Meiirbek Nariman
I live in Prague and work as a Business Analyst. This is my first movie. I don't have any experience, but I love cinema and have a big passion and enthusiasm for movies.
Your project has been recognized in Prague International Film Awards. Could you please provide a brief overview of your project and its significance in the context of our festival?
This movie is based on true story when a missile killed three generations of one family from Odesa: a grandmother, a mother and her 3-month-old daughter Kira. It's a reflection on what life could have been for this child. It's a thin layer between dream and reality, life and death, actual thought and a mind game. I think that this kind of movies should be shown at festivals so that people don't forget the horrors of war. The purpose is to evoke empathy in them and a desire to help somehow, and also that they appreciate their current life a little more.
What were the key criteria or qualities you sought in selecting actors to participate in your film?
When I was writing the script, I already knew who would play the lead role. It was my friend Anastasia Vasylyeva, who is an actress and director in T-art in Prague. I knew for sure that she could play this role and I tailored the script to her. Fun fact: Besides her and her mother Vera Timofeeva (a mother in the movie*), none of the other actors are professionals and this is their first appearance in a film.
How did you collaborate and communicate with the cinematographer to achieve your desired visual style?
Our DoP Anna Volkova did a fantastic job. This was her second time in this role. The first time she shot a 7-minute short film at university. Anna and I sketched out all the scenes together in Storyboarder app. This is great soft to understand how a shot should look and to choose different angles to make the scene more interesting.
Can you elaborate on the choice of locations for your project and the significance behind those selections?
We carefully selected locations all over Prague. For example, we needed 3 locations for scenes with water: a bathroom, a swimming pool, and a lake. I wanted to show that With each new scene, tension grows and water-flows are becoming bigger: first it's the bath, then the pool, and lastly the lake. At the end of the movie Kira dissolves in this water and disappears like a drop in a lake. I chose water because this family lived and died in the city of Odessa, which is located by the sea.
From your perspective, what unique qualities or aspects of your film make it a compelling choice for potential distributors?
Well, honestly, I'm not sure that this film is a good choice for distribution. It's more a festival film and may only exist in the festival art space. But if someone can distribute it beyond that, then I would of course be happy. This way more people will learn about this tragic story of one family and unfortunately, there are many similar stories.
Could you discuss the artistic elements or expressions you incorporated into your project, and how they contribute to the overall characterization of your work?
Line 1: Two politics in red patch (symbolizes blood), their black car (death) and Kira in white fabric (she is a child, her defenselessness). Line 2: Scenes with her husband Denis show Kira's three-month-old memories of her mother and grandmother. Mother making the bed in the morning: Brown plaid (sand), blue blanket (waves), white pillows (sea foam) symbolizes their hometown by the sea. I show Kira as a child: she sips a coffee, winces and drinks a lot of milk. She asks childish questions. She plays a vinyl record with Ukrainian lullaby: The lullaby, a symbol of comfort and love, serves as a reminder of Kira's lost childhood and the safety she once knew.
What initially inspired or motivated you to pursue a career in filmmaking?
I've been working as a business analyst for 5 years. This is my first movie and I hope that not the last one. I'm finishing a new script now and planning to make a new movie in the future.
Are there any particular films or filmmakers that have greatly influenced or inspired your own work? If so, what aspects of their work resonate with you?
I have many favorite directors. For example, I was inspired by Jim Jarmusch, his meditativeness and sense of rhythm. Xavier Dolan and his subtle understanding of the world, to convey his message directly to the soul through the screen.
What genres do you find most creatively fulfilling to work within, and what draws you to these particular genres?
I like heavy dramas, but so that it is shown through a light note of humor. So that the film has its own special atmosphere and its own living space, into which the viewer must fall and live the story of the characters.
When you're not immersed in filmmaking, what are some of your other interests or hobbies?
I enjoy creating music. I wrote almost all of the music for Three months with Kira (except the two versions of the Ukrainian lullaby). I want to continue developing in this direction and try myself at writing soundtracks for films.
