Meet Christine Zivic | Director, Producer, Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Zivic and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I think, as a kid, I just felt unseen and really wanted to be heard. I grew up as the shy, quiet kid among big personalities, and, on top of that I went to English school as a native French speaker, so even when I did want to say things, I didn’t always know how. So, for a while it was hard to connect with others, and really hard to feel heard. Most people who know me now would find it surprising to know I was the shy, nerdy kid, but I think that hasn’t changed, deep down. I think I’m an introvert who just learned to fit in… and speak English. Hah. Nowadays, I continue to pursue a creative path more so from a desire to create understanding. Film, especially, has been the only art form that has really allowed me to shift my perspective and really connect to other human experiences on a deep emotional level. And I’ve witnessed this with others as well. So now, I tend to pursue topics and characters that are lesser known, often misunderstood or unjustly judged or persecuted. I believe that by creating understanding, and empathy, we can tackle issues at their core, as a society.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Currently, I pay the bills by working at Sony in visual effects (on the production side) and I freelance as a producer and director. I’m currently producing a short doc financed by UCLA’s film department about pier anglers and co-producing/directing a series of short documentaries on climate solutions in LA for UCLA’s healthy Climate Solutions department. I also just released my first commercial with Coca-Cola for the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program — we just found out we won the Cinemark fan favorite award. The site received over 130k votes and Airplane Mode, our branded spot, won the contest.

I make both fiction and non-fiction films and am getting into commercials. I’m a writer-director and producer. All of my films deal with dual or hidden identities in some way, often centering around queer themes. I’d describe my style as more European-art house. I like slow, subtle dramas.

I’m currently in post on my first feature film, You and I and Everything Else, and hoping to finish by the end of the summer. The story follows Naomi and Mikelle, who, many years after running away from their Mormon families together, are Noah and Mikelle – and they’re trying to have a baby. As they navigate pregnancy complications, their love is tested by their late-in-life identity crisis.

I’m also in development on a new feature: Not Her Real Name, a night at a strip club following a dancer who struggles to confront her feelings for her club friend while also being forced to confront her hidden identity when her brother shows up at the club. All this against an exciting backdrop of club politics and a drug heist.

I’m pretty proud of my latest short films that are making the rounds in festivals. D for Daughter is my baby, a short, queer coming of age film: “D”, wakes up to the moans of her father’s one-night stand. Annoyed at first, D slowly warms up to Vanessa, who is quite the sight for her sore eyes. With her dysfunctional father, Kyle, as her only role model, D navigates the struggles of coming into womanhood while pining for Vanessa, her rare hope for tender, feminine attention. When Kyle drives Vanessa away, D is left to handle her first period with her dad as an untoward sidekick, a defining moment in their relationship. It played at the Denver Film Festival’s CinemaQ, among other places.

Fiction filmmaking is alluring for obvious reasons: there’s a lot more control in the creative process and the writing feels more intimate, more self-expressive. However, I can’t stay away from non-fiction because it fulfills another very important part of filmmaking to me: to create understanding, to make the unseen seen, to share an important message.

For example, I got several heartfelt messages from people who had watched my short doc “Adam” and who were touched by his story. And that just feels incredible and so deeply motivating. It’s humbling to know that I’ve made a difference for the better in someone’s life, someone I’ve never met, and all this through art.

I don’t think making it in the film industry could ever be considered easy and I’m certainly no exception. I had let go of the idea entirely for a while and was ready to pursue a career in the wellness industry, back in Montreal where I grew up. But something told me I needed a change. So I packed everything I owned in an SUV, drove across the country to Los Angeles, and that’s when I thought it might be worth giving another shot. I got into UCLA’s directing MFA and that’s when I really went all in with honing my craft as a director and producer.

I’ve been out here six years now and the hardest part has been how isolating it is and just building found family.

Craft-specific, I think what makes filmmaking particularly hard, especially in the early portfolio-building stages, is how much we need to rely on other people. It’s impossible to make a film alone. It’s an art form that requires the artist to be capable of collaborating effectively, being publicly vulnerable time and again, and in constant communication with their team. And, I think for any artist, that’s extremely hard, unless they feed off social interactions which isn’t my case. It’s definitely something I’ve had to work on. And the other tough part is how long it actually takes to finish a film. The stamina required to take a film to it’s final delivery is unlike any other, again, especially when you’re just starting out and basically alone. This is a very, very tough industry to get started in as a director, unless you have loads of money and contacts (which is not my case).

It’s cheesy to say but, my work ethic and relentless, stubborn determination are likely the culprits for why I’m still here. I also think my films have allowed me to explore and externalize aspects of myself I didn’t fully understand years ago and those small, rewarding experiences sort of make it worth it.

Through my experiences directing and working for directors I’ve learned a lot about leadership and how to create and hold a space that allows for team members to flourish, and feel respected.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Favourite restaurants: KazuNori, Woodspoon in DTLA, Holy Basil in DTLA, Sunny Blue in Santa-Monica, Simonette in Culver City (mostly for the vibes), Plant Food & Wine Venice, Jackson’s Market Culver City

Drinks: Margot in Culver City, Bar Bohemien in Culver City, Backstage in Culver City, Laurel Hardware in WeHo

We’d do Malibu Pier, because why not.

We’d bike down Ballona creek to the beach and grab a coffee down there.

We’d do Futch night at El Cid, and maybe Honey’s afterwards.

We’d likely do the Getty or the Broad, hike somewhere in the hills or walk around Kenny Hahn.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My most influential mentors, as far as my career goes, were my college professors. Louise Surprenant, who sadly passed away last year, was my undergrad editing professor for three years, and spent so much time beyond her purview giving students life advice, listening to project ideas, mentoring in so many ways. I owe my writing and editing technique to her. Rory Kelly, my former professor at UCLA also employed me as a student assistant for years and I’ve helped him through writing a handbook, scholarly articles and co-producing two films now. Likewise, not only has he taught me a ton about directing and storytelling as a whole, but he’s just been a good friend and source of general wisdom. Kristy Guevara-Flanagan was my professor and program director at UCLA and took me in from my creative infancy and pushed me to grow to where I am now. She’s also just an amazing role model; I deeply respect her work and capacity to push creative boundaries.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/czivic/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-zivic-583a3930/

Other: https://linktr.ee/czivic

Image Credits
First headshot was taken by Gabriela Spampinato BTS of me I don’t know (my camera was being passed around on set) Queen Milly still: DP is Balca Sagmanli D for Daughter stills: DP is Leo Sfeir Coca-Cola Stills: DP is Gabriela Spampinato