Cinema for me is…
Cyprus – Polina Zelmanova from Europa Cinemas on Vimeo.
Polina in 25 frames
1. Describe yourself in ten words
A friendly perfectionist with passion for all artistic things.
2. What are your 3 best qualities and your 3 worst habits?
3 best qualities: Persistence, hardworking and kindhearted.
3 worst habits: Being sensitive, not always asking for help, indecisiveness.
3. What is your dream job?
Being a film maker or being part of a film crew.
4. What do you like most about your country?
The warm and bright weather.
5. What is your favorite dish in your country?
Gyros.
6. What is the word or the expression in your native language that you like the most and what does it mean?
“Ατε, εφτυσα” (atte eftisa) which literally means ‘there, I’ve spat’ but is used as “come back soon (before it dries up)”.
7. What European capital have you visited lately?
I haven’t left Cyprus in the past few years, but the last one has been Paris.
8. Other than your own, which European country would you love to live in?
Holland.
9. What does Europe means to you?
It is a multicultural community with many opportunities and it is my home.
10. What are the European values that you share?
For me personally, the most important ones are human rights, tolerance and acceptance, peace and individual freedom.
11. What film made you fall in love with cinema?
Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge.
12. What is your favorite cinema theatre and what do you like about it?
Rialto Theatre, because of the cozy but grand layout with a roof that looks like a starry night.
13. Where do you like to watch movies and on which platform (DVD, online, cinema, mobile phone, etc.)?
Although nothing compares to the big screen experience, I prefer to watch movies in the comfort of my home, online.
14. Who is your movie hero?
Joe from Von Trier’s Nymphomaniac.
15. If you were a movie director which one would you like to be?
Lars von Trier.
16. Briefly describe your favorite scene
In Anomalisa by Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman, when Michael wakes up from his nightmare, comforted to find Lisa by his side. As Michael is excited to finally get away from his monotonous life and run away with his newly found muse, reality slowly makes its way back into the picture. With every Lisa’s chew and crumb flying out, Michael gets more and more annoyed and angry until finally the voice that had charmed Michael all this time disintegrates into the dull sound he had been trying to escape from.
17. What are the 5 best European films you have seen in the last year?
The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015) GR
Blue is the Warmest Colour (Abdellatif Kechiche, 2013) FR
Interruption (Yorgos Zois, 2015) GR
Three Colours: White (Krzystof Kieslowski, 1994) FR
In the Shadow of Women (Philippe Garrel, 2015) FR
18. Which is the film character that you most identify with?
Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz
19. Your favorite soundtrack or song?
L’Autre valse d’Amelie from Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
20. If you had to live in a movie, which one would you like it to be?
Alice in Wonderland.
21. Your life becomes a bio-pic. Who plays the role of you?
Jemima Kirke.
22. Which talent would you most like to have?
Flexibility.
23. What is your most treasured possession?
My idea notebook with all of my storyboards and sketches.
24. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Apart from having been chosen to take part in this festival, it is for my video awarded at the European Commission’s competition.
25. What is your motto?
Make the most you can out of what you have available.