![Russian/Czech Actress Maria Darkina in Emir Kusturica's film "On The Milky Road"](http://www.filmfestivals.com/files/images/Headshot_Maria_D01.preview.jpg "Russian/Czech Actress Maria Darkina in Emir Kusturica's film "On The Milky Road"")
![Russian/Czech Actress Maria Darkina in Emir Kusturica's film "On The Milky Road"](http://www.filmfestivals.com/files/images/mariacannes.preview.jpg "Russian/Czech Actress Maria Darkina in Emir Kusturica's film "On The Milky Road"")
![Russian/Czech Actress Maria Darkina in Emir Kusturica's film "On The Milky Road"](http://www.filmfestivals.com/files/images/DSC_2117%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%82.preview.jpg "Russian/Czech Actress Maria Darkina in Emir Kusturica's film "On The Milky Road"")
![Russian/Czech Actress Maria Darkina in Emir Kusturica's film "On The Milky Road"](http://www.filmfestivals.com/files/images/DSC_2120%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%82.preview.jpg "Russian/Czech Actress Maria Darkina in Emir Kusturica's film "On The Milky Road"")
Actress Maria Darkina with director Emir Kusturica (above)
Russian/Czech talent Maria Darkina stars in Emir Kusturica's latest film 'On the Milky Road' (2016). She attended the 69th Cannes Film Festival in the Cannes young talent program where she did interviews and promoted her upcoming role in American indie film 'Storefront' (2016). Maria is one to watch on the international film front. Born in Russia and raised in Czech Republic, she now lives in Los Angeles where she continues to hone her acting skills and star in American and European feature films.
I recently interviewed Maria about her burgeoning acting career. Here is what she had to say:
Can you tell us about your background and how you started your acting career?
MARIA: I was born in Russia and raised in Czech Republic. Now I live in Los Angeles. I decided to do acting because I liked it so much. The major trigger point for me was when I entered a set for the first time, which was 'Narnia, Prince Caspian'. They filmed a little bit in Prague. That was my first big film experience. I was a background kid but I was able to see myself on screen and I was really happy about it. That was the biggest moment for me and I decided then this was something I really wanted to pursue. I could just feel it. You know when you're a kid you have a strong intuition. I studied abroad at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts where they had a theater program. Then I went to study at film school in Los Angeles because that's where all the film world is.
What school did you study at in Los Angeles?
MARIA: I studied at NY Film Academy and now I've moved to UCLA, but besides that I study a lot on the side too. It's always a learning process.
Since studying in LA, what have you been working on?
MARIA: While doing theater at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, I worked on Shakespeare and contemporary plays. When I came to film school I did a bunch of short films. Then I did a Reality TV show as well. Recently, I have starred in an indie feature film called 'Storefront', which we finished this past February. And after I met Emir Kusturica I worked on his film 'On the Milky Road' with Emir and Monica Bellucci starring.
Can you tell us about your role as 'Luna'?
MARIA: It's a war and love story with a female dancer who comes to entertain Emir's character. He was in love at that time and said he didn't want to live after losing the love of his life. A friend found him and said “I brought you a girl dancer and she will dance for you and entertain you.” He said, “No, I have a different life now." So after that he asked us to tell our stories and how we got to where we got to. It's an exciting story.
What was it like to work with Emir?
MARIA: He's very talented. I haven't had much experience working with other directors yet, but I've never experienced anything like this before. He has a very specific style of working and it was very interesting.
Can you tell us what you are working on now?
MARIA: I was invited to the young Talent Program Cannes in May. It's the first year they have done it and it's only a few people they invited so I am very honored to have been part of that. Everything happens in Cannes, so it was a great place to have interviews and network. I was supposed to be in Cannes with a film, but we didn't have enough time to complete it so it's going to be at another festival. But the talent program came so I got to go anyway.
This year was not your first Cannes though, correct?
MARIA: No. I was in Cannes last year. I was featured in a magazine that publishes specifically for Cannes all over France called Cote Magazine. I was on the cover for the Cannes edition last year, so they got me to Cannes to be a part of their magazine. It was a great experience because it was my first time in Cannes. I saw glitter in the air and was so excited.
What are you working on next?
