Stacey Rushchak
Stacey Rushchak is a Ukrainian-American director/screenwriter, who moved to Poland in 2015 to pursue film directing in Warsaw Film School.
Her previous directorial work includes the short film Kindling, which has gained over a dozen international official selections and 4 awards.
FILMMAKER Q&A
What's the most challenging project you've worked on, and how did you overcome the obstacles you faced?
I think the most difficult is yet to come. Up until this point I've made short films, and I think that each of them is challenging in their own way. I think that it's very difficult actually to show who you are as a filmmaker, and tell a decent story in, you know, 15 to 30 min.
Every time I work on something I face new difficulties, and have to come up with new solutions.
Probably because I want every project to be better than the last, and the bar is always rising.
Still from “Blue Hour” Directed by Stacey Rushchak - An Out On Film 2022 Official Selection What's your favorite memory from a film set, and why does it stand out to you?
My fondest memories of being on a film set are the times when I'm not the director. The pressure isn't solely on me, and it's more enjoyable. One instance that comes to mind is when I had to transport a piano with broken wheels through the bustling streets of Warsaw with two other people. We had to push it for around 15 blocks to get it from one location to another. Even though it was physically taxing, it was a fun experience that I look back on fondly.
Still from “Blue Hour” Directed by Stacey Rushchak - An Out On Film 2022 Official Selection How do you balance your artistic vision with the practical demands of making a film, such as budget constraints and production timelines?
When it comes to independent filmmaking, one has to be willing to "kill your darlings" and adapt to the circumstances. There's never enough time or money to execute every idea, so I try to be flexible and prioritize the most critical scenes. I focus on writing stories about ordinary people and their relationships, rather than science fiction or other genres that would require a bigger budget. My values naturally seep into my work, as I strive to be honest and authentic in my storytelling.
Still from “Blue Hour” Directed by Stacey Rushchak - An Out On Film 2022 Official Selection How do you incorporate your personal values and beliefs into your work as a filmmaker, and what impact does that have on your storytelling?
As a storyteller, I think it's essential to be mindful of the values I promote, particularly in light of current events. However, I don't intentionally select social issues to tackle in my scripts. Instead, I stay informed about world events and allow them to influence my work organically.
Since I'm the one who writes my scripts, my values naturally emerge in my storytelling. For instance, in my recent film, I portrayed two queer female characters. Not because I set out to create a queer film, but because I'm queer myself, and in this way it’s simply more natural to me to talk about topics surrounding love and sex.
Still from “Blue Hour” Directed by Stacey Rushchak - An Out On Film 2022 Official Selection If you could direct a film adaptation of any book written by a author, which one would it be and why?
Rachel Cusk's Outline comes to mind. The novel is part of a trilogy and is unique because it explores various characters through the protagonist's lens. The protagonist reveals little about herself, but we learn about her by how she perceives others and writes about them. It would be an exciting challenge to create a film centered around a character who doesn't explicitly talk about themselves, but instead focuses on their relationship with the world around them. Plus, the book is set in Greece, which would provide an excellent excuse to film in a stunning location.