Arteles Catalogue 2023-2020

Write & Create program / NOVEMBER 2022
Kristi Dick
USA
About
Kristi Dick (she/her/y’all) is a screenwriter based in Los
Angeles & Buenos Aires. Comedy features are her focus;
from quirky, indie dramedies to big-budget action-comedies
and everything in between. Thematically, she’s interested
in writing inclusive stories about regular people dealing
with personal trauma as seen through the lens of their
disfunctions, as well as exploring the comedy that comes
from everyday life.
Bread. Coffee. Dialogue.
I arrived to Arteles with a lengthy to-do list full of colorcoded
bullet points and an expectation to be as productive
as possible. My first two weeks were incredibly, quantifiably
fruitful.
But as the daylight began to wane, I found my strict deadlines
giving way to magical forest walks. Planned Zoom meeting
were postponed until further notice – somebody had to light
the sauna fire, after all. The rare occasions the Sun decided
to pop in for a visit, all work stopped so I could stand at the
studio window to refuel and soak up his rays.
My shoulder began to lower for the first time in a decade.
I was healing from the trauma of extreme Covid isolation
in a city of 4 million. I was newly inspired to write in ways I
could not have foreseen. I was surrounded by some of the
most talented, multi-disciplinary artists I’ve ever met, who
supported each other unconditionally.
And the bread! My love of the Finnish bread led to a curiosity
that soon became research about baking techniques during
medieval times. The breads of Finland eventually weaved
their way thematically into my script. Bread as character,
nourishment, struggle and history. This would never have
happened without Arteles. Kiitos to Amber, Mari, Jukka and
Teemu for the amazing kindness you brought daily.