5 Questions with Jordan Nikolic
In the gritty character study, “Kylie,” by director Jordan Nikolic, we watch as a young girl from a dysfunctional rural family, attempts to get to an air show. We asked Nikolic how the project began, a recent film that resonated with him, and what comes next…
1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in movies?
I'm from a small town in Central Pennsylvania. I always had an interest in film growing up, but I never thought about pursuing a career as a filmmaker until after my senior year of college at Penn State. I wrote a short script the summer before I graduated, then rounded up some friends and started shooting it with a camera I was able to rent out from school for free. The process of making that 30 minute film was one of the most stressful experiences I'd had up until that point in my life, but the challenge was rewarding. This initial small experiment turned into somewhat of an obsession. Two years later I was accepted into NYU's MFA Filmmaking program, from which I recently graduated.
2) What’s the origin story here - what started the project, and what were some of the first steps to get it rolling? & 3) I think what sets your film apart is in your protagonists desire to go to the airshow and with her fascination with war and planes - interests that are a bit unusual to see in a gritty indie film like this. I’d love to hear more where that came from, and what you were most interested in communicating with her passions?
A few years ago at a 4th of July barbecue, I met a friend of a friend's younger sister. She was 12 years old and was wearing a t-shirt depicting a painting of "Pickett's Charge" during the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg. I told her I thought it was really cool, which sparked a 2-hour conversation regarding her vast knowledge about the topic. I remember asking her if any of her friends were interested in the Civil War, and she somberly told me "No, not really." I asked if her parents had gotten her interested in the subject and she responded "No, they don't care about it". I felt a great empathy towards her - this esoteric interest in Civil War history seemed lonely. I could tell from the moment she excitedly jumped at the opportunity to speak with me about it, that it seemed like a rare occurrence for her. I thought it would be interesting to take the experience of this interaction and somehow dramatize it into a short film, which resulted in "Kylie".
4) What’s a film you’ve seen, new or old, in the last couple of years that has really resonated with you and why?
"Winter Brothers" by Hlynur Palmason has really stuck with me. There are so many filmmaking techniques on display throughout and Maria von Hausswolff's cinematography is stunning.
5) What’s next for you?
I'm currently trying to finance my first feature, "Relentless, This Burden". It's a mockumentary/dark comedy about a citizen journalist investigating a voting machine conspiracy, set in New York City.
Contact Info:
Instagram: @jordannikolic