We are delighted to hold this interview today with director Russel Redl from the USA. It’s an honor for us. Please, tell us more about yourself, your background in the cinematic world, and how you decided to connect your life with film.

That’s an interesting question. I believe every film or screenplay I’ve ever worked on has been a deeply personal project. Whether the story is taken from my own life, someone I’ve met, or a subject I’m passionate about, I tend to pour a lot of myself into my work. For me, filmmaking is the ultimate way to process reality through fiction.

Thank you so much. Could you tell us about the work you submitted to our film festival?

The project is titled Luma Was Here. Currently, it’s in screenplay form, and I’m having it translated into comic panels to serve as my storyboards before moving into pre-production. It is essentially a "vampire rendition" of a story, but instead of mythical creatures, it explores how memory—specifically memory tarnished by trauma—can be vampiric.

The story examines how pain can feed off a person’s vitality. The main character is desperate to overcome the grief of losing loved ones and decides to use "blood magic" to contact them one last time. By using her traumatic memories, she literally bleeds into a cup and drinks it, which sets her on a dark, transformative path.

You mentioned that your characters often represent the "ultimate outsider." Could you elaborate on that, especially regarding the LGBT themes in your work?
 The character is actually based on my best friend, who is gay. I use the LGBT aspect not just for representation, but as a means to portray the "ultimate outsider." It’s a way to tell a story that feels raw and real, but within a very fictionalized, supernatural setting.

When my friend, who is an actor, read the script, he immediately clocked it. He said, "This is just me!" I partially wrote it for him, and that personal connection was a huge part of why and how I was able to write this character.

If you had to describe your film in a few words, what would they be?

You’re putting me on the spot! I can think of four: Visceral, Haunting, Magical, and Cathartic.