Her Story, Her Future: How did your love story with movies start? What did little Jorė want to become when growing up?
Jorė Janavičiūtė: When I was little, I always dreamed to be a journalist and as I grew, I worked towards that direction. Though as a teenager, I became a movie fan and went to see newest films in the film festivals. In school, in eleventh grade or so, I had sports classes with my friend Urtė and she started going to this Skalvija Film Academy for high school students, she was always talking about it. One time she called me and told me there was a free sport in their summer camp. That’s how it all began…
HSHF: Do you think that a woman professional brings something different to the table; not better, not worse, just different?
JJ: I think now it is kind of equal, at least in Lithuania. But I think a woman can bring in a more sensitive way of working in film industry. But men can be sensitive to the process too and some women can be very unsensitive, so this is not a rule. A woman can bring in new ways of portraying female characters and this way make change in the overall perception of a woman. But men can do that too. Just maybe women filmmakers might have more motivation to do that…
HSHF: Did you have unrealistic expectations about your profession? If so, when did you realize that was the case and what did you do about it?
JJ: Hard to say. I think I had some realistic expectations, just the film industry sometimes is not very good with mental health issues, working long hours and overtime is a norm. I think ideally, the film industry should rethink itself. I try to change it by drawing my own personal boundaries when it works and choosing to work with people who understand these issues. I also always had dreams. My dreams are what motivates me.
HSHF: What helps you get up and show up every day?
JJ: Sleep and dreams. 😀 Working with actors and those little moments, when you write or shoot something what moves your heart, motivates me a lot. Things outside film – like going to nature or hanging out with people that are close to my heart.
HSHF: It is generally a safe assumption that people make mistakes: can you name the ones you’ve made along the way and that you have learned from? How about the ones that you feel you keep making even now?
JJ: Yes, I have made mistakes. I try to learn from them (even sometimes it doesn’t work, at least at first) and let others know what they should be aware of. I can only share two of them: first – draw your boundaries before starting a project in whatever position you are, second – look at your contracts with a lawyer, best the one who knows film field.
HSHF: What advice would you give to a young professional, that you have received or would have wished to receive yourself?
JJ: If you want to be a filmmaker, keep on making films.