DIFF: Every filmmaker or artist has a signature style. What would you say defines yours?
Sophia: My signature style is defined by a blend of psychological realism and metaphysical theatricality. I explore deep human emotions and complex personal histories, but I refrain from confining myself to a purely linear, realistic narrative. In Used and Borrowed Time, I use a "phantasmagorical" style to transport the protagonist, a blind, elderly Jewish actress, into her past. This allows me to explore themes of memory and trauma in a non-traditional way. Similarly, in Poor Liza, I expose a classic 18th-century Russian story through the lens of a ghostly narrator. My use of Quantum Verse in dialogue is also a defining element, adding a philosophical layer to the character's speech that questions the nature of reality itself, the human condition and spirituality.
DIFF: Was there a specific moment when the idea for this project lit up in your mind?
Sophia: For Used and Borrowed Time, the idea ignited when I was researching the civil rights era in segregated Alabama and came across the historical accounts of racism and violence. I was particularly struck by a sadistic racist incident which was relayed to me by a Chef extraordinaire while embarking upon a long Amtrak ride with my grandmother from New York to Florida. The gentleman recounted a horrific tale of an incident that occured in his cousin's young life, while he was living in Birmingham in the 1960's. Hence, I decided to shed light on this terrifying ordeal that would not only expose this historical tyranny but also explore the tyrannical cost of hatred and forbidden love. It was a fusion of a real-life historical event coupled with my own artistic desire to explore memory as a living, breathing entity.
For Poor Liza, the inspiration came directly from Nikolai Karamzin's classic Russian sentimentalist novella. I was fascinated by the timelessness of the story—the betrayal of an innocent peasant girl by a cunning aristocrat. The idea was to bring this tragic tale to a modern audience, using a ghostly narrator to give it a novel, supernatural and dramatic perspective that highlights the enduring cruelty of class systems.
DIFF: What is your approach to storytelling, and how do you go about creating the perfect mood board to support your vision?
Sophia: My approach is to paint cinematic stories that are both emotionally raw and intellectually stimulating. I commence with a powerful, often uncomfortable truth, central idea—like the devastating impact of racial hatred in Used and Borrowed Time or the tragic class divide in Poor Liza. From there, I build a world that is not just a setting but a character in itself.
My mood boards are not merely visual; they are sensory and thematic. For Used and Borrowed Time, the mood board included not only photos from the 1960s civil rights movement but also textures of old lace and worn velvet, images of faded photographs, and snippets of spiritual African American hymns to capture the feeling of memory and nostalgia. For Poor Liza, the board was a collage of 18th-century Russian paintings and architecture but also included contemporary fashion and music to create a sense of timelessness. I am much less concerned with literal representation and more with capturing the emotional and otherworldly existential atmosphere of the film. My mentors have been Spike Lee (at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts) and Tony nominated playwright, Colonel Leslie Lee as well as the Artistic Director of the Negro Ensemble Company, the late great Charles Weldon and therefore, I am very atune to intolerance and bigotry which permeates our society. Furthermore, I am also a disciple of La MaMa Experimental Theatre where I worked closely with Ellen Steward (MaMa) for ten years and had three of my plays produced which dealt with themes of immigration, assimilation and dislocations of souls.
DIFF: How do you think the film industry has changed since you first started? What opportunities or challenges do you think aspiring filmmakers face today?
Sophia: The most significant change is the democratization of filmmaking. When I began, a project required a massive infrastructure and significant funding from traditional sources. Now, with more accessible technology and distribution platforms, filmmakers can create high-quality work and reach a global audience with unprecedented ease. This creates incredible opportunities for independent artists to tell their unique stories without compromise, however, at the same time, the myriad streaming platforms and the use of one's phone to shoot scenes has rather bastardized an industry which boasted the signature gold age allure of soft sin in focus and unveiled the mesmerizing appeal of celluloid (the 35mm) kind. There exists now a major challenge: market saturation. The sheer volume of content renders it difficult for a film to stand out. Aspiring filmmakers must be fiercely creative not only in their storytelling but also in their marketing and self-promotion. They have to be both artists and entrepreneurs, mastering the technical aspects of filmmaking as well as the business of finding an audience.
DIFF: If you could offer one word of advice to future generations of artists, what would it be?
Sophia: Fearlessness.
Fearlessness means not being afraid to tell the stories you feel compelled to tell, even if they are difficult, controversial, or non-conformist. It is about being true to your artistic voice and not letting the fear of failure or rejection impede you from creating. Both Used and Borrowed Time and Poor Liza explore uncomfortable unwavering truths which are lamentable, and it was my fearlessness as an artist that granted me the sheer gall to bring them to the silver screen.
DIFF: What has this project taught you about yourself—as an artist and as a person?
Sophia: Making Used and Borrowed Time taught me about the enduring power of art to heal. As an artist, I learned that exploring painful historical events through a personal and spiritual lens can create a dialogue that transcends time and helps us understand the present. As a person, it reinforced my belief in empathy and the necessity of confronting history to forge a better future. As an international human rights attorney, I am dedicated to fostering and promoting the rule of law in civil society; this noble goal clearly resonates in my storytelling and directing. After all, my cinematic angle is not solely focused on pure entertainment; it is a moral responsibility equipped with an ethical compass. I feel deeply honored to have won the Master of Storytelling award for a film that tackles such a significant and complex subject matter.