Nia DaCosta has written and directed projects for stage, film, and new media platforms. “Little Woods” is her debut feature.
“Little Woods” premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival on April 21.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
ND: “Little Woods” is a film about two estranged sisters who live in a fracking boomtown in North Dakota and have to work outside of the law to improve their lives. This takes them on a dangerous journey that drives them to extremes.
It’s a film about choice in the face of few options and the lives of women in little seen parts of America.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
ND: Part of what drew me to the story was my desire to explore a rural part of America that I was unfamiliar with and understand the lives of women in these spaces. When I found the oil boomtown, Williston, North Dakota, I knew that my story would need to take place in this part of the U.S. It was this quintessentially American space, an oil rush town, the wild west, where people go to live out the American Dream and where the promise is not met.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
ND: The multiplicity of lives and experiences in America — how different we are, the relative privilege or disadvantages we experience, and our capacity for empathy.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
ND: Pre-production is a beast and no one tells you how intense it is!
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
ND: Our film was funded mostly by private equity, a lot of which we found through Sundance’s Catalyst program. We also received some grant money.
W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at Tribeca Film Festival?
ND: I love that I get to World Premiere my film in my hometown!
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
ND: Write what you know and write what you know. I used to take it too literally. Now I’ve freed myself to write what I know emotionally but allow it to cross into the unfamiliar.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
ND: Write, write, write. Surround yourself with excellent, talented, and good people.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
ND: This is an impossible question. I do love “Fish Tank” by Andrea Arnold. She’s a master. Susanne Bier’s “After the Wedding” and Agnès Varda’s “The Gleaners and I” are other favorites. I could go on forever.
W&H: Hollywood and the global film industry are in the midst of undergoing a major transformation. Many women — and some men — in the industry are speaking publicly about their experiences being assaulted and harassed. What are your thoughts on the #TimesUp movement and the push for equality in the film business?
ND: I’m so, so glad it’s happening. As important as the people who enacted abuse on others are those that tolerated and enabled it. I am excited that fostering a safe and respectful workplace is being prioritized now.
This is something that I have been hyperaware of through my experience working in television. I worked on three different shows in quick succession and what I learned is that the director creates the work environment, and that fostering a respectful set is a deliberate and purposeful process.
I’m excited to see what amazing stories will now be told.
