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Filmmaker Asya Segalovich studied Practical Filmmaking at Central Film School, exploring different aspects of the craft before finding her creative path. Her recent short film Out the Window Through the Wall won 2nd Prize at La Cinef in Cannes 2024.
In this interview, she shares insights into her time at Central Film School, the inspiration behind her work, and her advice for aspiring filmmakers.
An Interview with CFS Alumni Asya Segalovich
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your time as a Practical Filmmaking student at Central Film School?
After doing an Art Foundation year at UAL, I came to Central Film School knowing that I was drawn to film, but unsure what my place would be within that world. It was great to have the chance to try a bit of everything and discover what I was interested in.
Your film “Out the Window Through the Wall” won 2nd Prize La Cinef (Ex-Aequo) in 2024! What inspired your film?
When I first began developing this story, over three years ago, it was about teenagers escaping a psycho-neurological facility. I was interested in working with some of the young adults I knew through my mother’s NGO in Russia, which helps kids and adults in the orphanage system. That was before the war began, which changed our world quite drastically and also altered my story. Many new characters became part of it.
However, some of the things I wanted to explore remained the same, gaining new meaning in these parallel stories, mainly problems of isolation and oppression and the question of whether some hope can be found as we look towards the future.
What were your highlight moments from the Cannes Film Festival?
The team running La Cinef did a wonderful job of creating a micro community for us within the festival, which was great. I also really enjoyed meeting the other filmmakers in my section, seeing their work, and getting to know them a little bit.
How did having your film shown at Cannes impact your career or open up new opportunities for you?
The producers that I’m currently developing my feature with reached out to me after seeing my film screening at Cannes, so that’s been the most important development for me.
For graduating film students looking to get their work into major festivals, what advice would you give based on your experience?
I suppose it’s worth applying to a whole bunch of festivals, and hopefully someone somewhere will like your film.
What advice would you give to prospective students considering studying at Central Film School?
I think the Practical Filmmaking course at Central Film School is good for developing not only in one capacity but across various disciplines & departments within film production. Film being a medium that requires many resources, I think it’s great to know how to do a lot of things yourself, to be less limited in what you can create independently.
What other exciting projects are you currently working on or hoping to pursue?
I’m currently working on my feature script and also putting together a “collective exchange project” with friends from New York, which is an anthology of interconnected shorts that we’ll be shooting this May.
Where can people follow your work and stay updated on your latest films and achievements?
I have a portfolio website: asyasegalovich.cargo.site
A personal instagram: @a.i.seg and an instagram for the production company we’re starting with my friend Marina Charriton (also a CFS alumni): @bobadibobfilms
If you could only watch one thing for the rest of your life, which film or TV box set would you pick?
The Roy Andersson trilogy.
