After winning several international awards, Kristina Goztola and Peter Halmi’s short film Le Collier (The Necklace) was screened in Cannes. The French-Hungarian co-production won the Best Experimental Film category at the Cannes Independent Film Festival (CIFF). The short film has so far been screened at seven international festivals and has won five awards.
Kristina Goztola has shot in more than 70 international films, and The Necklace is the second one to be produced. The short film was shot in January 2020 in Paris with French crew and actors including actor Eric da Costa, a cousin of Monica Bellucci. It is interesting that the film was written and directed by Kristina’s partner, Peter Halmi, this is his first French production.
The protagonist of the film, Maiat is played by Kristina. According to the story, the beautiful Italian woman arrives in Paris. In the evenings, he reads it to Michel, an old blind man. Maia finds out the man is hiding a high-value necklace. The girl will be obsessed with the jewelry. The film is a surreal picture of Maia’s spiritual struggle. The genre of short film: a mystical drama in which visuality and music are emphasized.
The short film would have made its debut in Cannes in 2020, but as it missed the film festival, it was first screened at the Bangalore Short Film Festival. For the first time in Europe, the audience was able to see the film world at the Sweden Film Awards, and then the film was awarded at the Rome Prisma Independent Film Awards and at the Madrid Film Awards. Le Collier: not only was they nominated for one of the world’s biggest film festivals in Mumbai, but they also won the Best Director Award and Special Jury Award in the short film category at the Indo-Global International Film Festival.
This time, the film has been selected for the CIFF, the Cannes Independent Film Festival. The event, a festival dedicated to independent filmmakers, took place at the end of May, while the whole film world was focused on Cannes. A total of 38 films competed, and the winner in the Best Experimental Film category.
Kristina Goztola and Peter Halmi are currently making an all-night feature film titled In the Shadow of White. Filming will be completed in the fall, and the picture and sound works will be in Los Angeles and Paris.
Our film Necklace was invited to several festivals. Now, the great Sweet Democracy Film Awards – from Rome – have recognised our work with the Best Screenplay Award. Thank you!
Kristina,
congratulations again on winning the Inspiring Woman in Film award.
Before we talk about the movie and your role as Maia, please introduce
yourself. What made you interested in storytelling and how did you start
out?
Thank you, it’s a great pleasure to receive this award.
As
a little girl my dream was to be an actress. At very young I sarted to
learn dancing, singing, so at the age of 19, I was already playing
leading roles in theatrical musicals. My life was about music and
theatre. Until one day I saw Jessica Lange in Eugene O’Neil’s drama in
the West End.
You studied acting in London and in Los Angeles – do you feel educational training is essential for actors?
I
always think back with gratitude to my wonderful masters. The Meisner
technique learned at the Actor Center in London, gave me self-confidence
in front of the camera. In Los Angeles I received great encouragement
from my teachers, saying that I have a place in the international film
market.
What is your all-time favorite movie?
The Devil’s Advocate with Al Pacino and Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn.
Juliette Binoche’s beautiful acting in „The English Patient” dazzles me.
You’re
an in-demand actress, with a very impressive list of credits! What were
some of the highlights of your career so far, and how do you deal with
the stress that comes with this career?
I’m
proud to have filmed with Jason Clarke, Rosamund Pike in „The Man with
the Iron Heart” biographical action movie. I enjoyed the shooting with
Kristanna Loken in the American-Canadian action television series
„Painkiller Jane”.
It was wonderful to play in Matei Visniec’s two-act drama in Paris and in Avignon.
Sport
is very important to me. Whether swimming or yoga, it helps to refresh
not only physically but also spiritually. Our profession is a constant
competition, which is why I love it so much. I enjoy the challenges.
What is your dream role and which film director would you like to work with in the future?
It would be wonderful to work with Quentin Tarantino, Luc Besson and Woody Allen.
We work on scenarios and several film plans with my husband Peter Halmi. If these films will be realized I will be satisfied.
Let’s
talk about The Necklace and your role as Maia. Your performance is
wonderful and so full of nuance. How did you get into the mindset of
Maia, what did you do to prepare for this shoot?
Maia
a young girl full of dreams and ambition. There are stations in the
lives of all of us when we are at a crossroads and we have to decide. We
have to choose between good and bad. Many times these moral decisions
affect our entire lives. For Maia, the necklace is a symbol of
prosperity and wealth in the film, she becomes obsessed with it. When we
shot the scene of Maia arriving in Paris, I remembered when I was first
time in New York. It was beautiful and I felt so tiny among the huge
skyscrapers.
As
an immigrant yourself, you could probably identify with some of the
difficulties the character experienced. Did you find any additional
similarities between you and Maia, that you could identify with?
I
was born in a European Union country, I live here and I mainly work
here. Paris is wonderful, perfect place for an artist, I have lot of
friends here. I have nothing in common with Maia. I could never, even in
thought, exploit or deceive a blind man. Maia is more of a negative
character in the film but through her personality I tried to show that
female vanity can take us women in the wrong direction.
The
film goes in-depth into exploring our emotional vulnerability and
complicity as humans, as well as physical disabilities. Which scene was
the most challenging for you, and why?
Mathieu
Barbos played wonderfully the role of the blind man. Maia is
indifferent to his disabilities and looks at him coldly, insensitively.
When I see someone crying, I hug him, comfort him…..Depicting the
selfishness and insensitivity of Maia was the biggest challenge for me.
What
was it like to work with actors Mathieu Barbos and Eric da Costa? Was
there any improv on set, or did you mainly stick to the screenplay?
We
did a lot of rehearsals with Mathieu before shooting. It was important
that the movement of his body be accurate. Our friend Jean-Philippe is a
french musician and blind. He gave us advice how to make Mathieu’s play
credible. Eric has a great cinematic proficiency with a great sense of
humour, so Peter let him improvise sometimes.
Kristina Goztola & Peter Halmi
You’re
working closely with your husband, director-producer Peter Halmi.
What’s your secret to a successful creative collaboration?
We
think very similarly. Peter started his career as a theater director
and he also worked in Los Angeles where he directed musicals. We have a
lot in common. The actors love to work with him because he is prepared,
precise and always knows what he wants.
As
an actress, you’re on set a lot, and meet so many filmmakers. In your
opinion, what is the common mistake film directors do? And what are some
things you’d encourage film directors to do more when working with
actors?
As
a producer as well I’m convinced that pre-productions for the films are
decisive. It is not good for an actor to see that a director is
uncertain, nervous or tense. There is no time to nurture the actor’s
soul during shooting but if I see that the director is confident and
beleives in me, I feel safe in front of the camera.
Your
character in the film – Maia, is very inspiring in the way she shows
the right direction for younger girls. What is your message to them?
The
female attraction originates from the soul. If it is not accompanied by
the power of purity, the outer beauty withers from within.
Do you have any advice for up-and-coming actors who wish to follow in your footsteps?
Train yourself! Be yourself! Don’t imitate anyone! Be unique and unrepeatable!
What are you currently working on?
We
are working on the preparations of a tv-movie. It’ll be a romantic
drama and just like in „The Necklace” we put emphasis on the triple unit
of drama, music and beauty such as in opera performances.
