Charlie Kaufman’s Haunting New Short Explores Life After Death

Charlie Kaufman’s new short film, How to Shoot a Ghost, delves into the in-between space of life and afterlife, focusing on two aimless ghosts wandering the sunlit streets of Athens. Premiering recently at Venice and shown at this week’s AFI Fest, this project marks Kaufman’s second collaboration with poet-filmmaker Eva H.D., exploring themes of memory and unresolved existence through the eerie backdrop of a city steeped in history. The film naturally incorporates the primary keyword, Charlie Kaufman How To Shoot Ghost, entwining their creative partnership with a deep sense of place and atmosphere.

The Creative Partnership Between Kaufman and Eva H.D.

Eva H.D. conceived the script during her residency in Greece, writing it specifically for Kaufman after proposing a short film set in Athens. Their collaboration began with Jackals and Fireflies, a previous short that evolved from one of Eva’s poems into a cinematic experience. Kaufman reflected on their connection, saying,

“When Eva asked if I wanted to make something there, I said yes,”

he said.

“I didn’t know Athens before. I wanted to do something that was accurate and felt like the city, and I was hoping that I could bring that.”

Their artistic relationship, described as rooted in mutual trust and appreciation for poetry and aesthetics, shaped how they approached the new film.

Kaufman remembered their meeting:

“We met each other at another arts residency, McDowell in New Hampshire, and became friends,”

he said.

“I actually included a poem of Eva’s in my movie ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things.’ It’s recited by Jesse Buckley.”

This established rapport fostered his enthusiasm for continuing to work with Eva.

“I think I like working with her,”

he added simply.

Jessie Buckley’s Return and Casting Decisions

The film brings back Jessie Buckley, who starred in Kaufman’s prior feature, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, a film noted for its existential tone. Kaufman praised Buckley’s on-screen presence:

“I love Jesse and I love working with her,”

he said.

“I think she’s an extraordinary presence on screen. It’s kind of, you know, letting her do her thing.”

The decision to cast her originated from Eva’s poetry. Kaufman explained,

“When I hired her for ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things,’ it was based—the audition was the poem that Eva wrote because I knew that I was putting a whole poem in the thing… and Jesse was so very good at it.”

Eva described Buckley’s unique qualities:

“She’s wild and extraordinary, just generally,”

Eva said.

“Her father’s a poet, her mother’s a harpist. She comes from an area of Ireland that’s all cliffs and wild winds blowing in the ocean. And that’s what she’s like.”

Experimental Approach and Shooting Challenges

Despite the shorter length of How to Shoot a Ghost, Kaufman emphasized that the filmmaking process was no easier than a traditional feature.

“I wouldn’t say it’s easier,”

he commented.

“I think it was, you know, like making any movie, it’s always a challenge. However, it does allow us to experiment with things outside of the conventional narrative structure… because people want a return on their investment, and no one’s really expecting a return on their investment here. It’s obviously much less money, so yeah, and it’s shorter, and it allows you some freedom to play in that regard.”

The film’s production took place on foot around Athens, where driving was impractical, contributing to a hectic but brief shoot that lasted only six days.

Assembling the Cast and Crew

Eva discovered co-star Josef Akiki through a Lebanese filmmaker friend, Ahmed Hossein. Eva expressed her affection for Akiki, saying,

“I love him,”

adding,

“He’s so lovable. And we found him because a friend that I had met in Greece… a Lebanese filmmaker named Ahmed Hossein… suggested, I think, three actors and Josef was our favorite by a long shot. He’s a beautiful creature.”

The film’s distinctive visual style comes courtesy of Polish director of photography Michal Dymek, known for his work on the film EO. Kaufman praised his openness and versatility:

“He’s young,”

Kaufman said.

“He did the movie ‘EO.’ He’s very versatile, very talented, and he’s got a very open spirit.”

Greek collaborator Yorgos Koutsoularis contributed real-life city scenes, aiming to capture the spontaneous and quirky spirit of Athens’ streets through a style reminiscent of street photography.

Capturing Life’s Unscripted Moments in Athens

Kaufman highlighted the unpredictable authenticity that Koutsoularis brought to the project:

“We had [Yorgos] go out and try to capture… we’re very interested in street photography. We wanted to include that sort of as an element… of this movie and of the last movie,”

Kaufman said.

“Old men arguing and pigeons and people doing quirky things… and there were things that we got from him. We got the yellow speedo guy,”

Kaufman laughed.

