Greetings readers new and old and OneFilmFan.com is proud to present our newest interview heralding from the heart of the independent film realms! This time, we go international and touch base with another of the site’s more recent connections from the Emerald Isle itself, Ireland! As will be mentioned below, this writer/director/producer actually hails from Poland, but because of a certain well-known film, Ireland is now called home! With her most recent short film, “Testimony”, making its successful festival rounds, and also having worked with Irish director Charlo Johnson on his debut short film “Positive Discrimination“, we consider ourselves blessed to catch this rising star of the Irish indie scene when she had opportunity to answer questions regarding life, career, and what the future holds! So it is with great pleasure that OneFilmFan.com presents the talented and beautiful Kamila Dydyna!
One Film Fan: To begin, let’s get to the heart of who Kamila Dydyna is. Tell us, in initially broader scope, about your journey from life growing up in Poland to the move to Ireland and how film in general came into the picture.
Kamila Dydyna: The answer to “who I am” changes every couple of years for me 😉 I grew up in a small town in the south of Poland, and back then I didn’t even dare thinking about acting or filmmaking. I might as well have dreamt about being an astronaut with NASA – at least that’s how it felt. I did however grow up watching films available on TV and even in my earliest memories, films were a source of excitement, inspiration, adventure (by proxy), and escapism. I was the girl in my class who knew the names of all the actors and I was the weird one who didn’t want to leave the cinema before the end credits finished rolling, reading, learning and admiring the names of people involved.
I came to Ireland because of a film. As a teenager, I was so blown away by Mel Gibson’s “Braveheart” that I Googled the locations and found out most of it was shot in Ireland. Not joking when I say this is why I decided to move to Ireland! About two years later, I allowed myself to start seriously thinking about acting. It’s the greatest love and passion I’ve been nurturing since then. Filmmaking came more recently, in the past year. I think it grew out of certain creative frustration – I came to a point where I realized if I wanted to share my creative vision and stories, I just have to do it myself, my way, and pretend I’m not terrified by the risk 😉
So in answer to your question, right now, I’m an actress, writer and filmmaker.
O.F.F.: How did you further learn the art of acting/filmmaking (ie: mentors, influences, and schooling)?
K.D.: I learned by watching countless hours of films and TV shows. I also found Werner Herzog’s “A Guide For The Perplexed” to be a source of inspiration and encouragement for a new filmmaker. Acting came both by practice (I’ve done my first two plays before having any training at all) and a number of training programs, incl. a year in the Gaiety School of Acting, The National Theatre School of Ireland.
O.F.F.: Tell us about your debut experience as an actress and how did this initial gig influence/impact you as far as acting and/or pushing forward into the industry?
K.D.: My debut as an actress was in November 2010 in a play “A Little Bit of Blue” in Dublin. This was followed by another play in February 2011 where I played a troubled nun Agnes in a brilliant and controversial play, “Agnes of God”, by John Pielmeier. The latter play in particular, directed by Barrington Cullen, cemented my love for acting.
O.F.F.: It then appears you began a new road outside of acting by becoming the Executive Producer for Irish indie director Charlo Johnson’s debut short film, “Positive Discrimination”. What drew you into the production side of film to become involved with this effort?
K.D.: I met Charlo during acting studies in The Gaiety School of Acting. He’s a great guy and I was very excited when he told me he was working on a short film as a director. We met in one of the Dublin hotels last year in December, and Charlo showed me a working edit of the film. I knew I wanted to be part of this project. I’m thrilled about how well this short film is doing.
O.F.F.: So, onto YOUR current and DEBUT project, the short film “Testimony”, currently in its festival runs, I believe? What drew you to write this film?
K.D.: I based the film on a true story of a family in Poland. I’ve wanted to tell this story for a few years now, and finally last year in June, on a Sunday morning, I wrote the script. My main reason for telling this story is the unthinkable pressure this child was put under. It always blew my mind that it actually happened. I thought it would be good film material, and a source of inspiration for families struggling with addiction, divorce, etc.
O.F.F.: For those who haven’t seen it yet, and without any spoilers, tell us about the basic story.
K.D.: In 1991, a 9-year-old girl is called to court to testify in a domestic abuse court hearing. Her mother is the plaintiff, her father – the defendant. She’s testifying in the presence of both parents and the judge.
O.F.F.: The film tackles a very real, but very hard, subject for a lot of people—domestic abuse. What was it like to bring that theme to the table in this project?
K.D.: Neill Fleming’s performance put tears in my eyes during the shoot. He’s such an amazing actor. Other than that, I did my best not let emotions get in the way. It was a unique and powerful experience to see the actors come together as the on-screen family, and the dynamic between them really comes through in the film. Hilary Cotter who played the judge got a well-deserved nomination for a Best Supporting Actress at the Dublin Underground Cinema Awards 2015.
O.F.F.: Once you had this whole idea, what was the catalyst that made you decide to take on the director’s chair AND producing, too? That had to be a LOT to handle for your first effort!
