INTERVIEWS

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Cult Critic : What was the initial spark that led you to create ‘The Film’?

Nadia :  For a long time, I have been deeply interested in topics like artificial intelligence and human-machine relationships. I believe that regardless of whether it involves humanity, AI, or other species, human emotions, life experiences, and the essence of humanity are fundamentally the same; they are universally present. A few years ago, while researching the "Singularity" theory by American AI scholar Ray Kurzweil, I began to conceive a series of stories exploring universal emotions and themes of life through the lens of human-machine relationships. "The Film" is one of these stories. It portrays a near-future scenario where AI has overtaken the film industry, and human creators are fighting back in their own way.

Today, I am also using various AI image-generation tools to create short films. However, when I was making "The Film," these tools did not exist. I believe that "The Film" may have presaged a world that emerged after Runway. Of course, my intention is not merely to make simple predictions through film; rather, the purpose of creating "The Film" is to express some inner feelings. At that time, many independent filmmakers around me were struggling in their creative journeys, yet everyone remained undeterred. Some risked everything to make films, and I, too, sacrificed a job that many considered prestigious for the sake of cinema. In filmmaking, we hold our own beliefs and commitments. Thus, I infused this sentiment into the story of "The Film.”

Although it is a science fiction piece, beneath its sci-fi exterior, I want to convey to the world that the belief and persistence of human creators in their craft will never waver with the advancement of technology or changes in life. Due to funding issues, I decided to express the story I had previously conceived in a short film format. Given my extremely limited budget, I positioned "The Film" as an art film, allowing me to use audiovisual language for expression while avoiding the financial and capital investments required for commercial genre films during this low-cost production.

Cult Critic : What were some of the biggest challenges you've faced throughout your career? How did you overcome them?

Nadia :  Securing fund while staying true to personal expression is a challenge all independent filmmakers face. But I don’t see environment or budget as constraints on creativity. For filmmakers, it's about using a director's mindset and the psychology of storytelling to carve out creative space within limitations, and discovering endless possibilities through imagination. That’s what I strive to do.

Throughout my directing career, every project has been made on a shoestring budget, and each one has brought new challenges. My first short film, Wish You Well, was shot during the pandemic. At the time, strict COVID-19 regulations posed major hurdles: key crew members couldn’t travel to set, locations were suddenly locked down, and our team couldn’t gather as planned. In the end, we had no choice but to retreat to a small, temporary rental apartment with just our equipment.

Faced with these unexpected circumstances, I had to rethink my entire approach on the spot. Drawing from the layout of the rental space and working with the limited props we had, I quickly adjusted the visual style and even revised parts of the script. Ultimately, we shot the entire film in that small room. As a director, my job is to use audiovisual language to tell a story, build emotion, and guide the audience's experience. This gave me a surprising amount of creative freedom.

Due to our tight budget, we didn’t have much equipment—not even a zoom lens. But when it came to capturing the protagonist's intense emotional moments, I realized I didn’t need the originally planned  dolly zoom shot. Using composition and lighting, I was able to create the same emotional effect in that confined space and connect with the audience. What I learned is that filmmakers have many tools at their disposal to overcome the limitations of budget and environment.

Cult Critic : Did you have any mentors or role models who guided you during your early career? 

Nadia :  I admire many directors, such as Kubrick, Orson Welles, Tarkovsky, Ridley Scott, Denis Villeneuve, Tarantino, and Nolan. Their films have been guiding lights on my creative journey. I didn’t attend film school, but I like to think of cinema itself as my greatest teacher.

I’m honored now be in a position where I’ve developed courses on the director’s mindset and the psychology of filmmaking. When I’m not on set, I’m teaching other filmmakers how to make great films. My hope is that, years from now, when someone is asked this same question, they might mention my name.

Cult Critic : What was the defining moment or project that launched your career? How did it change your life and opportunities?

Nadia :  There used to be a bias in the industry that film mentors only teach but can’t produce great work themselves. My first short film, Wish You Well, proved that wasn’t the case. Among the awards it received at film festivals, the most recognition and praise came from France. I believe that's because the film employed a poetic style, and its visual storytelling and artistic essence resonated well with the French art scene.

After Wish You Well, I shifted to making sci-fi films, including Run, Chad Run, The Film, Sunrise in a Cold Night, and the AI short film The Bottle. Perhaps it's because my approach to certain themes—like the relationship between creator and creation, the origin and evolution of life, and the essence of human nature—reflects a more global perspective that I've gained attention from filmmakers in the West, particularly in the U.S.

Moving forward, I plan to continue making sci-fi films. I hope this journey helps me connect with more people, as film, after all, is a universal language.

Cult Critic : How have you adapted to the changing landscape of the film industry over the years?

Nadia :  Learning—constantly learning. Since the release of The Jazz Singer in 1927, when sound films began to replace silent ones, the film industry has continuously evolved alongside advancements in technology. Today, with the emergence of Sora, AI has opened up limitless possibilities in filmmaking. As filmmakers, if we want to maintain our creative edge, we must look to the future and stay updated with the latest techniques in film production. Learning and practice are the only constants in this ever-changing landscape.