Your project has been recognized in Prague International Film Awards. Could you please provide a brief overview of your project and its significance in the context of our festival?
This movie is based on true story when a missile killed three generations of one family from Odesa: a grandmother, a mother and her 3-month-old daughter Kira. It's a reflection on what life could have been for this child. It's a thin layer between dream and reality, life and death, actual thought and a mind game. I think that this kind of movies should be shown at festivals so that people don't forget the horrors of war. The purpose is to evoke empathy in them and a desire to help somehow, and also that they appreciate their current life a little more.
What were the key criteria or qualities you sought in selecting actors to participate in your film?
When I was writing the script, I already knew who would play the lead role. It was my friend Anastasia Vasylyeva, who is an actress and director in T-art in Prague. I knew for sure that she could play this role and I tailored the script to her. Fun fact: Besides her and her mother Vera Timofeeva (a mother in the movie*), none of the other actors are professionals and this is their first appearance in a film.
How did you collaborate and communicate with the cinematographer to achieve your desired visual style?
Our DoP Anna Volkova did a fantastic job. This was her second time in this role. The first time she shot a 7-minute short film at university. Anna and I sketched out all the scenes together in Storyboarder app. This is great soft to understand how a shot should look and to choose different angles to make the scene more interesting.
Can you elaborate on the choice of locations for your project and the significance behind those selections?
We carefully selected locations all over Prague. For example, we needed 3 locations for scenes with water: a bathroom, a swimming pool, and a lake. I wanted to show that With each new scene, tension grows and water-flows are becoming bigger: first it's the bath, then the pool, and lastly the lake. At the end of the movie Kira dissolves in this water and disappears like a drop in a lake. I chose water because this family lived and died in the city of Odessa, which is located by the sea.
From your perspective, what unique qualities or aspects of your film make it a compelling choice for potential distributors?
Well, honestly, I'm not sure that this film is a good choice for distribution. It's more a festival film and may only exist in the festival art space. But if someone can distribute it beyond that, then I would of course be happy. This way more people will learn about this tragic story of one family and unfortunately, there are many similar stories.
Could you discuss the artistic elements or expressions you incorporated into your project, and how they contribute to the overall characterization of your work?
Line 1: Two politics in red patch (symbolizes blood), their black car (death) and Kira in white fabric (she is a child, her defenselessness). Line 2: Scenes with her husband Denis show Kira's three-month-old memories of her mother and grandmother. Mother making the bed in the morning: Brown plaid (sand), blue blanket (waves), white pillows (sea foam) symbolizes their hometown by the sea. I show Kira as a child: she sips a coffee, winces and drinks a lot of milk. She asks childish questions. She plays a vinyl record with Ukrainian lullaby: The lullaby, a symbol of comfort and love, serves as a reminder of Kira's lost childhood and the safety she once knew.
What initially inspired or motivated you to pursue a career in filmmaking?
I've been working as a business analyst for 5 years. This is my first movie and I hope that not the last one. I'm finishing a new script now and planning to make a new movie in the future.
Are there any particular films or filmmakers that have greatly influenced or inspired your own work? If so, what aspects of their work resonate with you?
I have many favorite directors. For example, I was inspired by Jim Jarmusch, his meditativeness and sense of rhythm. Xavier Dolan and his subtle understanding of the world, to convey his message directly to the soul through the screen.
What genres do you find most creatively fulfilling to work within, and what draws you to these particular genres?
I like heavy dramas, but so that it is shown through a light note of humor. So that the film has its own special atmosphere and its own living space, into which the viewer must fall and live the story of the characters.
When you're not immersed in filmmaking, what are some of your other interests or hobbies?
I enjoy creating music. I wrote almost all of the music for Three months with Kira (except the two versions of the Ukrainian lullaby). I want to continue developing in this direction and try myself at writing soundtracks for films.