This is the eleventh in a series of interviews with filmmakers selected for the ReelGood Film Festival, RGFF ’21. The festival will take place Saturday, 20th March at Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn, Victoria.

Film: PASSAGE

Filmmaker: Kimia Hendi, director-producer

 

What first got you interested in filmmaking and how did you get started?

Cinema is the combination of all my favourite fields in art so I simply fell in love with it!

 

What are some of your main influences, both in your style and content?

Kiarostami definitely had a big influence on my style. Lee Chang-dong, Apichatpong Weerasethakul were the other two filmmakers who had inspired me.

 

What makes a film great/memorable for you? What are you drawn to in stories?

I am mostly drawn to the movies that are not black or white, they fall into the gray area. They ask a question and they don’t give an answer. Most of the time these movies stay with you for weeks or months or years?

 

What element of filmmaking do you enjoy the most?

Developing a script and an idea to a concept that could communicate with the audience. Plus, creating a family with the cast and crew on set. It’s a wholesome feeling.

Tell us a bit about your film in RGFF 2021. How did you come to this story and what do you find most interesting/important about it?

PASSAGE is a short film on losing my beloved grandmother. I was struggling with the writing structure when my tutor, Sue Brooks, gave me the best piece of advice. She said start reading Persian Poems and don’t look for a structure, just write from your heart.

 

What are some of the bigger hurdles you’ve faced in filmmaking, either in a particular film or in a broader sense?

Oh well, bureaucracy, filling out papers. It’s not a pleasant part of filmmaking but it’s a vital one.

 

What do you see or hope for in the future of Australian film, either on a personal level or the industry at large?

I am looking forward to a more diverse and creative perspective towards filmmaking in Australia.

 

Do you have any advice for young filmmakers?

Trust your gut feelings! If you wanna be a director try different skills and also the cliché piece of advice: don’t limit your imagination.

 

Kimia’s film PASSAGE will be screening at the ReelGood Film Festival at Lido Cinemas on Saturday 20th March. To see the full programme and buy tickets, visit www.rgff.com.au