I can’t remember when I first started writing. It seems like it’s been for almost as long as I’ve been able to speak. It was a necessary thing for me, like sleeping or breathing. In eighth grade I signed up to be the assistant director of the spring musical - it was SOUTH PACIFIC. I loved movies, but theater was a more accessible activity for me as a kid. I was hooked on the creative freedom and play and chaos of directing right away. I stayed in theater through high school and college and started to bring filmmaking more and more into the fold until it took over and became my life.  

What do you find most challenging about the indie film industry today?

TALIA: Nothing is guaranteed. This industry has never been an easy one, but It’s been a particularly tough couple of years with the pandemic, the strikes, now the LA wildfires... Film workers have taken some of the hardest hits of the general intensity of life under late-stage capitalism. People are losing their spark left and right and it’s hard to keep the lights on. I remain hopeful that we’ll emerge from this all with more freedom and abandon in the stories we tell than ever. In the meantime, I’ll keep pushing the rock up the mountain. 

You've mainly worked on short films so far. What do you love more about shorts that features can't do? 

TALIA: I want to make features, but I don’t have the funding (yet). Shorts are cheaper, and because of that they’re a great way to prove what a creative unit of a film crew can do, which hopefully leads to more support to widen the scope of whatever project comes next.

Your latest film Make Me a Pizza is hilarious. Can you tell us what inspired you to make it?

TALIA: Actor and co-writer Woody Coyote and I first had the idea in early 2020. I didn’t take it seriously until the absurdity of the world during the pandemic matched the absurdity of the story and laughter began to feel essential. I wanted to abandon the idea that there was something I was “supposed” to make, and I was tired of checking off all the boxes on a soul-sucking hunt for validation. Nothing is guaranteed and no one is paying attention! Might as well bring people as much joy and goop as possible. 

How long did it take you to make and was it difficult to shoot the sex scenes? 

TALIA: We shot the film in June 2023, so it was over 3 years from the seed of the idea to its premiere at SXSW in March 2024. The film is structured entirely around the central sex scene. I wanted to be as prepared for that challenge as possible so that by the time we got around to shooting it the fear was gone, and we were able to - crazy concept - even enjoy the process. I don’t know if we quite got there because it’s hard for anyone to enjoy being covered in marinara and fake cheese for six consecutive hours, but I do know that, with the help of intimacy coordinator Felicia Armstrong, our co-stars Woody and Sophie Neff felt thoroughly supported in their performances. Producer Kara Grace Miller and I took a cue from the best practices of intimacy coordination and applied the idea of enthusiastic consent to the entire hiring process. If we didn’t get a “hell yes” to working on an erotic, absurdist pizza film, then it wasn’t the right fit. This meant our whole crew was able to contribute to the environment that made it easier for Woody and Sophie to take creative risks in their performances and find grace through goop.

Your film has traveled to international film festivals. How was that experience?

TALIA: MAKE ME A PIZZA has had a dream of a festival run - from SXSW and Sitges to Calgary Underground and Cucalorus … in any given year even one of these would’ve been incredible, but to be selected by 40+ festivals worldwide? I still can’t quite comprehend there are that many twisted weirdos who love pizza as much as we do, but I’m very grateful for them and for every programmer, fellow filmmaker, and enthusiastic audience member who has supported us along the way. The biggest takeaway from the onslaught of films, and insight, and contacts gained from all these fests is just that really the only way to make stuff is to keep making stuff. So mixed into the sheer joy of sharing work it’s also been an exhausting and a bit of a sobering year overall, but I feel prepared for whatever comes next.

Where can people see your films?

TALIA: MAKE ME A PIZZA is still playing at festivals around the world but will be online for all to enjoy a slice on Vimeo in February, just in time for National Pizza Pie Day on February 9th. Most of my work is available on my website www.taliashealevin.com

Why is it so important for filmmakers to attend film festivals? 

TALIA: Producer Kara and I made it to 19 fests in person in 2024 on multiple continents and in between gigs and personal and global catastrophes, and I’d do it all again. I love the craft of making films, every detail, I really do, but it’s all for nothing if it’s not shared. Festivals grant the opportunity to screen your film in a packed theater to an enthusiastic audience, which is increasingly rare for indie films especially, and to be inspired by other filmmakers’ work that you might not see anywhere else. I’ve made so many close friends at film festivals - some of whom came on board to make PIZZA, and some of whom now make up essential parts of my community, which grew exponentially this year through PIZZA’s festival odyssey. Film is a communal effort, it takes a village, and festivals are where the foundations are laid. It was also such fun to celebrate with so many PIZZA team members when they were able to attend festivals too and get to sit back and see them get rightfully lauded for their amazing work. 

What will you be working on next?  

TALIA: All efforts point toward making my first feature as a writer/director, while building sustainability for myself as an artist. I’m developing a handful of potential ideas - one is a feature-length continuation of MAKE ME A PIZZA, and another is an eco-apocalyptic erotic sci-fi thriller. I just want to keep building worlds. 

Interview by Vanessa McMahon