MARIA: We're waiting for post-production completion on an American indie feature film I did called 'Storefront' which stars Jason London, Sally Kirkland, Peter Jason. We will send it to festivals by the end of this year. Also I heard that Emir wants to do a TV show out of 'On the Milky Road' because there's over four hours of footage from the film. I don't know if I'll be in it though.
Who would be your dream filmmaker to work with?
MARIA: Well, I like so many American filmmakers. Of course Steven Spielberg, as well as Cohen Brothers, David Lynch and David O. Russell. There are also many European directors, including Luc Besson, that would be great to work with. I had an amazing experience with Emir so I would love to work with him again too.
Interview conducted by Vanessa McMahon
A video of Maria with Emir Kusturica onstage at recent concert performance at Zenith Theatre in Paris.
Biography - Maria Darkina
Russian/Czech beauty Maria Darkina is taking the international film scene by storm.
Born in Vladivostok, Russia, Darkina moved with her family to Prague when she was a child. She attended and graduated from the British International School of Prague where she focused her studies on music.
She also studied theater and acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. At 19, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career, studying at the New York Film Academy where she earned an Associate of Fine Arts in Acting Degree. Fluent in English, Russian and Czech languages, Darkina is currently continuing her acting studies at UCLA.
While her introduction to the industry was in the theater, Darkina began auditioning for film roles at a very early age. Since her first film role in “Narnia: Prince Caspian,” the young actress knew that she was destined to pursue a professional career in acting. In recent years, she has appeared in student graduate film productions “Hard Target,” “Memory,” and “Abortion”; reality TV series host “Passport to Hollywood”; theatrical plays at the New York Film Academy and Prague British School, including “Women of Manhattan,” “Five Women Wearing The Same Dress,” “Katie and Frank,” “Closer,” “The Odd Couple: Female Version”; as well as music videos and modeling assignments for top designers.
She was featured in a cover story of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival edition of French magazine “Cote.” She has secured feature and cover stories in several top international luxury fashion and lifestyle magazines, set to be published later this year.
Recently, legendary director Emir Kusturica discovered the young talent and immediately cast her in his new romance adventure feature “On The Milky Road.” The film, that stars Kusturica and Italian actress Monica Bellucci, will debut this year on the festival circuit.
Kusturica has also invited Darkina to join him onstage to perform a special gypsy song from the film on his upcoming Balkans Festival concert tour, which the renowned director is presenting with Goran Bregović. Her first appearances were in Paris and Luxembourg in April 2016, with upcoming performances in Moscow.
Darkina was also cast in a key role in the upcoming U.S. indie film “Storefront” starring Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Sally Kirkland and actor Jason London. The film is set for release and will hit the festival circuit in early 2017.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6995434/
Actress Maria Darkina with director Emir Kusturica (above)
Russian/Czech talent Maria Darkina stars in Emir Kusturica's latest film 'On the Milky Road' (2016). She attended the 69th Cannes Film Festival in the Cannes young talent program where she did interviews and promoted her upcoming role in American indie film 'Storefront' (2016). Maria is one to watch on the international film front. Born in Russia and raised in Czech Republic, she now lives in Los Angeles where she continues to hone her acting skills and star in American and European feature films.
I recently interviewed Maria about her burgeoning acting career. Here is what she had to say:
Can you tell us about your background and how you started your acting career?
MARIA: I was born in Russia and raised in Czech Republic. Now I live in Los Angeles. I decided to do acting because I liked it so much. The major trigger point for me was when I entered a set for the first time, which was 'Narnia, Prince Caspian'. They filmed a little bit in Prague. That was my first big film experience. I was a background kid but I was able to see myself on screen and I was really happy about it. That was the biggest moment for me and I decided then this was something I really wanted to pursue. I could just feel it. You know when you're a kid you have a strong intuition. I studied abroad at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts where we had a theater program and I was there for four years. Then went to study at film school in Los Angeles because that's where all the film world is.
What school did you study at in Los Angeles?
MARIA: I studied at NY Film Academy and now I've moved to UCLA, but besides that I study a lot on the side too. It's always a learning process.
Since studying in LA, what have you been working on?
