Circle interviews with the Alumni: Meet Laura Hypponen - CIRCLE Fiction Orbit Accelerator 2023 participant.

We've asked our Alumni to share their Circle experience with us: motivation, outcomes, how

it helped them shaped their projects and what it means to be part of the Circle family along with their views on the current cinema landscape and how gender has been an asset or barrier.

Q. Please introduce yourself and your project briefly.

I'm a Finnish filmmaker based in Berlin. Lex Julia is my second feature-length film. It is a suspense thriller about an accidental reunion between a rape survivor and her rapist, set over a late Summer weekend, on an island in the Finnish archipelago.

Q. What made you apply for CIRCLE?

I wanted to workshop the project together with my producer in an international setting with the support of inspiring colleagues and mentors.

Q. Can you compare your experience at CIRCLE with other similar platforms that you have been part of?

The workshop emphasised honest sharing and felt truly supportive. The atmosphere felt carefully curated to allow for trust and vulnerability to emerge. The schedule allowed for rest and reflection, which felt like an integral part of the experience.

Q. How has participating in CIRCLE helped you and/or your project?

The workshop helped me feel ready to direct this film. It increased my confidence in my own ability and also deepened the relationship between my producer and me.

Q. As a woman working in the industry, have you faced any barriers or issues related to your gender?

In the recent years I would say it's perhaps the opposite, as there have been many programmes and selections soliciting work from female directors.

Q. What's the most challenging part of being a Filmmakers under the current world circumstances?

The challenge, which I find a positive one, is to find meaning in what one does even in dark times.