Catch the hottest rising Ukrainian actor Kirill King in From All Sides at the Indian Film Festival. Soon after the Queer Screen Film Festival and is sure to raise many talking points for refugees and immigrants making a new life for themselves in Australia. We were lucky enough to grab 5 minutes of his time.
You’ve just been in two Australian premieres for From All Sides! Congratulations! How was the experience of seeing the films at the festivals and being on the red carpet? Thank you! It was a lot of fun. Melbourne went well and Sydney was really great too. We sold out that night in Sydney to over 300 people in the cinema which was cool to see and received a really warm and positive response to the film. It was also great to catchup and see everyone on the carpet.
Your performance in From All Sides has been described as jaw dropping by the Director. How do you respond to praise like this? I just thank Bina and everyone in the cast and crew for creating and facilitating such a great environment to work in. think everyone in this film’s fantastic and that Bina’s made something very special.
Tell us a little bit about your role in From All Sides.
He’s a bit of a mystery so you’ll have to watch to find out! But what I can say is that he’s a mysterious Eastern European immigrant who started in Australia as an international student.
What was it like working on the film and with Director, Bina Bhattacharya?
You studied at Adelaide College of the Arts, how have you found the transition from student to jobbing actor? It was great. Bina’s amazing. I worked on the role for six months prior to shooting and she was always available to talk. She’s a super hard worker and I hope the world sees more from her because she’s very talented. How she wrote, produced (alongside esteemed producer Alexander McGhee) and directed this film, is a testament to the powerhouse she is. On set, she was very supportive, collaborative and created a great space to let you do your thing. The whole crew was top tier. Everyone was very respectful and collaborative. From catering to cinematography, everyone was together on this. And I think that’s felt in the film. I also worked a lot with Monique Kalmer who plays Anoushka. She did an amazing job and was a joy to work with.
I think the transition has been smooth as when I began studying acting there I worked hard in the moment (which to me was most important), but I’d also been preparing for the outside world too. I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to go, then it was about figuring out how, focusing on that and doing it. There were great teachers and mentors who helped me a lot as well. They also had a really good banana bread there too. Shout out to Li.
You’re originally from Ukraine, how did you come to Australia and how old were you? Yeah I was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine. I came to Australia with my family when I
was two (we went back for a bit and then were permanent in Australia by the time I was three). So I don’t have the accent but I speak the language and my earliest memory is a sandpit there with my cousins. I do miss home and hope in the future that it’s still there and I can return.
As a Ukrainian actor living in Australia, how does what’s happening there inform your work here? I think in acting your experiences always play a huge part. For me, the war has been huge. I never anticipated something like that to actually happen. Especially in this day and age. It certainly changes your perspective on things. In From All Sides, theres certainly a parallel of how my character feels about his situation back home to how I feel about my home in Ukraine today. So my own personal situation certainly further helped me understand him and bring further authenticity.
Your family is doing some amazing work in Ukraine to support people affected by the war, how do you find the balance of being here while you have family and loved ones there? It’s tough. We do everything we can in Australia. I recently helped pack and send five tonnes of medical aid to the frontline via a shipping container, raised awareness and particularly my mum (Aliona King), does a lot through her cultural centre SLAVA. When we were packing the shipping container of medical aid recently, you’re standing there surrounded by family, but also other refugees from cities like Bucha. Everyone there has been through it and has their story. And you’re all together packing bandages, tourniquets and wheeling out children’s wheelchairs to pack in because of the unfortunate reality of kids being wounded, missing limbs and needing them. It’s confronting but you’re focused on the task at hand, and so there’s a satisfaction once it’s done which does help that feeling of balance.
If anyone in Australia wanted to help those affected by the war in Ukraine, what could they do to support people living there? You can donate through SLAVA’s initiative at https://www.trybooking.com/au/ donate/ukrainedonate
And, what’s next for you? Will we be seeing you on the big screen again soon? I can’t say much at the moment! But you will yes.
To keep up with Kirill and his career you can follow him on Instagram.
