“It reinforced my feeling that you cannot be a lone wolf and expect things to work out.”
Venelina Filipova is 44 and was born in Sofia. She trained as a telephone technician, but has devoted the past 19 years to medical pedicures. Over six of those years, alongside her work, Veni also graduated from the Moscow Academy of Astrology. She holds an astrologer’s certificate but does not currently practise. Venelina has a 22-year-old daughter.
How did your story with the Film Academy for Talents begin? How did you hear about the school and end up there?
Venelina Filipova: My story with them began completely as a joke, for fun. I heard about the Film Academy for Talents on Facebook during the pandemic. I had to bring my daughter home from Austria, where she studies, and voluntarily quarantined with her at home. While browsing Facebook out of boredom, I happened upon an Academy advertisement, applied, passed the first round in spring and then received an invitation to a casting in autumn**.**
And what happened at the casting?
Venelina Filipova: It was great fun because the role they gave me was very familiar: I had to play the mother of a teenager going through puberty, and I did. Shortly afterwards, it turned out I had been approved. They called, and that is how I joined the school. I approached it entirely for fun; I did not aim to become a film star. But I love stand-up comedy. Before the pandemic, I performed sketches quite often, with around 10 open-mic appearances on stage. I like entertaining people with my jokes and think I do it well. Life is hard, and we should look for reasons to have fun. That is one reason I attend the Film Academy for Talents: the enjoyment.
What makes Nataliya Dukova and Tsvyatko Tsenov such appealing company and makes you return to the school?
Venelina Filipova: First of all, the work at the Academy makes us exercise our rusty brains. I learnt quite a few things by heart and gained a lot of new knowledge. The training makes me seek new information I cannot find in my job. Nataliya Dukova is my favourite: she brings colour and life to everything wherever she goes. Tsvyatko is also an interesting and distinctive person. At the Academy I met different people, several groups formed, and I made new friends. I am grateful to the Academy for introducing me to all these people. What I learnt, the acting exercises we filmed, the chance to step into a director’s or screenwriter’s role: it is very interesting to learn these things, take on those roles and see another perspective. I also have the honour of appearing in the feature film “Monsters” (produced by the Film Academy for Talents team), which is an entirely different emotion from anything I have experienced in my life. These experiences have simply been wonderful.
What films or advertisements would you like to appear in?
Venelina Petkova: Since I started studying at the Academy, my friends and I have joked that I would be called for a toilet-paper advertisement and then say, “Oh, so sooooft!” (laughs). We were joking; I did not receive a toilet-paper advertising offer. But just when Covid had knocked me down, I received an email with an offer and the script for “Monsters”. Fate took me back in time again. Because I play the mother of one of the main characters, memories of childhood and my own life story resurfaced. I think fate is a great joker, showing me: “See, it is not so scary! You go on stage, play your role and game over!”
Do you dream of the big screen?
Venelina Filipova: Honestly, no. I would not mind, but my dreams are smaller and more modest.
What have you learnt and what are you learning from the Film Academy for Talents team?
Venelina Filipova: I learnt that you are not alone on stage. Supporting one another is one of the things I learnt. It reinforced my feeling that we are a society: you cannot be a lone wolf and expect things to work out.
I have never had trouble communicating with people, but now it is exceptionally easy. The Academy’s training has influenced my life and continues to do so. I also think certain situations in life can be seen as another role you need to go through.
What future productions can you see yourself in and would you take part in?
Venelina Filipova: Yes, I would act, as long as they are not 18+ or too intimate.
What inspires and motivates you to keep going?
Venelina Filipova: I am a huge fan of Baron Munchausen, which shows I am rather crazy in general. I love life in all its aspects. Life can be so colourful and beautiful, as long as you have eyes to see it. That is one aspect of life I like. I also like the desire to try something new and different and tell yourself, “Hey, that worked; I managed it.” That is my motivation to keep going.