That being said, I also believe there are things that remain timeless. One of them is our compassion and patience in observing the hardships of the world. I hope I will always be able to see the struggles of marginalized communities, to step into their real lives, understand their challenges, and feel their emotions. Through my films, I want to showcase their life experiences and give voice to the words they cannot express themselves. This, for me, is something that will never change.

Cult Critic : What strategies did you adapt to connect to your audience and build your fanbase?

Nadia :  In my original film course, The Psychology of Filmmaking, I summed it up with this: "Filmmaking starts with a story, but it's true to emotion." I think this is the key to answering the question. No matter what type or genre of film we're making, we're really engaging in a conversation with the audience, sharing thoughts and emotions. The audience might think they're watching a story, but what truly makes them love and remember the film is the emotion behind the story that resonates with and moves them.

In my work, all my efforts are focused on creating and guiding the audience’s emotional experience, allowing them to connect on a deeper level. I have many tools and techniques at my disposal: shot composition, camera angles, lighting, color, movement, sound, focal length, staging, props, set design, and of course, the actors' performances. All of these help me establish a strong connection with the audience.

At the same time, I remind myself not to approach filmmaking from a position of superiority, but to portray a world that feels artistically authentic. Only genuine emotions can create true empathy in the audience, and only honest storytelling can allow the work to stand the test of time.

Cult Critic : How do you plan to adapt your own filmmaking style to the changing landscape of the industry? What are your goals for the future? How do you approach filmmaking on a limited budget?

Nadia :  I don’t want to change my filmmaking style for any external reasons. To me, the style of a film should always be dictated by the script and the creative expression of its maker. That being said, there are a few things I always strive for. In my market, a lot of films driven by capital don’t show a real commitment to pushing the boundaries of audiovisual language or cinematic storytelling. With each project, my goal is to bring cinema back to what it’s meant to be. Great films should captivate audiences through their use of visuals and sound, and the limitless ways those elements can be combined—not through marketing, distribution strategies, or post-production gimmicks.

I often say that a skilled director can create something amazing without big-name actors, as long as they understand how to craft the audiovisual language. Dialogue and performances are definitely important, but they’re not the entire essence of cinema. That’s what I’m trying to show with my work.
Everyone around me knows I’m a “broke director.” When I shot Run, Chad, Run, I had just $8,000 to work with. The script’s first scene called for a big-budget cyberpunk set, but I didn’t have that kind of money. Instead, I borrowed a café and shot the entire scene indoors. I used the essence of the script to guide me and created a stylized visual approach, turning those limitations into a defining strength. I leaned heavily on lighting and color to handle the art direction and set design. I used costumes and makeup to shape the characters’ personalities and beliefs. I designed the camera work to fit within the space we had, and sound—which is simple, cheap, and effective—became another tool I used to its fullest.

I also owe a lot to my team. They believe in me, but even more than that, they believe in cinema. As I always say: In Film We Trust.

Cult Critic : How do you see AI and machine learning impacting the film industry? Are there any specific ways in which you believe these technologies can enhance or disrupt the filmmaking process?

Nadia : This is such an interesting topic. I actually started working with AI in filmmaking about six months ago. From what I’ve experienced so far, we’re in the middle of a rapid transition, with AI tools evolving at lightning speed. Every day, new applications are popping up, allowing more people to dive into filmmaking because the tech is making it accessible to pretty much everyone. In this kind of environment, if filmmakers don’t stay curious and keep learning, they’re going to get left behind pretty quickly.

Now, I’m not saying AI is going to replace human creators—at least, not anytime soon. These tools can help with basic storytelling, but they’re still too limited to handle every frame and second of a film's visual and audio language. Sure, AI can manage a lot of the technical work, but it doesn’t think like a director. As more people start using AI to create films, what will really set professionals apart is their ability to think like directors and use the language of cinema to tell stories. That’s the unique edge we have as filmmakers, and it’s something AI can’t replace.

So, I don’t think there’s any need to fear or resist AI. Even if it can write scripts, the emotional depth behind the words is something only humans can bring to the table. The key is to embrace AI as a tool and use it to enhance our creativity. In areas like animation and visual effects, for instance, AI can help cut costs and speed things up, which only opens up more creative possibilities for us.

Cult Critic : How do you handle feedback and criticism? Do you find it helpful or challenging? How do you use it to grow as a filmmaker?

Nadia : Once a film is finished and released, it no longer solely belongs to the director—it belongs to every viewer. I believe a core skill for any director is the ability to listen openly to all perspectives. Each audience member interprets a film in their own way, whether they love it or criticize it, and that’s exactly what makes cinema so fascinating. So, I’m not afraid of criticism; I see it as something interesting, and it doesn’t influence my creative process.
When it comes to filmmaking, I think of myself as a bit of a dictator. I don’t make films to seek approval; I make them to capture and showcase the emotional moments in life that deserve to be remembered.

Cult Critic : What advice would you give to young filmmakers who are just starting out? What lessons have you learned that you wish you knew earlier in your career?

Nadia : Films shouldn’t be something lofty and out of reach. Instead, we should listen to the voices of ordinary people and focus on the lives of those who are out of the marginalized. That’s filmmaker’s job. Cinema has no borders. It breaks down barriers and allows us to connect with audiences around the world, so, let’s use cinema language to communicate with the world.

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