Hello, Stoya, how was the party after the film premiere?
Great, we were in one club by the river, near the refugee center. I came home at 5.30 AM, so I was a little late for the press conference!
Please tell us at the beginning how it all started.
Well, concerning the porn industry, I did some hard-core videos with other girls, certain people took notice, and they asked me how I felt about working with men. I was thinking about potential health problems, I contemplated whether I wanted to be a politician or to work with children, but once I figured out what were the pros and cons of doing - that was it.
And how did cooperation with (Lazar) Bodroža come about?
Through Nikola Tamindžić, the photographer. He took pictures of me when I was 19 years old, and then he asked me if I would work on a Sci Fi movie that his buddies were making and I said, absolutely yes, I'm coming!
Is this your first visit to Serbia?
No, I was here in 2008. As you know, I am of Serbian origin, my grandmother was from here and I feel a connection with this country. Then I came to the rehearsals, and then to the filming.
Tell me how you were preparing for the role, did you use the Stanislavski method?
Everyone thinks that I'm an actress and that I prepare for the role for a long time. No, I took acting lessons in 2010, learned some useful things, here Lazar's wife Nada helped me a lot, she is a wonderful actress. Then during the filming I was taught by Sebastian, who was a great partner.
What would you say is more emotional, working in the porn or in the film industry?
I'm the worst with the journalists (laughter). I'm pretty hot headed and I do not like to talk about myself a lot, and this has been happening for ten years now. Sometimes someone would ask something innocent, like, „Well, you're now emancipated from the work in the porn industry.“ No, I am not “emancipated” at all, there is nothing to emancipate myself from, I still enjoy my “day job.” So it's the hardest part of my job, constantly answering the same questions.
In this film, you interpret the role of Nimani, an android, who was sent on a journey to space with Milutin, a Yugoslav astronaut. In the first part of the film, she is completely subordinated, and then there is a turning point, he “frees” her operating system, and then he cannot cope with her refusal. Is he a typical male, how do you see him?
Milutin is definitely ...
A man from the Balkans?
Oh no, we cannot blame the Balkans for this. I know the White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, who behave like that; it’s definitely not the Balkans. It’s an unfortunate side of masculinity, which I think makes the movie interesting. How often do we see the character of a man who really behaves badly? And not, like, oh, isn’t this bad boy nice with his cigarette behind his ear? How often do we see men behaving like crazy boys in the media?
And what does Nimani represent? She has all the attributes of a woman, but she is essentially a robot. Who is she, a perfect woman?
She is a robot, and Milutin tries to transform her into something that she is not. That’s his entire ego trip, he wants to create something, but she is just a product of a social engineer. Why does Milutin or anyone else think that she has become a real woman? She is a robot.
How do you think this reflects our society? How does the film communicate with the female part of the audience?
Three thousand people saw the film last night, but I managed to talk only to a few of them. So I’m not sure, we’ll see.
Another interesting thing in this film is the mix of East and West, capitalism and socialism, but you have already said that you think, at least as far as men are concerned, that there is not much difference.
There is not much difference, let's say that the people in the Balkans are less irritating than the Americans. Imagine that some pissed-up American did what Milutin did. In the west, men just keep silent, and then when you ask them, “Do we need to talk about something?” they just crawl and lament. This is because no one ever addresses them sharply. If, for example, you want to divorce, you say, “Hey, I was thinking about everything and I talked to all of our friends, I want a divorce.” In the Balkans you speak, and if you need to shout, you shout.
What are your plans for the future? Have you considered venturing into directing?
I have already directed several pornographic films. For now, as a director, I am not interested in anything but the graphic presentation of sex.
Great, thank you so much and I wish you a wonderful time in Belgrade.
Thank you, I always have a wonderful time here!