MARIA: While doing theater at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, I worked on Shakespeare and contemporary plays. When I came to film school I did a bunch of short films. Then I did a Reality TV show as well. Recently, I have starred in an indie feature film called 'Storefront', which we finished this past February. And after I met Emir Kusturica I worked on his film 'On the Milky Road' with Emir and Monica Bellucci starring.
Can you tell us about your role as 'Luna'?
MARIA: It's a war and love story with a female dancer who comes to entertain Emir's character. He was in love at that time and said he didn't want to live after losing the love of his life. A friend found him and said “I brought you a girl dancer and she will dance for you and entertain you.” He said, “No, I have a different life now." So after that he asked us to tell our stories and how we got to where we got to. It's an exciting story.
What was it like to work with Emir?
MARIA: He's very talented. I haven't had much experience working with other directors yet, but I've never experienced anything like this before. He has a very specific style of working and it was very interesting.
Can you tell us what you are working on now?
MARIA: I was invited to the young Talent Program Cannes in May. It's the first year they have done it and it's only a few people they invited so I am very honored to have been part of that. Everything happens in Cannes, so it was a great place to have interviews and network. I was supposed to be in Cannes with a film, but we didn't have enough time to complete it so it's going to be at another festival. But the talent program came so I got to go anyway.
This year was not your first Cannes though, correct?
MARIA: No. I was in Cannes last year. I was featured in a magazine that publishes specifically for Cannes all over France called Cote Magazine. I was on the cover for the Cannes edition last year, so they got me to Cannes to be a part of their magazine. It was a great experience because it was my first time in Cannes. I saw glitter in the air and was so excited.
What are you working on next?
MARIA: We're waiting for post-production completion on an American indie feature film I did called 'Storefront' which stars Jason London, Sally Kirkland, Peter Jason. We will send it to festivals by the end of this year. Also I heard that Emir wants to do a TV show out of 'On the Milky Road' because there's over four hours of footage from the film. I don't know if I'll be in it though.
Who would be your dream filmmaker to work with?
MARIA: Well, I like so many American filmmakers. Of course Steven Spielberg, as well as Cohen Brothers, David Lynch and David O. Russell. There are also many European directors, including Luc Besson, that would be great to work with. I had an amazing experience with Emir so I would love to work with him again too.
Interview conducted by Vanessa McMahon
A video of Maria with Emir Kusturica onstage at recent concert performance at Zenith Theatre in Paris.
Biography - Maria Darkina
Russian/Czech beauty Maria Darkina is taking the international film scene by storm.
Born in Vladivostok, Russia, Darkina moved with her family to Prague when she was a child. She attended and graduated from the British International School of Prague where she focused her studies on music.
She also studied theater and acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. At 19, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career, studying at the New York Film Academy where she earned an Associate of Fine Arts in Acting Degree. Fluent in English, Russian and Czech languages, Darkina is currently continuing her acting studies at UCLA.
While her introduction to the industry was in the theater, Darkina began auditioning for film roles at a very early age. Since her first film role in “Narnia: Prince Caspian,” the young actress knew that she was destined to pursue a professional career in acting. In recent years, she has appeared in student graduate film productions “Hard Target,” “Memory,” and “Abortion”; reality TV series host “Passport to Hollywood”; theatrical plays at the New York Film Academy and Prague British School, including “Women of Manhattan,” “Five Women Wearing The Same Dress,” “Katie and Frank,” “Closer,” “The Odd Couple: Female Version”; as well as music videos and modeling assignments for top designers.
She was featured in a cover story of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival edition of French magazine “Cote.” She has secured feature and cover stories in several top international luxury fashion and lifestyle magazines, set to be published later this year.
Recently, legendary director Emir Kusturica discovered the young talent and immediately cast her in his new romance adventure feature “On The Milky Road.” The film, that stars Kusturica and Italian actress Monica Bellucci, will debut this year on the festival circuit.
Kusturica has also invited Darkina to join him onstage to perform a special gypsy song from the film on his upcoming Balkans Festival concert tour, which the renowned director is presenting with Goran Bregović. Her first appearances were in Paris and Luxembourg in April 2016, with upcoming performances in Moscow.
Darkina was also cast in a key role in the upcoming U.S. indie film “Storefront” starring Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Sally Kirkland and actor Jason London. The film is set for release and will hit the festival circuit in early 2017.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6995434/