An Interview with the filmmaker of "Helga is in Lund," Thelyia Petraki.
1. Why did you want to get into filmmaking? How did you get to where you are in your career?
Since I was a young girl, movies had a great impact on me and, I always wanted to understand the making of films. At first, I did not know exactly what I would specialize in, but I always knew I would like to be a filmmaker. At film school in Greece, we had 3 major options: DP, Art Director or Director. Following my instinct, I chose Directing. After graduating, I started as a PA, Ass. Director and ended up working as a producer. Since I never got passed the idea of directing my own films, when finding the right team, I made the attempt.
2. What inspired you to create “Helga is in Lund?”
I always find inspiration from my personal experience and everyday life. "Helga is in Lund" is not an exception.
3. During the phone conversation that leads to the line and title of the film, “Helga is in Lund,” the therapist, who acts as a guide and authority on mental health, experiences his own mental breakdown by being influenced negatively by the phone call. With that being said, what is the significance behind the title, “Helga is in Lund” and the conversation that leads to this line? Was there a reason behind expressing the therapist’s bilingualism?
Lund is literally in Sweden, a place far from Greece, and Helga being elsewhere, serves as an expression we have in Greece when someone is out of his mind "einai allou (he is else where)". It is actually a parallel metaphor of someone in the state of lunacy. The Doctor, keeping a distance with the patient in a cold manner, makes it difficult for us, and for her, to see through his human aspect, up to to point when the doctor starts speaking this funny incomprehensible strange language and his expressions and actions become more humane. She may not understand what he says but clearly realizes how he feels.
4. What did you learn while producing “Helga is in Lund?” Do you now view the world and/or cinema differently? And if so, how?
What I learned after making this film, is that every single one of us perceives reality in a totally different way, and it is more than fascinating to realize the extremes of both ends. I deliberately left room in the film for assumptions, and it seemed to have worked well in that direction.
5. How has Greece’s current financial crisis influenced you or your filmmaking?
Going through a perpetual crisis in Greece, people experience a great ridicule and a humiliation that affects them emotionally and mentally. Although the film does not speak about the economic crisis, I think, this depressing situation is reflected in the film, even though it was not intended at the beginning.
6. Why did you create a film about mental illness? Is there a particular message you wanted to share with your audience?
I believe, the structure of society is very harmful for our mental health. More over, modern medicine is more preoccupied dealing with body illnesses and diseases, rather than protecting the mind. As a society, we tend to stay on the surface of things, as long as, they look proper and acceptable on the outside, so we forget about our emotions our thoughts and our feelings, striving for the right image, rather than the right methods of nursing our minds. Being detached from our inner self, might lead to miscommunications and unhealthy relationships with others. I am not trying to impose a particular message in the film, this short story is more an indication of how I perceive the world.
7. In “Helga is in Lund,” the characters’ identities are manipulated by the influence of others, such as with the protagonist’s ailing father’s death triggering her mental illness. What did you want to say about this manipulation of individuals by society? Do you think one can overcome it? And if so, how?
The way I understand humanity is as an interconnected system. As individuals, we are connected with each other and we affect the people around us, as much as, they affect us. Therefore, as I believe it is impossible to overcome this situation, we should embrace it and see how it can work to our advantage.
8.“Helga is in Lund” seems to end with a hopeful note by celebrating the protagonist’s birthday with her son and she making a wish. After the protagonist experienced such a tragedy, have you considered how she has moved forward/ reinvented herself?
Actually, the ending is ambiguous and open to interpretation. On one hand, we see her moving on with her life and on the other hand, the lyrics of the traditional Greek happy birthday song, wishes her to live long, grow white hair, become wise and grow old insinuates that she will eventually be in the shoes of her father... It is more or less about the circle of life and the way things inevitably go on.
9.What insight do you hope viewers gain from “Helga is in Lund?”
A further insight to the human condition.
10. Do you have any advice for aspiring female filmmakers?
To all aspiring filmmakers, I would advise to reconcile with possible failure or criticism, it is a part of the process. Females have to be even more persistence and to work harder than their male peers, still. And another thing, it is all about a good filmmaking team. I am grateful for the people I am working with.
