Season_Screen_TV_Review_№6-web

INTERVIEW
WE SHOULD HAVE A FAITH AT OURSELF
Inspiration is a bird which comes to those who has a patience to catch it when it comes.
At the same time when the whole Ukraine was watching with bated breath Eurovision not least
event took place at France: Cannes Festival where our incredibly gifted and talented writer Marysia
Nikitiuk had been recognized as one of the best scriptwriter and awarded by the Krzysztof Kieslowski
Scriptwriter Award for the Best Script from Central and Eastern Europe for ‘When Trees Fall’. Off course
we couldn’t lose the chance to hold an interview with her and we dared to do this as soon as she came
back from the Cannes Festival. Despite the haste and emotional stress, it was a fun and interesting
experience. We should confirm that we were absolutely fascinated by Marysia. Here are some words
that come to mind when talking to her: brave and beautiful, open-minded and extraordinary, incredibly
talented winner. Moreover we have received some exceptional information that her next film will be
shot in five languages. No typo there; these five languages are: Ukrainian, Russian, Surzhik, Polish,
and Romanian. Now let’s take a closer look on the talent from Ukrainian and her amazing work.
Tell us a bit more about your triumphant work.
When Trees Fall is my first full-length script and film,
and it marks the beginning of my way as a director. After
writing the text, so close to my memories of my own
childhood, I realized that I would never be able to give it
to anyone. At that time, film critic Volodya Vojtenko, my
cinematographic guardian angel, was putting ideas about
directing into my head, and producer Igor Savichenko
simply suggested that I try shooting shorts, just to see
whether I can and want. By now, I have already done
three shorts. They seem okay. ))
FILMMAKER.
THE PATH TO THE
COVETED AIM
Marysia, you have won the Krzysztof Kieslowski
ScripTeast Award for the Best Script from Eastern
Europe at 2016 Cannes Festival. Tell us more about
the award, please.
ScripTeast is a training program aimed to prepare
scriptwriters to shooting and film project promotion at
the development stage. Thus, the program is attached
to the professional part of two major European film
festivals — Berlinale and Cannes. We had three sessions:
Warsaw, Berlin, and the final one in Cannes. Scripts from
Eastern and Central Europe were selected for the program;
we trained with the best film professionals from England,
Spain, France, Germany, and North America. For example,
I had my script read and commented by Academy
Award-winning scriptwriter Mark Peploe, the author of
Bertolucci’s Last Emperor and Antonion’s The Passenger.
During this time, we became friends with the program
participants, completely forgetting about competition.
Yet in the end, one of us was to receive the Krzysztof
Kieslowski Award for the Best Script.
Did you hope to win? What did you feel afterwards?
I wanted to receive the Award, I really did, because it
is so beautiful. However, I did not set my hopes high, for
all the disappointed expectations prove disastrous to creative
energy. So, I was very surprised to receive the Award.
And yet, I was extremely happy, jumping on my heels like
a little girl, but a big one and wearing a floor-length dress.
Tiniest moment of happiness, before you poison yourself
thinking that now you’ll have to live up to this declaration
of success.
What is the film budget and what financial aid
have you received from the State Film Agency?
The film budget is around UAH 22 mln. Half of that
is provided by the state — we’ve won State Film Agency
pitchings last fall. The other half should come from coproduction
with Macedonia and Poland — Igor and I are
currently waiting for several film funds to reply.
The project attracted a lot of interest — from French
and Swedish producers; then, our Polish partners and
Igor Savichenko continue negotiating. However, all missing
specifics shall be made clear in June. Furthermore,
Spanish distributors and several film markets tailored to
search for lacking funds have also shown interest in the
project.
When are you beginning the shooting?
The shooting is planned for August-September, within
the territories of at least three countries: Ukraine, Poland,
and Macedonia.
It will be a film about freedom, ideological triumph of
good when evil seems to prevail. Attention is focused on
the fate of three generations of women living in modern
Ukraine who sacrifice their dreams to accommodate the
society.
Marysia, does one need special education to
become a successful scriptwriter? What personal
traits must one possess for the same purpose?
I think, no. No, one doesn’t need special education. It
might be even better without it. But certain professional
skills would be certainly useful. There are lots of wonderful
workshops, courses, master-classes for scriptwriters
in Europe: for example, MAIYA workshops, the already
mentioned ScripTeast, Torino FilmLab, and many others.
I’ve mentioned only the best ones. Then, there are lots
30 ▪ Issue 6 JUNE 2016 Season Screen TV Review
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Issue 6 JUNE 2016 ▪ 31