Portraits of Dangerous Women with Pascal Bergamin | Interview

In this episode of Geek Freaks, Frank sits down with writer and director Pascal Bergamin to explore his new film Portraits of Dangerous Women. The conversation dives into how a photo book of unconventional women inspired the film’s unique tone, why Bergamin values emotional authenticity over polish, and the realities of getting an indie film released internationally. From the challenges of casting to the passion that drives low-budget filmmaking, this episode is a masterclass in storytelling with heart.

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Timestamps and Topics:

• 00:00 Getting settled and pronunciation check

• 06:24 Introduction to Pascal Bergamin and his film

• 07:00 What Portraits of Dangerous Women is really about

• 08:19 How a photo book sparked the idea

• 10:13 Humor, grief, and the tone of the story

• 12:54 Redefining what it means to be "dangerous"

• 14:23 The idea of a "quiet refusal to perform"

• 17:10 Assembling a standout cast on a tight budget

• 20:13 Building trust on set with time and space

• 23:00 The dog scene that brings everything together

• 25:17 Creating a world that's familiar but slightly surreal

• 26:55 How UK distribution led to the North American release

• 29:45 Adapting marketing strategies between countries

• 31:02 What Bergamin’s learned from indie filmmaking

• 36:51 What’s next after Portraits

• 38:45 Where to watch the film

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Key Takeaways:

• The film was inspired by a collection of amateur photos showing women being bold and mischievous, not criminal.

• Portraits of Dangerous Women blends humor, drama, and vulnerability to explore unexpected companionship.

• The title “dangerous” refers to unpredictability and spontaneity, not threat or violence.

• Casting was done without auditions, relying instead on careful collaboration and trust.

• With a small crew and limited resources, the film prioritized a relaxed and collaborative environment on set.

• Pascal continues to be deeply involved in the film’s distribution and promotion, reflecting the hands-on nature of independent filmmaking.

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Quotes:

• “You don’t have enough time to be nervous.”

• “They’re not trying to be heroes. They’re reacting to life as it comes.”

• “The danger is in not knowing what these women will do next.”

• “We didn’t have trailers. We had trust.”

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Call to Action:
Check out Portraits of Dangerous Women, available now in the U.S. and Canada starting July 10th. Find it on Amazon and other platforms—links in the description. If you enjoyed this interview, subscribe to Geek Freaks, leave a review, and share the episode using #GeekFreaksPodcast.

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Links and Resources:
All news and updates are available at GeekFreaksPodcast.com, the source for everything we cover on the show.

Watch Portraits of Dangerous Women on Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0DPJMC4X9/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r 

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Listener Questions:
Have something you want us to ask a future guest? Or a geeky topic you're itching to hear discussed? Message us on socials or through the website—we’d love to include your voice in a future episode.

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Apple Podcast Tags:
indie film, Pascal Bergamin, portraits of dangerous women, filmmaking, women in film, movie interview, geek podcast, creative storytelling, director spotlight, behind the scenes, Geek Freaks