Letting It Rip with KUKLA
Katarina Bogdanović, known as KUKLA (in her Macedonian roots‚ a 'doll’), was born in 1991 in Brežice, Slovenia. A versatile artist, musician, and filmmaker, Kukla's creative journey is fueled by exploration of her Slavic heritage and a penchant for blurring the lines between magic and reality.
Graduating from the Film Academy in Ljubljana in 2014, Kukla embarked on a path of cinematic storytelling that resonates with audiences on a profound level. Her artistic vision is evident in her short film "Sisters," which captured the Grand Prix at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in 2021, showcasing her ability to craft narratives that captivate and inspire.
In 2021, Kukla's debut feature, "Fantasy," got recognition at esteemed festivals, including selection for the Talent Village at Les Arcs Film Festival and The Résidence du Festival de Cannes in 2022. Through "Fantasy," Kukla continues to push boundaries, inviting audiences into a world where imagination knows no bounds and reality meets with the mystical.
With a passion for music intertwined with her directorial skills, Kukla also left her mark on the regional Balkan music scene, directing viral music videos for pop stars that have amassed over 100 million views collectively. Through her multifaceted approach to filmmaking, Kukla not only tells stories but also crafts immersive experiences that linger in the hearts and minds of audiences long after the credits roll.
In the latest instalment of this interview series, the team at Let It Rip Pictures chat to director Karol Kolodzinski to discuss food, travel and dancing.
PORTFOLIO: KUKLA
LOCATION: Slovenia / International
REP: Let it Rip Pictures / USA
CLIENTS: A1 Telecom, Lottery, SAVA Insurance, Jana, Gavrilović
SKILLS: Stylised spots, Choreographed Movements, Mixed Media, Storytelling.
LBB> What’s the place you feel like you belong in?
KUKLA> Paris.
LBB> What’s your favourite food related memory?
KUKLA> Eating figs for breakfast from a tree in Dalmatia, Croatia.
LBB> Share with us your guilty pleasure. And a sport you’d like to be good at.
KUKLA> I'm all for reclaiming guilty pleasures! Malcolm in the Middle is my favourite one.
The sport I'd love to be good at is jumping high and diving deep, I can't do either. For now.
LBB> If you’d need to pick where you draw your inspiration from - based on the last three question - would it be places, foods, or guilty pleasures?
KUKLA> Places.
LBB> What US state would you choose for an open-budget weekend?
KUKLA> I'd start in Saguaro national park in Arizona, continue to White sands national monument in New Mexico and end the weekend with a good concert in Louisiana. It's an open-budget, why not!
LBB> What’s a movie scene you’d like to recreate in a branded content?
KUKLA> There are so many! Any choreo scene from Million Dollar Mermaid (LeRoy), the garden/forest scene from Dreams (Kurosawa), the cake scene from Singin in the rain (Kelly&Donen) etc etc...
LBB> Can you name a project that changed the course of your career in an unexpected way?
KUKLA> The music video for the song Mišići that went viral and gained over 80M views on YouTube.
LBB> How do you collaborate with actors to get their best emotions out?
KUKLA> I want to get to know them, understand them, feel with them, set the atmosphere for the scene, do different methods for relaxing, visualising, feeling in order to reach the states and emotions needed. Dancing it out is always a good start.
LBB> What’s your favourite in camera trick?
KUKLA> I love to put some gloss on the lenses to get a softer, dreamier look.
LBB> Transitions - love them or hate them?
KUKLA> Love.
LBB> What’s your take on AI?
KUKLA> Inevitable. I don't see it as a threat, rather a good tool (that needs a good trainer).
LBB> Did you ever do a cameo role and if so, can you share a picture with us?
KUKLA> I did. It's coming out soon.
LBB> Dream client?
KUKLA> Knows what they want and keeps an open mind.
LBB>What is your advice to producers to keep our film sets more eco-friendly?
KUKLA> All things in moderation, even moderation.
