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Q: You%u2019ve been featured in prestigious showcases like the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase and Cannes Lions. What do you think sets your filmmaking style apart from others in the industry?A: It%u2019s hard to pinpoint what sets my work apart, but I know what I am drawn to. I really love raw, visceral stories that draw on themes of belonging, identity, and spirituality. I enjoy working with 35mm film, as I believe it helps render reality more accurately and creates a shared sacred space on set that feels focused and precious. I also love working with a mix of real people and actors%u2014all these aspects probably contribute to my %u201cstyle.%u201d But I don%u2019t quite know how to define it or provide real insight into how it has come about.Q: In MOEDER, the miner discovers a ringing phone from the wreckage. What does this symbolize in the context of the film%u2019s narrative?A: The most potent aspect of the film for me was Vitaly having to deliver that message %u201cphonetically%u201d to a grieving mother on the other side of the line. Throughout the film, he%u2019s clearly carrying something emotionally and is unable to integrate normally with his environment. I think that is (and should be) quite frustrating for those around him and the audience, for that matter. I wanted the ending to be somewhat of a cathartic release when he finally delivers the message, and we (and his wife) finally understand what he%u2019s been carrying. When making this film, we referenced Michael Haneke%u2019s %u201cCode Unknown.%u201d It%u2019s a film with a couple of vignettes about misunderstandings that escalate and grow until they start to tear at relationships%u2014the phone represents that theme. It causes Vitaly%u2019s wife, Yeva, to wonder whether he is potentially having an affair, creating relational tension that is sustained until the climax of the film.Q: As someone with such a diverse portfolio, including music videos and short films, how do you approach storytelling across different formats?A: I love telling stories that are seemingly format agnostic%u2014whether it be a music video, a short film, a commercial, a documentary, a feature film, or a mix between. I%u2019m about to release a short film x music video that%u2019s perhaps very hard to categorize or even find a platform for, but I know the story strangely works (or perhaps works for how I%u2019d like to tell it) in this slightly Frankenstein way. I just want to be true to the story itself and allow the format to be something that emerges from the story%u2019s needs.Q: You%u2019ve achieved so much in the world of short films and music videos. What excites you most about transitioning to feature films with your upcoming projects like MOTHERLAND and ICONOCLAST?A: For me, it%u2019s all about canvas size and how much more emotional real estate there is in the larger canvas sizes of feature films. It%u2019s hard to put a lot of yourself into a commercial or music video because the %u201ccanvas size%u201d is very limited%u2014you have 30 seconds to 5 minutes to move someone. But in short films and ultimately feature films, you can pour so much more of yourself into them. A commercial is like an index card you have to paint; it requires only a little bit of yourself to fill that canvas. A music video is like a letter-sized canvas%u2014it requires a bit more of you, a bit more effort%u2014maybe a bit of sweat. A short film is like a poster size; maybe it requires a bit of blood and sweat. A feature film is like a house; it requires blood, sweat, and tears%u2014so much of yourself will find its way onto that canvas. That%u2019s what%u2019s exciting to me about feature films: the opportunity to create a bit more cathartically.Q: Your work has been featured at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and other prestigious venues. How important is it for you to push the boundaries of conventional filmmaking?A: Pushing the boundaries of conventional filmmaking isn%u2019t something I%u2019m very intentional about; it%u2019s perhaps something that is just a natural by-product of my curiosity. However, I%u2019m still in the early days of my journey, so I%u2019m constantly learning, failing, and learning again%u2014 all of which helps me grow.56 MOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 64