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.
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 short film was selected for the competition program of the CIFF, i.e. the Cannes Independent Film Festival. The event is a festival dedicated to independent filmmakers, held May 17-28. while the entire film world is focused on Cannes. A total of 38 works will compete in the short and feature film and documentary categories.
– We’ll be competing with Emmy Award winner Victoria Rose Sampson, who was the soundcut and sound designer for major Hollywood productions – Star Wars, Red Cop, The Angel, Paranoia and Rambo. Said Kristina Goztola. – Now he is represented at the festival by directing a short film.
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.
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.
“Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there“
Meryl Streep
BIO
Kristina Goztola was born in the small town of Hungary, near the Austrian border. The “Mediterranen Beauty” speaks fluent English, French, Italian, Hungarian.
She studied classical ballet and folk dance for seven years and graduated in High School of Music Arts in Hungary. She began her career as a musical actress in Hungary.
After playing a few leading roles in musical performances, (Kiss me Kate! Stowaway, Miss Susy) at the age of 22 she continued her studies in London and in Los Angeles in New York Film Academy to become Screen actress.
She got the role of Natasha in the american-canadian TV series Painkiller Jane (2007). Thenceforth played in popular Hungarian TV series In the Line of Fire (2009), Életképek (2009) Hacktion (2013). Thanks to her mediterranean appearance is often invited to play Italian, Spanish roles, Captain Alatriste (2013) Chi pensa a me? (2014).
She was offered the role of Christine Wiegel in the American-French-English-Belgian co-production The Man with the Iron Heart (2017) in which she played the lover of Reinhard Heydrich, starred by Jason Clarke.
She was invited to Avignon to one of the biggest theatrical festivals in the world to play the leading role in french language in the drama of Matei Visniec “Du sexe de la femme comme champ de bataille” (2015) where the performance was nominated for the prize of Tournesol.
Owing to her french success, she established the film company Jona Films Paris later on Jonah Film Entertainment (2017). She made her debut as a producer in the short movie Les Recherches Continuent 2018. The film – was shot in Paris and in which she played the female leading role – received the main prize of Bujtor Istvan Film Festival in Hungary (2018) after that the film was presented in West Los Angeles and North Hollywood as well. For her acting in the film she received the Best Actress Prize by Sweden Film Awards (2020).
In 2019 at Cannes Film Festival, as actress she represented the beautiful collection of the world famous Israeli fashion designer Michal Negrin.
„Le Collier” / „The Necklace” french-hungarian co-production was also shooted in Paris, of which she was the protagonist and producer (2020). The film received the Best Cinematography, the Best Director Award – Peter Halmi and the Special Jury Prize in India, Bollywood (2020).
“Scruple” is certainly a complex film, with a refined and wise narrative construction. But we can also say that it is an adrenaline-pumping, tense and disturbing film that keeps the viewer glued to the screen from the first minute to the last. Certainly this is also due to the actors’ interpretation. Of all, your performance is certainly the most multifaceted, exciting and demanding. Tell us about your work of identification and character building. How do you manage to bring out these disturbing and painful emotions? Do you draw and rework from your personal past or are you able to empathize with the character?
In the movie I act the part of a mother whose 4 year-old girl disappears. Without having found the little girl the police closes the investigation but she is unable to settle for this. The script was based on a novel by the famous and wonderful Italian writer Giorgio Scerbanenco. The film is unfortunately is very topical as the number of missing children increases year by year. I don’t have children yet. While preparing for the role I was talking to mothers. I asked them how to move forward with such a tragedy, how it can be accepted. They replied that it is impossible to accept it. What is the most horrible in such a situation is the uncertainty.
We were saying, in fact, how strong are the emotions and situations represented in this film. Your acting manages to impressively convey the terror, the agonizing expectation, the suspicion … in short, you really got into character. But let’s not forget that you are also the producer of this film! How did you manage to handle both of these roles? Was it easy to slip from one position to another throughout the production of the film?
Multiple energies need to be invested in the work as a producer, ranging from film preparations to post-production. As an actor you can relax between two scenes. When I didn’t have to be on the set as an actress I still watched if everything was all right. I noticed that I was more excited for the other actors than for myself. In this case, it is especially important to work with a professional, reliable team.
Independent cinema, even more the short one, has always struggled against the stringent limits of budget and production. But in this same tension, he often finds his highest and most original artistic form. As the producer of this film, what was the hardest thing you faced?
Here, I would like to say thank again to Cecilia Scerbanenco, Giorgio Scerbanenco’s daughter. Without her, this film would not have been come true. With this film I want to draw people’s attention to take great care of our children. This is a collective responsability, regardless of whether you are a parent or not. Yes, this is a low budget short movie but with great team and with excellent actors. I would single out the work of Eric da Costa, who played the role of the Commissioner.
The results of your work as an actress are clearly seen on the screen. A careful and expert eye also manages to grasp your precious contribution as a producer. But which role do you prefer?
It is hard to choose. I’m very glad that I received the Best Actress trophy from Sweden Film Awards for this role. I’m really satisfied that the film was presented in the Laemmle’s Royal Theater in Los Angeles, and the Laemmle’s NoHo7 Theater in Hollywood and we got the Grand Prix in Hungary.
As a producer of the film, your role is halfway between the artistic enthusiasm and the concreteness of the project, in all its aspects. When you have to choose a role as a producer, what is it that attracts you the most? In other words, what inspires you?
The work of a producer requires a different vision than that of an actor. You have to be a sensitive actress in your heart and a realistic, forward-thinking in your head all the same time. The key is always a good scenario. Peter Halmi, our company’s Jonah Film Entertainment’s Artistic Director generally writes the scripts. We like to mix classic and modern elements in human destinies.
Your role as an actress, on the other hand, requires an intimate and personal artistic effort. You are deeply connected with the narrative material. What are your favorite roles and what excites you when you read a script?
It was fantastic to work with Jason Clarke in „The Man with the Iron Heart”. It was very good to make the shooting with the director Peter Halmi in „The Necklance” for which we also received a number of awards. As an actress my first question always is „Who will be the director”. As an actress, it is not the budget that matters but to represent artistic value and be credible in the role.
Hungarian film success in India! Kristina Goztola and Peter Halmi’s new movie won two awards at one of the world’s biggest film festivals in Bollywood.