"Helga is in Lund" will be screened at the 2017 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival.
Since I was a young girl, movies had a great impact on me and, I always wanted to understand the making of films. At first, I did not know exactly what I would specialize in, but I always knew I would like to be a filmmaker. At film school in Greece, we had 3 major options: DP, Art Director or Director. Following my instinct, I chose Directing. After graduating, I started as a PA, Ass. Director and ended up working as a producer. Since I never got passed the idea of directing my own films, when finding the right team, I made the attempt.
2. What inspired you to create “Helga is in Lund?”
I always find inspiration from my personal experience and everyday life. "Helga is in Lund" is not an exception.
3. During the phone conversation that leads to the line and title of the film, “Helga is in Lund,” the therapist, who acts as a guide and authority on mental health, experiences his own mental breakdown by being influenced negatively by the phone call. With that being said, what is the significance behind the title, “Helga is in Lund” and the conversation that leads to this line? Was there a reason behind expressing the therapist’s bilingualism?
Lund is literally in Sweden, a place far from Greece, and Helga being elsewhere, serves as an expression we have in Greece when someone is out of his mind "einai allou (he is else where)". It is actually a parallel metaphor of someone in the state of lunacy. The Doctor, keeping a distance with the patient in a cold manner, makes it difficult for us, and for her, to see through his human aspect, up to to point when the doctor starts speaking this funny incomprehensible strange language and his expressions and actions become more humane. She may not understand what he says but clearly realizes how he feels.
4. What did you learn while producing “Helga is in Lund?” Do you now view the world and/or cinema differently? And if so, how?
What I learned after making this film, is that every single one of us perceives reality in a totally different way, and it is more than fascinating to realize the extremes of both ends. I deliberately left room in the film for assumptions, and it seemed to have worked well in that direction.
5. How has Greece’s current financial crisis influenced you or your filmmaking?
Going through a perpetual crisis in Greece, people experience a great ridicule and a humiliation that affects them emotionally and mentally. Although the film does not speak about the economic crisis, I think, this depressing situation is reflected in the film, even though it was not intended at the beginning.
6. Why did you create a film about mental illness? Is there a particular message you wanted to share with your audience?
I believe, the structure of society is very harmful for our mental health. More over, modern medicine is more preoccupied dealing with body illnesses and diseases, rather than protecting the mind. As a society, we tend to stay on the surface of things, as long as, they look proper and acceptable on the outside, so we forget about our emotions our thoughts and our feelings, striving for the right image, rather than the right methods of nursing our minds. Being detached from our inner self, might lead to miscommunications and unhealthy relationships with others. I am not trying to impose a particular message in the film, this short story is more an indication of how I perceive the world.
7. In “Helga is in Lund,” the characters’ identities are manipulated by the influence of others, such as with the protagonist’s ailing father’s death triggering her mental illness. What did you want to say about this manipulation of individuals by society? Do you think one can overcome it? And if so, how?
The way I understand humanity is as an interconnected system. As individuals, we are connected with each other and we affect the people around us, as much as, they affect us. Therefore, as I believe it is impossible to overcome this situation, we should embrace it and see how it can work to our advantage.
8.“Helga is in Lund” seems to end with a hopeful note by celebrating the protagonist’s birthday with her son and she making a wish. After the protagonist experienced such a tragedy, have you considered how she has moved forward/ reinvented herself?
Actually, the ending is ambiguous and open to interpretation. On one hand, we see her moving on with her life and on the other hand, the lyrics of the traditional Greek happy birthday song, wishes her to live long, grow white hair, become wise and grow old insinuates that she will eventually be in the shoes of her father... It is more or less about the circle of life and the way things inevitably go on.
9.What insight do you hope viewers gain from “Helga is in Lund?”
A further insight to the human condition.
10. Do you have any advice for aspiring female filmmakers?
To all aspiring filmmakers, I would advise to reconcile with possible failure or criticism, it is a part of the process. Females have to be even more persistence and to work harder than their male peers, still. And another thing, it is all about a good filmmaking team. I am grateful for the people I am working with.
"Helga is in Lund" will be screened at the 2017 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival.