Rhode Island Film Festival 2015 Spotlight: Indie Queen Iris Karina

Iris Karina is a woman of many talents with the innate presence to shine in a variety of guises. I’m all for actresses who can catch the eye regardless of their age and Iris is thoroughly watchable. It so happens she’s appearing in “Where We Begin” screening at the Rhode Island Film Festival on Aug 9. Dramas have the genre she’s shone in with this latest role being worthy of appreciation. Just like her movie “Ageless Love”, Iris portrays representation of women which may not always get heard but nonetheless are authentic and interesting.

Here’s Iris giving us an insight into her role in “Where We Begin” and several of her upcoming features:

The story of “Where we Begin” is about an old woman by the name of Sophia who is near her end, remembering life. In her last breaths, she receives a visit from her lover’s spirit and is carried into her new life never to be separated from true love again. I’m playing the character of Sophia, one of the leading parts, reflecting on her past in the last hours of her life.

We were shooting my scenes mostly in scenic Cedar City, Utah at the Navajo Lake and at the Jesse Smith Pioneer Home Museum built
in 1857 of native red adobe bricks. It was an honor to shoot in this beautiful conserved location.
http://www.bestoftheroad.com/place/jesse-n-smith-home-museum-parowan/140821

Jo Holland did an amazing job with my FX make up. I had to age at least 20 years. The procedure took 2 hours every morning and quite some time to take off again. Costume Designer Melissa Pritchett took care of my wardrobe and also of my well being. She protected me from the cold and rain in the high mountains at the Navajo Lake. It has an elevation of 9,042’ and it can get very cold even in summer. Shooting there was definitely a challenge for all of us – rain, cold and high altitude.

I knew from the beginning that the project was special and put all my energy in it. I auditioned at the
Debbie Reynolds Dance Studios with at least 60 other actresses. That’s when we heard for the first time the beautiful music
by MONO which was specially composed for the movie. Then came the long waiting time and finally I got the call from the casting director that I got the part. I was right it is a special film and it was picked by TRIBECA Film Festival. Who knows it might even land at the OSCARS 2016.

At the moment I’m working on a 60’s spy movie ‘Blank Bodies’ a SCI-FI thriller directed by Ryan Weatrowski. I play the character of Flevvey, a young at heart 63 year old French impressionist painter from Paris! She wears much TOO much shiny makeup and clothes leaving hardly anything to the imagination. It will be submitted to the Cannes Film Festival. It’s a role I was dreaming of.

Beginning 2015 I finished shooting ‘My Crazy Ex’, a new upcoming TV show for Lifetime Channel.

A few months ago I was handed a script for a feature film, which will start shooting beginning of summer 2015. The working title is ‘Turpitude’. I was offered the role of the House Mom. I can only say I’m very excited about the character.

If I reflect on my last half year I had the chance to play quite different roles in a very short period. But that’s the fun of being an actress!

Btw, I’m also the lead singer of the band/duo Leafy Satori Risk https://www.youtube.com/user/Leafysatoririsk and we tour every year for 2 months in Tokyo.

Visit the IRIS KARINA OFFICIAL SITE for all the latest updates.