-What and who has inspired you the most in your artistic career?

For sure my mum! She has always boosted me with confidence and cheered me on, embracing any form I needed to express myself.

It’s such a gift to be brought up by a mum who pushes you to be an individualist. We are all different. Why try to be like everyone else, why be a sheep as my mum says.

Find you and shine!

-Every true artist is also a revolutionary against power. Do you think there is still room today

to express one’s revolution through art?

Art has always been political. Theatre started out like that. Also when you watch movies you can  kind of predict what will happen.

Yes, there is still room as art changes all the time with our time, and then of course there is art that is still as actual today as it was before like Norwegian famous author Henrik Ibsen. My movie ELLIDA is based upon his play The Lady From The Sea. He was a feminist in the 19th century.

-We live in a world where, unfortunately, war still exists.

Do you believe that if there were more dissemination of art through the media and social networks, the world would be a more peaceful place?

I believe art helps. I myself raise awareness through my art. If it’s music, theatre, shows , movies, art, poetry, books. Through my songs like INTIMACY which was the anthem of International Women’s Day UN in the UK , WE CAN’T GO BACK a duo with my daughter Benedicta Syran about the abortion law . Through my play BREAKING THE SILENCE spotlighting all the different issues women still have to deal with today, and of course my movie ELLIDA where she goes through natal depression and losing a child. Many of us are not aware or haven’t even thought about different issues, so yes for sure when one learns through art , when art light a torch and we see the truth, it is for sure the most powerful way to learn and hopefully react.

It brings me back to NYC where I performed my play “Breaking The Silence” at the United Nations.People came up to me afterwards saying how crucial it was, as now they felt passionate again to make those changes and work even harder. Also with my movie ” Ellida”, many women have contacted me afterwards and told me how it affected them and their lives. If you can reach people through art you have given them a gift! I believe without art we are all dead. We need “real” art. Yes fluff of reality shows and light no brainer movies is relaxing and fun to watch but the richness in depth and raising awareness is for sure on another level so yes please to ART!

-Are you working on a new project? If so, can you give us a sneak peek?

Yes,  I’m working on quite a few projects. They are all very exciting and challenging.

Every project feels like a baby you get so attached so when the time comes to share it with the world it feels extremely vulnerable. I remember first time I had to perform my self written songs in front of an audience of 4 to 6 thousand people it felt like I threw myself off a cliff naked.

With “Ellida” the most nerve wrecking situation was the first screening at the Chinese Theatre in LA, I felt sick.