Finding your place in the film industry - "Unwanted" - Interview Marianna Strommer & Karolina Salwa

UNWANTED is a 22‑minute UK/Poland/Hungary co‑production based on a true story. It follows Sylwia, a Polish actress in London navigating survival jobs, visa instability, and the emotional toll of artistic rejection. When her agency collapses and her relationship ends, she meets a street musician whose honesty pushes her toward reclaiming her voice. The film explores resilience, belonging, and the quiet strength behind women’s stories in the arts.

Directed by multi‑award‑winning filmmaker Marianna Strommer, UNWANTED is her fifth short film. Her previous work has screened internationally and earned awards including Best Director (V4 Film Fest) and Best Short (Cinefest). The film was co‑written by Strommer, myself (Karolina Salwa), and Leticia Bueno.

Watch the trailer for "Unwanted" here!

Marianna, can you tell us more about yourself as a director and about your short film Unwanted?

Unwanted follows Sylwia, a young immigrant actress trying to build a life and career in a foreign country, where her accent becomes a barrier rather than an asset. In acting, an accent can mean professional death, regardless of talent. That pressure gradually erodes her confidence and begins to affect every part of her life, especially as her time, money, and visa options start running out.

As a director, I’m drawn to stories about people navigating systems that weren’t built for them. I’ve spent around 20 years working in and around the film industry, and I’ve experienced first-hand how unstable and demanding it can be. It’s a profession driven by passion, but often without structure or security, and that can take a real toll.

For those already facing additional barriers—whether that’s gender, background, or something as simple as an accent—the challenges are even greater. Unwanted is a very personal story, but it also reflects the experience of many people trying to find their place in an industry, and a world, that doesn’t easily make room for them.

Karolina, you are both the writer and starring in this short film, can you tell us more about yourself and your experience working on this project?

 My path into this industry has been anything but linear. I studied Culture and Theatre in Warsaw, then trained in New York at the Stella Adler Studio and later at Juilliard’s extension program. Those experiences shaped me not only as an actor but as a storyteller who’s drawn to complex, emotionally charged material. Unwanted is my debut as both writer and lead actor, and it’s a project that grew out of a very personal place. I wanted to explore themes that often sit in the shadows: mental health, isolation, and the quiet battles people fight behind closed doors. As someone who advocates for mental‑health awareness, it felt important to approach the story with honesty rather than sensationalism.

Working on this film was incredibly hands‑on. I wasn’t just performing; I was deeply involved in shaping the narrative, assembling the creative team, and managing the production itself. Wearing multiple hats was challenging, but it also gave me a sense of ownership and clarity about the story’s emotional core. It taught me how collaborative filmmaking really is, how every department, every conversation, every detail contributes to the final heartbeat of the film. Acting in something I wrote was both liberating and vulnerable. I had to let go of the writer in me and trust the actor, trust the team, trust the process. But that dual perspective also allowed me to build a character with depth and nuance, especially as someone who often navigates the industry with an accent and a background that doesn’t always fit the expected mold. Breaking those stereotypes is part of my mission, and this film is a step toward that.

What was your inspiration for making this short film?

The inspiration came from a place of emotional truth. I wanted to explore what it feels like to be physically present in the world but emotionally invisible - something many people experience but rarely talk about. Mental health is a subject I care about deeply, and Unwanted grew out of a need to give that silence a voice.

What was the biggest challenge you faced on the production of your short film? How did you overcome it?

There were many challenges, particularly around financing, but the biggest one came just days before the shoot.

Our first shoot day was on a Friday, and on Monday night we lost our main location for the entire day. We were shooting in London, but both of us live abroad—Karolina was flying in on Tuesday, I was arriving on Wednesday. After six months of preparation, it felt like everything was collapsing at the last minute.

Karolina immediately started working through backup options—plans B, C, and D—none of them ideal, but we weren’t willing to let the project fall apart. With the entire cast, crew, and equipment already booked, we had to adapt quickly.

When I arrived, I went straight to our rehearsal space at the Hungarian Cultural Institute on Pall Mall. There was some initial confusion about our booking, but when we explained the situation, they offered us a space to shoot. It completely turned things around. Moments like that remind you how much filmmaking depends not just on planning, but on people showing up for you when it matters.

Could you share to us a moment during your short film’s release / distribution where you felt that your short film truly had an impact on the audience? How did that feel for you, as the director? As the writer?

We’re still at the beginning of our festival journey, so we haven’t had many audience screenings yet. However, we had a very meaningful experience during post-production.

We were fortunate to work at Origo Studios in Hungary, where the film really came together at a high level. Our editor, László Hargittai, and sound designer, Rudolf Várhegyi, brought an incredible level of care and precision to the project.

When we shared the film with the wider post-production team, what stood out was their response. This was a subtle, female-led story, and yet it resonated strongly with a team of very experienced professionals. You could feel that they connected with the emotional core of it—the uncertainty, the pressure, the persistence. That was a powerful moment for us.

Tricky question, but one that sparks discussion among us artists: why do you create? 

For me, creation is a dialogue with the world: a way of observing, challenging, and reshaping it. It’s how I make sense of contradictions, how I hold beauty and pain in the same hand, how I stay connected to something larger than myself. In that sense, creating isn’t a choice — it’s a way of being.

What is your motive, and what pushes you to explore these topics you explore in Unwanted?

It’s a question I come back to often, especially when things are difficult.

I believe storytelling is essential. Films, books, music—they help us make sense of the world and connect with something beyond ourselves. When a story truly works, it can move people in a way that’s hard to explain rationally.

For me, that’s the reason to keep going. The hope that something you create might resonate with someone, make them feel seen, or simply allow them to step into another perspective for a while.

I hope people will always want to sit down to a good movie and will put their phones away and go on these journeys together .

A lot of people on indie-clips.com are independent and/or beginning filmmakers. Can you share one piece of advice to our audience of independent filmmakers making their first short film? 

Expect setbacks—especially last-minute ones. They’re part of the process.

What matters is staying flexible and finding a way through. Finishing the film is already a huge achievement, and every challenge you overcome becomes part of that journey.

It also makes a big difference to have people around you who are committed and supportive. Filmmaking is collaborative by nature, and having even one strong creative partner can carry you through the more difficult periods.

I’m very grateful to have Karolina with me as we navigate this project through both the high pressure moments and the quiet, behind-the-scenes work that goes on each week.

Any future plans? Tell us more about your upcoming projects!

Of course! We’ve just completed the third draft of a feature film script based on the same core story, but developed into a psychological thriller.

Alongside the short film, we’ll be submitting the project to festivals and development programmes, with the aim of building momentum and eventually bringing the feature to life.

It’s a more complex story, with multiple characters and layers, but it explores the same central theme—what happens when someone is pushed to their limits in pursuit of something that defines them.

Where can we see your work? Any way our fellow filmmakers can get in contact with you? 

You can follow us on instagram: @unwanted_mov.  Some of Marianna’s previous shorts are also available to watch onYouTube - The Bench and Noah. You can find Karolina's work on the website: www.karolinasalwa.com

 We want to hear from you! If you have visa stories of your own, we are collecting them as part of our research for the feature to make it feel as authentic as possible.