Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson
Your film, Princess, has been selected for the BFI Future Film Festival. Why did you want to be a part of this event?
EK: The opportunity to showcase princess alongside other young filmmakers – we’re only 16-25 for a while! I’ve also had a couple of friends screen their film at the festival.
For those who don’t know, how would you describe your film?
EK: Princess – at its heart – is a story about a mother who will do absolutely anything to ensure her daughter has an unforgettable day.
Why did you want to tell this story?
EK: There’s a long lineage of the specific story ‘princess’ follows – to the point it feels folkloric. We felt that by re-contextualising this tale with black characters would be romantic in an almost idealistic way, simply because it hasn’t been done before. It’s maybe like taking the age-old Cinderella story and flipping it with characters that look like me… that’s inherently magical, right?
What are you particularly proud of with this film?
EK: I think the whole process, there was just something honest about how we went about it! Hanging around East London with the leads, street-casting, waiting on strangers’ doorsteps mid-week to ask if we could use their flat to get a high-angle shot, and most importantly collaborating with friends.
What were the challenges getting it made and/or getting it out there?
NR: It’s hard, when you’ve self-funded a film on what’s basically a shoestring – without any big names backing you – to get people to really watch your short and take you seriously. Programmers at festivals are watching thousands of films at a time, and it’s tough to cut through.
I think what we always felt was that in that crowded field, we hoped we’d made something that would make people FEEL something – which I think is quite rare to do in under 10 minutes.
When and where can people see your film?
EK: Princess will be available to watch on BFI Player (18th Feb) as part of the festival. We’ll also be putting it online, soon.
What’s next for you after the festival?
NR: We’re working on the next short film, and a longer-form project.
EK: Exciting times ahead!
Read our short film review of Princess.
#ChrisOlson #BFIFutureFilmFestival
