Victoria Pedretti and Hanna van Vliet Spark Cheers at Rotterdam Film Fest

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Actress Victoria Pedretti, known for her role in “The Haunting of Hill House”, expressed excitement about fellow actor Hanna van Vliet, also a co-creator of Netflix’s “Anne+”, during the International Film Festival Rotterdam on Sunday night.

“You are a leader,” she told her.

Indeed, I’m a leader,” Van Vliet affirmed, acknowledging that fostering change within the industry necessitates “building diversity among our teams.

We created ‘Anne+’ on a shoestring budget, which gave us immense creative control, allowing us to select and employ our preferred talent. As individuals enhance their skills over time, they’ll rise to positions of authority. It’s essential to begin small and cultivate everyone into the leading figure. Female or male, every person matters.

To successfully infiltrate a “corrupted” system, it’s essential to understand its inner workings, emphasized Pedretti.

At my initial meal with ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ team, everyone seemed engrossed in a conversation about Harvey Weinstein. My thoughts were something along the lines of: ‘Am I stepping into this kind of situation?’

People often say, ‘I want you to join me in this,’ but what they truly mean is different. Participating in auditions for large-scale projects with little substance? I simply don’t bother. Instead, I prefer creating a brief film about something meaningful.

Just like “The Non-Actor,” which saw her act alongside Maya Hawke.

Characters can be intricate. I strive to ensure mine aren’t just stereotypes. It would sadden me to create something harmful, as portrayal carries significance,” she remarked.

Apart from “The Haunting of Hill House,” Pedretti worked on “The Haunting of Bly Manor.”

She found ‘Hill House’ more enjoyable to work on as it was directed by Mike Flanagan throughout, making the whole production seamless and rewarding. In comparison, ‘Manor’ was filmed in Vancouver, which was chilly and didn’t suit her spring wardrobe. She openly acknowledged that ‘Hill House’ was where she learned the ropes of set work.

Two months post-graduation, I was overjoyed to be working as an actor, almost to the point of being beside myself. Yet, each day was tinged with fear, as I pondered: ‘Is this my one and only job?’ I harbored doubts that there would be anything more after this.”

“Immediately after college, I started working as an actor, and it made me ecstatic! But every day, a nagging fear gnawed at me: ‘This might be the only job I ever have.’ I wondered if there would be anything more for me beyond this.

After “Hill House”, there were more projects: “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” directed by Quentin Tarantino, “Origin” from Ava DuVernay, and the Sundance premiere “Ponyboi”. For Van Vliet, these ventures revolved around “Anne+”, a story about a lesbian in her twenties living in Amsterdam, delving into relationships. Next up for her is “The Muffler.”

(This version aims to simplify the original sentence structure while maintaining its meaning and flow.)

I was unaware that art could have such a profound effect on me. In the past, I identified with movies like ‘Love Actually’ and other straight films, but nothing comparable to ‘Anne+.’ Having characters who were openly lesbian in various aspects of their lives, rather than defining them by it alone, would have been beneficial for me too.

The show, and later the film, was important to her as creator, but also as a person.

This was a significant milestone in my personal acceptance. In each interview, we discussed being queer, which felt strange since our goal was to make it commonplace. Nevertheless, it provided me with a large circle of lesbian friends, which I found incredibly enjoyable,” she reminisced, also saying: “I’m originally from a small town near Rotterdam and we only had one cinema. There was no arthouse at all. Later, when I moved to Amsterdam, I saw films like ‘Blue Is the Warmest Color.’ It resonated with me deeply.

However, it’s important to note that Pedretti’s accomplishments extend beyond the silver screen. Fresh from her successful Broadway debut in “An Enemy of the People,” she has also garnered recognition, as Jeremy Strong won a Tony Award for his performance in the same production.

For about an hour and a half, you have the liberty to choose your own path, delving into various experiences. Even if you encounter a performance that doesn’t appeal to you, don’t write off the entire theater scene. Try another show instead,” she suggested to the audience.

And as for her own life-changing films?

“Lilo & Stitch.’ I felt very seen in that movie,” she deadpanned.

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2025-02-03 12:49