K.D.: I just wanted to get this film made, as soon as possible. I was impatient – or driven – depending on how you look at it. 😉 I had a very clear vision for how I wanted to film to be directed and I never considered anyone else for the director’s job. Producing “Testimony” was chaotic, intense, stressful, joyful, exciting, terrifying, empowering, and the best crash-course in filmmaking I could ask for 😉
O.F.F.: How was it putting together and then working alongside some very talented actors in Olivia Daly, Neill Fleming, Clodagh Downing, and Hilary Cotter?
K.D.: I leveraged my network of acting friends. I’ve known Neill and Clodagh from their previous work (both actors were my first choices for the parents and I was thrilled they accepted the roles). A friend recommended Hilary, and when I saw her headshot, I knew she was the right choice for the role of the Judge. Again, I was lucky to have her accept the role. As to my little star, Olivia, I found her in an acting school Showstoppers Stage School run by Elaine Hearty. Her family has been so incredibly supportive and helpful that I felt like I gained a whole additional producers team.
O.F.F.: You also had the chance to work with co-producer Eamonn Tutty of Reckoner Productions as well as Cara Bamford of FoxRock Productions. Tell us a little about collaborating with them on this.
K.D.: Both Eamonn and Cara brought their unique perspective and experience to the process. Eamonn was instrumental in securing the Green St. Court House as a location, sorting out insurance and many other critical aspects of the film. Cara brought a lot of technical experience to the table, with skills I completely lacked, for example the paper trail that goes into film production. She was also fantastic in co-running our crowdfunding campaign after the shoot. I owe them both a huge debt of gratitude for helping make “Testimony” happen.
O.F.F.: What projects are next on the horizon or would you LIKE to be involved in while “Testimony” is making its rounds?
K.D.: I wrote a feature film in August, entitled “144,000 Lies”, a coming-of-age drama about a girl who grows up as a Jehovah’s Witness, and is forced to question her outlook on life and religion when she falls in love with a fellow Witness. I’m incredibly excited about this film, and am looking forward to directing and co-producing it next year with Dublin-based Company, Driftwood Doll Films. I’ve also written another short, “The Betrayal”, a drama/ thriller touching upon subjects of sexual orientation, domestic violence, and revenge porn. I’m in early stages of pre-production on this one, hoping to put together an all-female production team. Girl power and all that. Beyond that, I want to keep writing, directing, acting, and giving women a strong voice on both sides of the camera!
O.F.F.: Being in the independent film realm, how much of a challenge has it been at times to keep your head up, push through any droughts in having work, and pursuing a passion for filmmaking with the work ethic and drive you have to succeed and connect with others in the industry? Can’t always be easy!
K.D.: It’s a huge and on-going challenge, but the sense of joy and fulfillment creating my films or characters gives me is worth every effort and every pain.
O.F.F.: As a follow-up–seeing as independent cinema is, as I like to put it, “beyond budget, beyond mainstream” in that it focuses so much more on character and story for its heart and depth rather than massive money and more surface “fluff” that Hollywood efforts really can be at times, how much more important is it that indie films are made and promoted heavily to the movie going public?
K.D.: I can’t answer for the public. To me, films with substance, independent or not, are what inspires me to keep creating my own work. Hollywood-produced stuff is so often bloated, empty, boring and repetitive, it makes me just depressed. And I’m saying this with full awareness that I chose “Spectre” over, say, an indie film with a soul on its opening weekend. I’m not without guilt. There are many times when I prefer “The Avengers” over “Boyhood”. But films like “Boyhood” are the ones that nurture the soul in the long-term. Ultimately, at least for now, I prefer to make my own films for less money but with greater control than vice-versa.
O.F.F.: It’s the end, and the question so often asked, as it will be here! What is YOUR favorite film of all time? Why?
K.D.: I’m unable to answer this question! There are too many films that I worship. As a kid, I watched “Terminator 2” more times than I can count. In the past year, “Whiplash”, “Sicario”, and “The Babadook” were my favourite films. And I grew up worshipping “The X-Files”. There! 🙂
There, indeed! LOL Much less those three films mentioned above are 3 of my favorites as well in the past year!
Filled with passion to make a mark and ensure that filmgoing audiences will experience the maximum impact of the stories being told, it is abundantly clear to this reviewer and I truly hope to you as well, fellow readers and indie film fans, that expectation and anticipation of greatness from Kamila Dydyna’s current projects and those coming in the future is without question a certainty. The comment I loved personally was the indication of how independent film can so often be the material that “nurtures the soul in the long-term”, and I personally would attest that statement is most assuredly true. It is filmmakers like Kamila who are focusing on making those deeper meaning projects come to life, and we as movie lovers need to support these efforts and spread the word about them! In the meantime, want to keep up with what Kamila’s is up to? Try these outlets to do just that:
Check out Kamila’s Official Website: here
“Follow” Kamila’s Twitter account: here
“Like”/”Follow” Kamila’s Facebook Page: here
“Like” the “Testimony” film’s Facebook Page: here
“Follow” the “Testimony” film’s Twitter account: here
Once again, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank You!!” to Kamila Dydyna for taking the time out of a very hectic schedule to do this interview for OneFilmFan.com! Stay tuned for more content, more interviews, more reviews right here! Spread the word, and until next time, thank you for reading!
