After a man-made disaster decimates an evergreen island, a stranded 11-year-old girl must find the tenacity to leave behind her home with the help of an unlikely friend – the majestic Manta Ray.

Interview with Kateryna Kurganska (Writer/Director/Producer), Timur Guseynov (Producer/Cinematographer), Don John (Producer), C Craig (Producer)

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

KATERYNA (Writer/Director/Producer): Two Breaths is a 20-minute short adventure drama, high-concept, that reflects my perspective and the life challenges I have overcome. As a refugee myself, this is a story of how home is an important part of everyone's identity and how you can never truly leave that part of yourself. An important underlying message of Two Breaths is that humans must live in harmony with nature for an unending future. After witnessing cruel wars and human-made losses with my own eyes, I can only wish people would be less destructive and think more about how to take better care of each other and our beautiful world.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

C CRAIG (Producer): Because it is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever been a part of. The soul of this film is something that will stay with you for years and remind you of what is special about this medium. It's a film that can't be described. It has to be experienced. Two Breaths might be Ava's journey, but it's us who change at the end of it.

DON (Producer): I think many people will be surprised to find out Two Breaths is a student film. Although it is a short, it has the production quality of a studio film. The film offers a unique blend of heartfelt storytelling with gripping visuals. It was also shot entirely on location in Hawaii which allowed us to bring the beauty of our planet to life.

TIMUR (Producer/Cinematographer): Two Breaths tells a poignant, humanistic story with an important message that resonates deeply in our times and is beautifully shot in the tropical rainforests and blue waters of Hawaii. It touches on such universal subjects as human impact on nature, the will to survive, the importance of ancestral heritage, and most of all, it explores what it truly means to lose one’s home. With a delicate balance of spectacle and substance, Kateryna orchestrates an unforgettable journey, hoping to leave audiences enraptured and enlightened, with newfound perspectives to reflect upon.

KATERYNA (Writer/Director/Producer): To simply experience how beautiful Mother Nature is. Every single shot and every single sound was made to create an immersive and vibrant experience.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

KATERYNA (Writer/Director/Producer): My decision to move to the United States was completely unplanned. I never imagined myself spontaneously moving to a foreign country as a refugee. Losing my home, leaving family and friends, and assimilating to a new culture and language without anyone to guide me felt like drifting into a deep and scary ocean of fear and expectations, without seeing the land and often finding myself lost. Just like our protagonist, Ava, I had to find the courage to let go of the past and choose what is better for the future. Two Breaths is a story about how a home is an essential part of everyone’s identity and how you can never truly leave that part of yourself. Absolutely everyone can relate to the word HOME. It definitely unites us all.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

KATERYNA (Writer/Director/Producer): It took us almost three years and an island to make this story happen!! That's what happens when the cast and crew become your closest friends and family. It wasn't just about working on the script/film but about creating something magical together. Teamwork!

What type of feedback have you received so far?

C CRAIG (Producer): The feedback has been a blessing. Katya's vision made something undeniably special and prescient for the times we live in. The heart and perspective inside this story will resonate with audiences for years to come. I think it will be a part of the Criterion Collection when it's all said and done.

DON (Producer): We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback since our initial private screening on May 9th. After two years of production, it was magical to share the final product with those who helped make the film, as well as with our colleagues, friends, and industry professionals. It was a challenging production, full of starts and stops that tested the limits of what we could do as filmmakers. For me, the response to the film was a beautiful acknowledgment of the hard work our entire team put into this project.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

KATERYNA (Writer/Director/Producer): It was my first time seeing the audience react to the film, and honestly, it was so inspiring. We definitely want to go further and create more films now!

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

TIMUR (Producer/Cinematographer): From the very beginning, our goal was to eventually create a feature-length version of Two Breaths. The short film is the first step to giving people a glimpse of what is possible. In a time when there are so many remakes and IP-based content, it was important to create an original story, with unique characters, set in a distinct world. The ultimate goal is to find someone who can invest in the story financially and help make the feature film. Getting as much traction as we can on the festival circle is important to us as it will help spread the word about the film and make potential investors more confident in the project. By telling journalists about Two Breaths we also hope to get more people interested in seeing the film and show its potential as a feature.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

TIMUR (Producer/Cinematographer): The best impact for Two Breaths would be to ignite a fresh discourse on reverence for nature and abhorrence of military conflict, cultivating a strong bond with our surroundings, the place we call our home. Ideally, viewers would leave the cinematic experience not only moved by its beauty but also driven to advocate for environmental conservation and further recognize the futility of military ambitions in preserving our natural world.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

C CRAIG (Producer): What does your home mean to you? Ava's entire story starts there. If we did our job as filmmakers, everyone who sees Two Breaths would think about that question when they leave the theater.

TIMUR (Producer/Cinematographer): The key question that will spark debate amongst people is this: How does Two Breaths challenge our perceptions of the human relationship with nature, and what happens if we don’t reevaluate our role in preserving the environment, allowing the destruction of our home and ultimately our planet?

Interview: May 2024

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Two Breaths

Length: 19:34

Director: Kateryna Kurganska

Producer: Kateryna Kurganska, Timur Guseynov, C Craig, Don John

Writer: Kateryna Kurganska

Key cast: Maia Ann Pu’uwai (Ava), Romeo Garcia (Grandpa)

Looking for: film festival directors, buyers, sales agents, distributors

Instagram: @katyakurganska

Hashtags used: #twobreathsspirit, #twobreaths, #spiritsoftheisland