Meet Nadia Fortini | Director & Writer

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

Hi Nadia, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in Poland and spent most of my life there. I used to want to escape and wish I was born in the US. Of course, when the immigrant life gets hard sometimes I still do. But the truth is my nationality and past shaped who I am. The culture I ran away from now shows up in my art constantly. I’m grateful to have this different lens on the world than most of the US-dominated industry of film and TV. Being an immigrant also taught me how to fight for what I want even when the odds of it working out are slim to none. It taught me to survive.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a writer/director. I love to tell female-driven young-adult stories. My last film “The Space Between” is about an immigrant having to go back home and it was a fully female set with a really large number of immigrants working on it. I think that’s what’s really important to me, making sure the right people get to tell the right stories. But as for my art, I just want to make people feel and escape their own realities. That’s what got me into it in the first place, finding refuge in stories and characters in books, films and TV. Getting here wasn’t easy. Hell, life isn’t easy. But I’m sure we can all agree all the stories we consume on the daily basis make it a little bit more manageable, add a little magic to life. That’s what I want to do, and to be honest there isn’t and never was a different career path for me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m fairly new to LA! I wonder if I’m qualified to give such serious advice haha. But my favorite areas so far are Venice and Culver. My friend lives by Venice Beach and I visit her all the time. The morning walks with an espresso tonic from Menotti’s are a fav. I work in Culver and love the burrito from El Rio Bravo. I’d probably take them to Harry Potter world because duh. We’d go to the beach for sure, a nice one like Malibu. Maybe walk Melrose, have a pool party, karaoke at Barney’s Beanery. Oh and the Hollywood sign hike of course.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are countless people and things I could thank. I believe everything that happened in my life so far brought me where I am right now. I’m even grateful to that random girl who bullied me in middle-school. Who knows where I’d be without her! But in all seriousness, there will only ever be one person who comes to mind when I’m asked this question and that is my mother. She taught me how to believe in my delusions until they are not delusions anymore. And she sacrificed a lot to make those delusions reality. IF there is one thing that deserves credit and recognition for my success it is her.

Website: www.nadiafortini.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-fortini-237b0a187/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLeMyrxsaWiHFYus1XA93Bg

Other: TikTok: @nadiakfortini