Back and Forth with Director Daria Geller
Courtesy of Daria Geller
When you have the chance to watch “Him & Her", by Daria Geller, I recommend watching it twice. Perhaps one of the few advantages of cinema during a pandemic is the opportunity to be your own projectionist, and to click the play button again and again. The short film, inspired by Anton Chekhov’s short story “He & She,” is about how a relationship is not always what you think it is. The devil is in the details, and Daria, who is also the cinematographer, is clearly paying attention to the minutia. “Him & Her” will make you want to return to Daria’s work, just as its characters keep coming back to each other.
What is something that you wished you knew before filming?
If something doesn’t work out on set, there’s no need to panic. And most importantly, don’t let others tell you what to do and scream suggestions at you. Simply pause, take a moment to think things over and talk to each crew member one by one. Just have a normal, calm conversation.
And what is something that you learned after filming?
That there’s no absolute right answer when it comes to creative work. You have to trust your gut, make a decision and stick to it. If you end up listening to others because you are afraid you may be wrong, this will only have a negative effect on your film—you need to stay true to your own vision as a director.
What is your favorite memory of being on set?
It has to be the dinner scene! Miriam Sekhon, the lead actress, was secretly leading the extras on by pretending to be talking about a specific subject. It was as close to reality as you could get, with everyone having a real party and being themselves. And all the food and drinks on the table—I mean these are all things I remember my mum preparing during our cold Russian evenings with her friends.
Courtesy of Daria Geller
What was the first image you had for Him & Her?
I came across this story about nine years ago, but it took me a while to realize how a short story with no real narrative could be turned into a short film. In my mind I just had Miriam Sekhon as the actress. Once I started working on the film, a specific scene I knew that had to be part of it was the couple driving in the car. A long, tense, silent drive.
What was the last screenshot that you took of a film ?
It was from the film “Swallow” directed by Carlo Mirabella-Davis.
Who is the person that you first turn to to share the first rough cut of your film or first pass of your screenplay?
It has to be Yuval Orr. He’s a director and producer (and boyfriend). With Him & Her, he helped me produce the film, although he speaks zero Russian.
What is an unusual source of inspiration for you?
As a director searching for inspiration, I like listening to the Russian poetess Vera Polozkova. She somehow always brings me back into myself and reminds me to look inside and stop comparing myself to others. As a cinematographer, it’s much easier—anything like a little flare of light or a strange color can be a source of inspiration.
