“Housekeeping for Beginners”, Interview with Director Goran Stolevski and Actress Alina Serban

In an exclusive interview with Fred Film Radio, director Goran Stolevski and Alina Serban discussed their latest film “Housekeeping for Beginners” as it debuts at the Venice Film Festival’s Orizzonti (Horizons) competition.

Goran Stolevski‘s Macedonian film, “Housekeeping for Beginners”, marks his third feature and is set to make its premiere at the prestigious Venice Film Festival. Anamaria Marinca takes the lead role as a gay woman who opens her house as a safe haven for a group of queer individuals who have nowhere else to turn. When her partner becomes critically ill, she discovers she may also be responsible for her partner’s two young daughters.

Kristina Ceyton and Sam Jennings, the producing duo behind Stolevski’s first two films, “You Won’t Be Alone” and “Of An Age”, join as co-producers for this captivating project.

Goran Stolevski‘s journey to Venice has been nothing short of remarkable. His debut feature, “You Won’t Be Alone”, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2022, earning acclaim and gaining the attention of Focus Features for a US release. This success propelled Goran Stolevski onto the radar of Hollywood, with Variety recognising him as one of its “10 Directors to Watch.” On the national front, the film became Australia’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature.

Despite his prolific output, Goran Stolevski‘s path was not without challenges. He crafted 25 shorts over 17 years before “You Won’t Be Alone” and penned over a dozen feature scripts, but breaking into the Australian film industry for long-form projects proved to be an uphill battle.

“Housekeeping for Beginners” joins the impressive lineup of films competing at this year’s Venice Film Festival, including works by acclaimed directors such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Michael Mann, David Fincher, and Sofia Coppola. However, the festival, like Toronto, faces challenges due to ongoing actors and writers’ strikes in the US. While there’s a strong selection of US titles, strict strike rules may impact talent participation in premieres and festivals.

Plot