Irina Lord
She is the woman behind My Pretty Lover Dollar Baby Film.
SKSM: Could you start with telling me a bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?
Irina Lord: My name is Irina, I am 23 years old and I was born in Romania. I moved to the UK when I was 19 to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Art at the University of Oxford. I now live in Canada, Vancouver to be more precise where I am working towards my Master’s degree. I am a filmmaker and a visual artist. I think over the years I’ve become a sort of nomad. I have a hard time pinpointing where my home is, since my family is currently spread over 3 continents. I guess I move around a lot and this has influenced my work: my characters are displaced and universal, never tied down in time or space.
SKSM: When did you make My pretty lover? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?
Irina Lord: I started working on “My pretty lover” in the summer of 2015 and I finished the film in 2016. It took a few months because I made the film with no budget and using only what was available. It was sort of a side project, a fun thing to do with my friend Andra (she’s the actress in it).
SKSM: How come you picked My pretty pony to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?
Irina Lord: This might be a no-no to say, but I’m actually not a huge Stephen King fan. Out of all the dollar baby stories, I though this one was the most organic – I didn’t really like the big reveal “punch-line” endings most of the other stories carry. I also thought it was a good metaphor for film, as the story is all about time and duration.
SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wikd guess or did you know it before you sent him the check?
Irina Lord: Just to be clear, he is not selling the movie rights. He is giving permission to adapt a few select stories (with many strings attached). I think I read about it on Indiewire or somewhere similar.
SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?
Irina Lord: There was one! I was filming the intro by the train tracks. It had just started snowing and the fields were still green, so I thought that would make a nice shot. Over the tracks there is a farm, quite far off in the distance. Unfortunately the farmers there also have dogs they let roam around and they came running almost as soon as I set up my tripod. I think I only got about 2 minutes of footage before I was chased off by 5 or 6 big hounds…
SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can’t see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible?
Irina Lord: Speaking of strings attached… After finished the film I realized what a big problem not being able to show it was! No budget films rarely make their way into festivals, so showing your film online is usually the only opportunity you have of releasing your work. Of course, with the dollar baby films you can’t do that. I’ve made a trailer for the film, but that’s about it. The film is just sitting on a hard drive somewhere – seems like a waste if you ask me!
SKSM: What “good or bad” reviews have you received on your film?
Irina Lord: None so far… I think my friends and family liked it, but you’re the first “outsider” to ask for an interview and express an interest. I had almost forgotten about this film, so thanks for resurrecting it!
SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?
Irina Lord: I’ve had some brief email exchanges with his assistant. I’ve of course asked for feedback when I sent the film, but heard nothing back.
SKSM: What are you working nowadays?
Irina Lord: I’ve just finished a short film in collaboration with two actors, one from South Africa and another from Indonesia. The film is called Silence and it’s a hybrid, pushing the boundaries between fiction and documentary, actor and director. I’m now researching my graduation project, looking into Deleuze’s idea of the fold.
SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King’s stories? If you could pick -at least- one stroy to shoot, which one would it be and why?
Irina Lord: I don’t think so. There’s no point in making films to keep on a shelf.
SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to your fans?
Irina Lord: Thanks for the interview! I guess what I could say is, if you want to see “My Pretty Lover” email me and I can send you a copy!
