5Q's w/Melissa Skirboll "Greetings From Sarajevo" Director

#1: Can you describe your movie and why somebody should see it in less than 140 characters?

Vengeance. Justice. New York City glistening in the rain. Kates brimming with hatred and pain, Manganaris unfaltering depiction of revenge incarnate.

#2: What do you want the Borrego Springs Film Festival audience to know about your film that isn’t obvious from its title?

The screenplay by Penny Jackson is inspired by the true story of Radovan Karadzic, a notorious Serbian war criminal who was hiding in plain sight in Belgrade. In Penny's story, Sofia who survived the horrors of the Bosnian genocide comes face to face with her tormentor. Hana, an assassin, is sent to make sure justice is served. When Hana reaches her target she discovers Stanislav, the monster she was raised to hate is just a sick, blind, old man. Whether Hana carries out the mission or frees herself from the bonds of the past is at the heart of Hana's journey.

#3: What is your movie making background?

I started in theater, as an actor, then writer and finally began directing about ten years ago. I adapted my short play Show & Tell Tango into my first short film: taking on multiple roles as writer, producer, director and actor. Greetings From Sarajevo is the fourth short film I've directed and with each film I fall deeper in love with filmmaking!

#4: What was the biggest lesson learned in getting your film made?

Trust myself. Many people told us there was no way we could shoot this in one day at the budget I set. I was 100% certain we could. And we did! Also this was my first time editing and learning to use Premiere pro was a big step in itself!

#5: What does the future hold for your film and you?

We are at the start of our festival run with Greetings From Sarajevo so we are hoping to play at more festivals throughout 2021 (and fingers crossed that we will be able to be there in person at many of them!) I'm finishing up feature script that I plan to send to competitions starting in January. In addition Penny Jackson and I have begun to plot out a series based on our last short My Dinner With Shwartzey.