“He’s so great and he’s so random, and that’s the kind of joyous thing that you can’t script but you see in a city.”

Cultural Immersion and Authenticity During Production

Eva praised Kaufman’s openness throughout the production process:

“Charlie was open to trying foods he hadn’t tried before or listening to people or like learning new words—just things that not all Americans are actually willing to do,”

she said.

“I mean, you’ve got to have humility when you go to someone else’s house.”

Regarding the film’s look, Kaufman confirmed it was shot digitally, while Eva credited Michal Dymek’s talent with creating a nostalgic film-like feeling.

“But Michal is so wonderful. They planned it so it would give you that feeling, right? Like the nostalgic feeling that film gives you,”

Eva explained.

Music Enhances Film’s Ethereal Atmosphere

The closing credits feature Lou Reed’s classic Perfect Day, newly recorded as a duet by Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright, which Kaufman praised as perfectly fitting the film.

“It was, yeah, Rufus and Martha were the ones that did it,”

he said.

“We were trying to figure out what the end-credit song should be… and Eva suggested the duet between Rufus and Martha for this song. I approached his manager… and he said Rufus was really excited about the idea and Martha brings such a—yeah, and it’s very different.”

Eva shared her perspective on the song choice:

“It was nice that we didn’t know about it… Martha’s voice, because she was the first one I thought of… we were thinking of women with ethereal, otherworldly voices,”

Eva said.

“And then it was such a lovely idea to have the two. There are two ghosts.”

Thematic Reflections on Ghosts and Existence

The film is deeply connected to the ambience and history of Athens. Eva described the city as imbued with “unfinished business,” a fitting metaphor for the film’s portrayal of beings caught in limbo.

“Athens is a city that feels like it’s full of unfinished business, the remnants of the past that have not been addressed,”

she said.

“There is a way that we might move through our lives like ghosts in our own existence. I think most of us have probably felt that at some time or another… that you can see others perhaps, and they can’t see you, or that you are no longer capable of affecting your existence in an active way, which is true of our ghosts. They’re done.”

Kaufman connected this sentiment to a universal human experience:

“We can all empathize with the ghosts because we’ve all felt this way,”

he said.

“And we’re all heading that way. We will never tie off all the loose ends. That is simply not the way it works. We’re not going to leave a clean campsite behind us, however much we might wish to.”

Addressing Spike Jonze Rumors and Future Plans

Kaufman directly dismissed recent rumors surrounding a reunion with director Spike Jonze. “That’s completely not true,” he said, clarifying:

“It’s not what I said in Brazil. I was asked, Am I ever going to work with Spike again? And I said, I would like to. And I’ve talked to Spike about it. And we have no plans currently. That’s what I said. And then somehow it got turned into this.”

Looking ahead, Kaufman revealed ongoing efforts to finance his upcoming project Later the War, stating,

“We’re trying to get financing for ‘Later the War,’ and that’s ongoing,”

adding,

“And I don’t really have anything much to report about it except that we’re trying.”

Eva complemented this report, describing the project positively, and Kaufman confirmed with a grin, “It’s true.”

He also recalled a past unfulfilled project, Frank or Francis, explaining,

“I wrote this script called ‘Frank or Francis,’ I cast it, and it looked like maybe it would happen, but in the end, we couldn’t get financing for it. That was probably around 2011, so I think that ship has sailed.”

Laughing, he added,

“Maybe after we’re all gone, someone else will make it for you, and you’ll be the ghost inhabiting that screen.”

Regarding further short films, Kaufman expressed openness but no current plans:

“We’ve talked about doing another one of these, another short,”

he said.

“But, you know, as of now, we don’t have anything of it.”

Eva teased,

“Maybe if this short broke your heart, we could unbreak your heart with the next one,”

to which Kaufman laughed and responded, “Or re-break it.”

A Lasting Impression of Impermanence and Beauty

How to Shoot a Ghost leaves viewers with a sense of calm acceptance rather than despair, reflecting on the fleeting nature of existence. Athens serves less as a cemetery and more as a reflective surface, mirroring the ghosts’ unresolved lives. Kaufman’s closing thought captured this mood:

“Sometimes the world is terrible, and creating something beautiful is a nice reprieve,”

he said. The film’s exploration of memory, unfinished business, and the delicate boundary between life and death resonates deeply with the restless tone that permeates the work of Charlie Kaufman and Eva H.D.