Reviewing the Experience on Queen Anne with Nadira Ilana
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), the largest international short film festival in Asia and accredited by the Academy Awards®, held an onboard short film screening event in collaboration with Cunard, a company known for offering luxurious cruises, aboard the Queen Anne as it traveled through Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore.
Director Nadira Ilana of “Were the Sun and the Moon to Meet,” who held a talk event onboard, looked back on her experience aboard the Queen Anne.
Here is the interview clip:
Konichiwa Watashi-ha (Hello, I am) Nadira Ilana!
I am a filmmaker from Borneo-Malaysia.
Thank you! And what did you do on Queen Anne? What was the purpose of being on Queen Anne?
Okay. So first of all, I would really like to say thank you so much to Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, as well as Cunard, for inviting me to screen my short film “Were the Sun and the Moon to Meet” on board.
So what did you talk about in the talk session on Queen Anne?
I was invited last year by Short Shorts to screen my short film on board Cunard, and it was very exciting when I learned that they also wanted me to give a talk. I’ve never screened my film on a ship before, so this was a very unique experience, and I’m just so honored to be a part of it.
How many days did you spend on the cruise?
Queen Anne — five nights, right? Five nights.
And how were those days? How was the experience on the ship?
As a filmmaker, I’ve attended many film festivals before, but I never imagined I’d have an experience like this. I mean, I’ve heard about inflight entertainment, but never “in-cruise” entertainment.
The idea that I would be able to not only screen my short film but also talk about short films on international waters was very exciting — and it’s an experience I’ll never forget.
We spent five nights here and six really wonderful, wholesome days. At a festival, you usually experience a country, but here, we experienced the love and sharing of cinema while traveling at sea, moving through different countries, and meeting people from all over the world. It really elevated the whole experience of international films for me.
Photo: Cunard
You saw four short films, including yours. How were they?
On board the Queen Anne, there were four short films selected by Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia. Honestly, I thought the curation was very clever.
I program film screenings myself, so I understand how much thought and hard work goes into selecting films. My film, I was told, was partly selected because there was a beach scene. Some of the other films also had marine or dance themes.
There are a lot of older people on the ship who love ballroom dancing, so the selections felt very personal — and I think the audiences really related to them.
How was life on the cruise?
I think being on a cruise ship is quite surreal. I’ve never been on a cruise ship as an adult — only as a child — so it felt like entering a whole other world.
It’s really exciting. There’s always something to do — archery, dance classes, karaoke, live entertainment. We even saw a musical play today.
Some of the people we spoke to said they had never seen films on a cruise ship before, and this was one of the most exciting elements of the trip for them.
Others had been traveling for months on a world tour, so I think watching short films from Asia while passing through Asia was really meaningful, especially for those from places like Europe or America. These films allowed them to step into the worlds, minds, and hearts of Asian filmmakers.
Photo: Cunard
Could you give me more detail about your presentation?
My presentation was… I wouldn’t say last minute, but I shaped it more once I arrived because I had no idea what to expect — what the crowd would be like or what their interests were.
After talking to Michael and the amazing staff in the entertainment department, I decided to title my talk “How I Learned to Relax and Love Making Short Films.”
I spoke about my experiences as a minority filmmaker in my country and my journey overall. It gave me a chance to reflect on how much short films have improved my life — they’ve given me ways to express myself and discover new things about who I am.
I’m about to finish my first feature film, and being able to share my short film journey — even the process of programming short films — felt like I was rounding off a chapter in my life and sharing it with an eager audience.
What was the happiest moment for you?
One of the most exciting things was giving my talk while the ship was moving! I think I sounded more confident than I really was — mostly because I was trying not to fall over due to the waves.
It was also amazing to see my film on a big screen. The quality was great — the colors and sound were amazing.
When my short film first came out in 2020, I couldn’t watch it with a live audience because of COVID. I couldn’t even attend Short Shorts. So getting to finally watch it with a large audience and hear their impressions of the film and characters meant so much to me.
Also, the Entertainment Director, Mr. Michael Harvey Sadlemyer and the whole department made me feel so welcome. My name and the film title were on the ship’s monitors, in their pamphlets, and even shown on stateroom television. For the whole week I was here, passengers could turn on their TVs and not only watch my film but also my talk, which was recorded.
I’ve been on TV and done interviews before, but to have a contained audience on a ship — where everyone has the chance to see your work — it felt very personal and exciting.
What’s coming next for you?
At the moment, I’m taking a break from post-production on my first feature film, Ballad of the Half Boy, which I’ve been developing for 14 years.
So being invited to screen my short film now felt like a much-needed — though unexpected — vacation. Even though this was technically a work trip, it was a great opportunity to recharge, and now I can return to my feature feeling more rested and inspired.
Do you have a message for ShortShorts?
My message to Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia is: thank you again so much for believing in my film and selecting it back in 2020.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the festival then due to the pandemic. My film was nominated but not sent to the Oscars. So getting this chance to show my film on the Queen Anne — it was so much better than anything I could have hoped for.
Getting to know Dragon (the Producer for the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia) and his passion for short films and curation helped me understand the heart behind this festival. I’m very excited to visit the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia in Tokyo one day.
The short films chosen for the cruise were excellent, and it’s a testament to how much this festival supports young filmmakers and those who love short films.
Thank you very much!