Blessed with an array of interview opportunities for Georgia Michailidi’s short film ‘Diane Keaton‘ for the 5th Femme Filmmakers Festival, the lead actress Margarita Siotou also agreed to speak with Filmotomy. Siotou plays the fed-up Anastasia in this short drama-slash-comedy. Check out our chat below:
questions by Morgan Roberts and Robin Write
FILMOTOMY: Who is a woman in history that we should know more about?
MARGARITA SIOTOU: Most definitely Sotiria Bellou. The strong voice of Greek “Rebetika”. A very intense human being. Bellou was also a political activist who joined the Greek resistance. She was caught by the Nazis, tortured and then put into prison.
Members of extreme right groups never forgave her political stance and her participation in the Resistance, and in one incident they visited a club where she was singing on stage and demanded that she sing a famous right wing song. After her refusal she was beaten by six members of the right wing.
Years afterwards she still expressed her grievance that not one man from those in the club and none of her colleagues stood up to defend her. Always free and wild, singing about her life and her emotions, gambler and alcoholic but always strong in her positions, Sotiria is a woman that we need to ask about.
What is a story in film that has been overdone? What would you like to see more of?
I must say stories about immigrants is overdone nowadays. Its as if you’re looking at a problem and you share it with exaggeration just because this story sells. I would like to see more biographic based stories about human beings and incidents that need to be shared. Last time I watched something like that, was “When They See Us” and that’s a story I had complete ignorance towards.
Why acting? When did that become a passion? What inspired you?
Acting came to my life by accident. I joined the University of Patras to study the theoretical part of theatre. I actually wanted to be a writer. During my days in university a director approached me and asked me if I would like to join with his company and perform. Being completely impulsive I just said yes, from this performance back in 2011 and until I finished my studies in 2013 I was constantly performing as an actress.
After that, I had the need to study it. It became my passion when I first performed in front of a camera. That was the moment where I realized that cinema is what I enjoy the most. And that was my inspiration. I think more or less the camera is my inspiration. The camera and a good story.
How were you cast in Diane Keaton? What was your relationship with the director during shooting?
I learned from a friend of mine that there’s a casting for a short film. 6 months before that I finished shooting a feature film and I was in a moment in my life where I was already missing it. So when this friend told me, I was fully in to read the script. I was auditioned by the director Georgia, and I was absolutely in love with the script and the way she was working with me through improvisations.
We immediately connected during shootings, I was really pleased I could bring in life her character “Anastasia”. Georgia during shootings was always there, supportive, active, and sure about her vision of this film.
How do you prepare for acting roles, from first discovering the part to actual filming?
I prepare myself by reading the script as many times as possible. This brings me to a state of being in trance with the character and what she says and does. I get fully charged with the words my character uses. Then I start imagining a lot about her, start sharing with my director all of my thoughts and extras for this character. Last but not least I try to combine my body, mind, experiences, and memories with “what my character” gives me.
So I create a channel between myself and the creature I’m creating. I always feel like a lovable mother when I’m creating my roles. I pass through all stages of motherhood with it.
What did you learn through the whole process of making Diane Keaton?
Silence is very important on sets. When free minded people meet something beautiful happens. I met my fellow actor Fivos Papakostas, with whom we did one more short film together. That I prefer night time sets because I’m less on my mind and more on my body.
Who is an actor/editor/cinematographer/writer you want to work with?
I would enjoy to work with Syllas Tzoumerkas as a director and writer, and I would be delighted to work with a script by Efthimis Filippou.
What have you had to do differently during lockdown, both good or bad?
I had to adjust my life which was surrounded by loads of people in an everyday basis. I spent plenty of time alone which was a really quick change in my life, but at the end I realized that it helped me a lot to focus on myself.
What plans do you have for the rest of the year, both professionally or personally?
No plans at all. It’s the first year in my life that I asked myself whether I want to make plans or not, and myself said “no plans for this year”. I’m expecting some answers for some feature films, but other than that, due to all the quick changes that happen around with COVID, I would like to move one step at a time.
