We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Barbara Riethe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Barbara below.
Hi Barbara, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
To choose my art was the biggest risk I took. I made this choice early in life. I began acting in professional theater when I was 16 yeas old and I began writing even before that. I published my first book by the age of 12. But back then, I was somehow protected by my family, specially my mother. When you choose to pursue the artistic career, that is something else, specially for a woman. I always counted on my mother support but there is a moment you must face your choices and challenge by yourself, in solitude. I took an even bigger risk when I chose to be free with it. I had the feeling some people would ask me to choose: “be an actor, or a writer, or screenwriter, or a film producer. If you are all of them it can be confusing”. But why? To be a rebel is a risk, in that sense. But sometimes a risk worth taking. This freedom is precisely what the artist needs in order to create. An artist nurtures a love affair with the unknown in a certain way. We create out of genuine terror or genuine love, that is what I always look for. I feel everyday there is a risk to be taken. If you feel too safe… Dig in more!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
You know that feeling when you close a book and you understand something about yourself? Or watch a movie and begin to wonder about all certainties or doubts? Since I was young I was fascinated about that: the possibility to move people and myself. I never had to choose what I’d be, I’ve always known. And somehow I’ve always felt my role in life was to create to provoke. What I mean with that is I truly believe art changes people the moment you see yourself in a film or a story.
I come from a very strict Russian acting tradition from the GITIS, I had the most amazing professors and directors who taught me discipline and respect for the craft. I remember if I arrived 3 minutes late to the rehearsal, that was it, bye. It built up a sense that what I was doing was a sacred thing and I had to respect it, to give my best, even if I was not sure about something. I’ve learned to work with what I had with all my heart. This early stages made me the artist I am today, I suppose. I see many people waiting forever for the perfect time, when you have all the resources to do something. But most of the time, you are not in a perfect situation. Sometimes you have to operate little miracles here and there with what you have not to be stuck. I spent 15 years of my life acting in theater and every character was a question mark. I think that is an artist biggest triumph, to know we never own what we create, the audience always creates with us.
Then, I went to film, acting for film, then writing for film. I studied screenwriting at UCLA and I fell in love even more with storytelling. So, I began to produce my own films 10 years ago, facing all the hurdles of being an independent woman filmmaker. I love working on other people’s stories as well, and finding a way to improve the characters arcs, etc. Here in NYC I had to opportunity to be Story Analyst of major production companies, where I also learned a lot about the industry.
Right now, I have 3 projects in development. The Early Bird, a psychological thriller I wrote and I’m also co-producing. We are at the early stages of pre-production. I’m very excited because this will probably be my first feature film here in the United States.
The other project is a play called “Goodbye, Doctor”, written by the renowned writer and psychoanalyst Betty Milan, based on her book, recently published here by Bloomsbury: “Analyzed by Lacan”. I’ve performed in this play in Portuguese and French, it will be thrilling to perform it in English now. I’m also co-producing the play with the amazing actor and filmmaker Ian Melamed and his theater company “Psykout!”. His company is dedicated to producing works centered around themes of science and technology. The play tells the story of Seriema, and the battle she wages with the personification of her own Subconscious Mind when confronted with one of the most controversial psychoanalysts after Freud, Jacques Lacan. The story brings along major modern themes, such as motherhood, empowerment and questions gender identity and women’s reclaiming of themselves in a context of cultural clash. I will give more updates of the production on my Instagram @barbarariethe.
And there is another project I’m working on for 8 years now, “The House where Nobody Sleeps”. It’s a trilogy of books I wrote, and for every book there is a feature film. The first film is already developed and we have some major talent already attached to the project. But first I want to publish the first book. So, I’m still searching for the right Publisher at the moment. It is an epic mystery. Just like “The Early Bird”, spirituality plays an important part in the character’s journey. Most of the things I write bring the Spiritual World to debate. I hope you all get thrilled!
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
There is an amazing musician and composer, Gilberto Gil, who said once: “culture is ordinary. It is like every day food”. And I totally agree with him. I think art is not a luxury, it can’t be. It must be part of everyday life. It builds character, cultural identity, it teaches, it provokes, it connects. So, I think the best thing anyone can do to support creatives and art is to watch films, plays, listen to music, go to art venues, buy books, bring others to art circles, talk about what you see. Also, I think Companies, Governments and people who can support art, who have the resources, should do so. Support young artists and also invest in artists studies and careers. We should always try to make sure everyone can have access to culture, in general. Art is not, again, for a small circle of people. It is for everybody, it has to be. We should always try to make sure everyone has access to it and have the opportunity to explore and create.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn vanity and ego. This is a very tricky thing for an artist nowadays. Specially with social media, where “being famous” became easier. People tend to believe being an artist is very much about glamour, and fame and glory. All this, I had to unlearn. Because you can achieve success and recognition at some point. But to be able to sustain you career really, and your creative motive and urge, you need the opposite of control and, let’s say, “the glory”. The real glory is actually to drop it, it’s when “you forget yourself”.
The artist cannot have vanity at all, because it blinds empathy, in a sense. I had to unlearn to be in control all the time. It’s impossible with art, all things can happen! One must create with no attachment to the outcome. Then, the creation is born with a voice all human hearts can hear. It’s not, then, a matter of taste, or articulate critique, but a matter of the guts. It revolves inside the other because it enlightens the thread that connects us all: life. It is a paradox, actually. When you realize that, then you write or create something meaningful, something that can last. I’m still learning and I’ll be forever learning… That’s the fun!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://demoreel.com/barbarariethe
- Instagram: @barbarariethe
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-riethe-4b6b8853/
Image Credits
Pictures “barbara riethe 11” / “barbara riethe 1″/ “barbara riethe 3″/ “barbara riethe 4” credit: James Getz
Pictures “barbara and ian play”/ “barbara and ian play a”: Sasha Reist
Pictures “The early bird film”/ “The house where nobody sleeps film” Credit: Barbara Riethe