Two years later, how do you view your film?
«I still have the same feelings towards Spotted Yellow. In my head, I still have the same dreamy image I saw and turned into a film. But I think there is more to Roya’s life story and one day I might make a film about it.»
These past two years have changed the world. How has your filmmaking changed?
«On the one hand, the pandemic created an opportunity for us to spend time alone and think; on the other hand, it caused irreversible problems. For instance, the budget for buying short films and making new ones has significantly decreased and that has made it hard for filmmakers to work. But these are all part of our life experiences. I hope it will pass soon and a better time will arrive.»
What is cinema to you?
«It’s like asking “What is the world to you?”. I think cinema has a vast and limitless ground and, like life itself, can at any second take the shape of new concepts and forms. But I feel cinema’s depth whenever I live a moment in it, like when you watch a film and at a particular moment, you feel like you’re experiencing an actor’s feelings or a light or a sound. Films add something to your living experience which hasn’t been there before. This year, I experienced that while watching Memoria by Apichatpong Weerasethakul.»
What kind of stories do you want to tell today?
«My new film, which I’m writing, will also be about human life in the modern world and its connection to nature. It is, in fact, about freeing oneself from pre-defined structures.»
To whom do you dedicate this prize?
«This year was a great year for women filmmakers in festivals all around the world. I believe there is a new age of cinema of women filmmakers coming, because now they have more opportunities to gain various experiences.»
What is Baran's dream?
«My dream is to live in a world of peace and equal opportunities. I’d like to experience filmmaking with no restrictions and without worrying about financial and legal issues. There are lots of images and stories in my head that I’d love to turn into films.»