More than seven billion people ride elevators each day, but only a tiny fraction of those riders know about the emotional impact elevators have on some people. Elevated is an exploration of the people for whom elevators have such an impact, with Andrew at the center of that universe.
In my early twenties I felt lost and lonely, I didn't feel a connection to my surroundings, at the same time I felt a deep longing for such a connection. Meeting Andrew at this point in my life was crucial. I learned that he wasn't just the “elevator guy”. He was compassionate, genuinely caring, and didn’t worry about what others thought of him. I envied the community and the friendships he had created. It was at this moment I knew there was something special in the story of Andrew and the elevator community. Over time, Andrew's story and my understanding of it have evolved. Andrew has found love, established an elevator museum, and embraced his identity as a gay man. This sets the base structure for the film. Now, I want to continue to branch out and capture the width and depth of the world. By bringing in different sub-stories and secondary characters, I want to shed light on Andrew and the elevator community from a variety of angles. This will help to better understand Andrew and his interest in elevators and also convey a feeling for the richness of the community he has created.
To tell the story, I want to explore different ways to convey story elements. I have experimented with using the twins Evan and Aaron as a Greek chorus in the material filmed during August 2022, for example. I would like to continue in this direction, introducing other characters and events this way in the film. Further, I want to continue work with the visual representation of elevator-as-object and experiential depictions of elevator rides, as this has a great amount of emotional meaning for Andrew and his community.
Director: Gustav Littorin
Producers: Mario Adamson & Ashley J. Smith
Co-producers: Clara Harris / Sisyfos Scotland, Cæcilie Østerby Sørensen (COES Film)
Format: Documentary
Status: Development
Length: 85 min
Languages: English
Country of origin: Sweden, Scotland, Denmark
Supported by:
Swedish Film Institute
Filmbasen/Film Stockholm
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee
Screen Scotland