Semele
by Myrsini Aristidou
Dear Myrsini,
Thank you for accepting our invite.
Can you tell us a little bit about any ongoing projects with 1.61 Films, your go-to production company based in Cyprus?
I am currently in the writing and development process of my first feature film, which will be shot on location in Cyprus.
What was your reaction when you first learned that you were selected as a Spring 2017 fellow in the Cannes Cinéfondation Residence? How was it?
Certainly, I was over the moon happy with the news. Being selected at the Cannes Cinéfondation Residence is an incredible honor, since the selection process is so competitive, with only 6 directors getting selected for each session. Furthermore, being the first candidate from Cyprus to ever participate in this program was truly a great privilege for me and for my country.
Being at the Residence was definitively a great opportunity to fuse and get inspired by the French culture and history. Paris is a beautiful city to live, experience, and create in, starting from the wonderful streets of the city that you can walk for hours, combined with the love and appreciation that the French people have for the art of Cinema.
Your work so far has won the support of organizations such as the TIFF Talent Lab, Berlinale Talents, and the Torino Script Lab. How do you see this type of support towards young artists?
All support is necessary and crucial in encouraging filmmakers, at the early stage of their careers to persist and continue creating. Participating in these labs undoubtedly is an opportunity to meet and interact with fellow colleagues in the industry and experience a sense of belonging.
Being able to share skills, knowledge, and exchange thoughts and ideas, is of paramount importance in the whole evolutionary process not only for an artist, but also for any professional. These labs tend to become an ideal setting for interplay and practice.
Semele, your short film premiered in 2015, won multiple awards worldwide, including the Berlinale Short Film Special Prize. Were you prepared for all the positive reaction and what do you credit with all the success?
Semele, is a movie that until today I feel is way beyond me. When I close my eyes, compress time, and think back to the moments that I was writing, shooting and editing the film, I could have never imagined it would have had such a flourishing track. I was certainly not prepared for the film to escalate to this level, and that is why I am so immensely grateful for all that has happened in the past two years. From the very first instance of its creation, to its execution, and completion, sometimes I don’t even know how the film came through me. I was blessed to have a very good and strong team committed to making the film, while at the same time I had a wonderful collaboration with my actors. Indeed, the circumstances were favorable.
Semele from Myrsini Aristidou on Vimeo.
What are some of the themes you were thinking of while working on your short film Aria (2017), premiered at the 74th Venice Biennale?
Freedom is unquestionably one of them. Initially the feeling of betrayal and seclusion were central to the core of the story. However, these feelings were only highlighted by the strong desire to experience autonomy and feel liberated from societal conditioning, abusive relationships, and common norms.
You split your time between New York, Paris, and Cyprus. How does it translate in the overall character of your work?
My life and my work inevitably go together. After all, the initial spark of conception for all my films happens through a glimpse of a moment remembered or lived from my own experiences. Being a citizen of the world, and not necessarily choosing one country to live in, is part of my belief system and temperament. This journey that we call life, I have chosen to observe and walk, wherever I feel accepted or have a sense of belonging.
New York, Cyprus and Paris have all influenced and shaped who I am today, and whether they were an act of escape, a safe place, or a transitional home for the past years, they have all created and affected me profoundly. At the end, it’s all a matter of adjustability.
In addition to filmmaking, you are also invested in projects aiming positive change. A good example is the Sagapo Children's Foundation, which you have co-founded and which supports children’s education worldwide. What is at the root of this commendable work?
The foundation was actually initiated by my mother a few years ago. The entire concept of Sagapo (www.sagapo.org) is to function as an anti-foundation. We aim not to create dependencies, but instead strive to liberate the spirits and minds of children all around the world.
We wanted to specifically focus on education, and even more accurately on the act of providing the necessary tools and environment for societies and communities to become self-sufficient. With our help and support, we encourage them to apply their own learning processes and community resources by leading their own path to growth and understanding.
The purpose is not to provide the fish every day, but to teach kids how to go fishing everyday for themselves.
To change the beat, what’s your definition of a good day?
A good day is a day on the beach.
Where do you seek happiness?
Inside.
What are you focused on tackling in the upcoming days?
Peace, Balance and an abundance of Creative Flow.
Freedom is unquestionably one of them. Initially the feeling of betrayal and seclusion were central to the core of the story. However, these feelings were only highlighted by the strong desire to experience autonomy and feel liberated from societal conditioning, abusive relationships, and common norms.
You split your time between New York, Paris, and Cyprus. How does it translate in the overall character of your work?
My life and my work inevitably go together. After all, the initial spark of conception for all my films happens through a glimpse of a moment remembered or lived from my own experiences. Being a citizen of the world, and not necessarily choosing one country to live in, is part of my belief system and temperament. This journey that we call life, I have chosen to observe and walk, wherever I feel accepted or have a sense of belonging.
New York, Cyprus and Paris have all influenced and shaped who I am today, and whether they were an act of escape, a safe place, or a transitional home for the past years, they have all created and affected me profoundly. At the end, it’s all a matter of adjustability.
In addition to filmmaking, you are also invested in projects aiming positive change. A good example is the Sagapo Children's Foundation, which you have co-founded and which supports children’s education worldwide. What is at the root of this commendable work?
The foundation was actually initiated by my mother a few years ago. The entire concept of Sagapo (www.sagapo.org) is to function as an anti-foundation. We aim not to create dependencies, but instead strive to liberate the spirits and minds of children all around the world.
We wanted to specifically focus on education, and even more accurately on the act of providing the necessary tools and environment for societies and communities to become self-sufficient. With our help and support, we encourage them to apply their own learning processes and community resources by leading their own path to growth and understanding.
The purpose is not to provide the fish every day, but to teach kids how to go fishing everyday for themselves.
To change the beat, what’s your definition of a good day?
A good day is a day on the beach.
Where do you seek happiness?
Inside.
What are you focused on tackling in the upcoming days?
Peace, Balance and an abundance of Creative Flow.