NEW YORK – ‘Find Me Falling’ writer-director Stelana Kliris spoke with The National Herald about her charming film which premiered on Netflix on July 19 and promptly reached the #1 spot worldwide during its first weekend on the streaming platform. The film is the first ever Cypriot feature to stream worldwide on Netflix and has captured hearts around the world with its wonderful cast of characters and heartwarming plot. South African-Cypriot Kliris told TNH: “I really believe that the Diaspora has been a huge factor in this film’s success.”

The romantic comedy follows an aging rock star played by Harry Connick, Jr. who retreats to a cliffside island home where, according to Netflix, “his new life is soon complicated by visitors — and an old love played by Agni Scott.”

The trailer for ‘Find Me Falling’ is available on YouTube: https://shorturl.at/LwpYB.

The film is streaming now on Netflix: https://shorturl.at/YScQy.

TNH: What inspired ‘Find Me Falling’?

Stelana Kliris: ‘Find Me Falling’ was actually inspired by an article I read about Don Ritchie who lived at a notorious suicide hotspot in Australia known as ‘the Gap.’ He was a kind man who saved many lives by reaching out to people who would go there to jump. I wondered what it would look like if a misanthrope lived in a spot like that and while it’s an extreme device, the purpose was to show the importance of human connection and looking out for each other. This is how John is able to find his humanity again.

TNH: How long did the process take from the original idea to the release of the film?

SK: I started working on the script in 2015 and we initially intended to shoot in 2020 but due to the pandemic, it got pushed up to 2022 and was released this year, so the whole process took nine years!

TNH: How did Harry Connick, Jr. become involved in the project?

SK: Originally the lead character was a writer, but once he evolved into a musician who also performs on screen, Harry Connick Jr.  – who is an incredibly talented actor and musician – became the obvious choice. My producer Keith Arnold and I reached out to him through the Clark Geier Casting agency and aside from loving the script, he really connected with a personal letter that I wrote to him, explaining to him what the experience of shooting in Cyprus would be like – that we work like a family and that the focus is telling our story in a lovely, intimate setting.

TNH: What was the filming process like in Cyprus?

SK: Amazing! First of all, our crew is like a family, a ‘film family’. We’re still a developing industry so it’s been more-or-less the same crew for the last 15-20 years and we’ve grown up together, so there is a very fun, comfortable feeling on set and everyone is passionate about what they do. Cyprus itself is like a small film studio with great weather and a variety of locations in close proximity. In our case, we shot mainly on the coast of Peyia and in the old town of Kaimakli in Nicosia, which were both gorgeous. I have to also say that we had great support from the government of Cyprus on this project. Aside from our wonderful U.S. co-producer Jupiter Peak Productions, this film was funded by the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture and was also supported by the Cyprus Film Commission’s generous rebate scheme, which offers a 45% cash rebate for film productions in Cyprus, one of the most competitive in the world. We hope that our film is now a proof of concept of what we’re capable of in Cyprus.

TNH: What was the most surprising thing you learned during the making of the film?

SK: That everything really happens for a reason. We had so many obstacles and challenges throughout the making of this film and we had so many changes throughout from cast, crew and even locations, but each time it worked out for the best. So I just learned to trust the process and know that everything would work out in the end, which it did!

TNH: How did Netflix come on board?

SK: Our sales agent The Exchange held a private screening for distributors before the American Film Market (AFM) last November and Netflix came on board almost immediately. What is remarkable about this is that for months before, various industry insiders had told us that the market was so bad and with all the strikes happening, we wouldn’t be able to sell the film, so for a while we thought the film was not going to get out there, but it wasn’t the case at all and we were overjoyed when the Netflix deal happened. It’s the first Cypriot film to screen on Netflix – it has been translated to over 30 languages and has gone out to 190 countries to a platform with over 260 million subscribers and for it to reach global #1 (English-language film) after just four days is just mind-blowing!

TNH: What are you working on next?

SK: My next feature is a romantic drama called ‘Apart from Her’ set between Cyprus and South Africa. It follows my parents’ generation who left Cyprus during the war for South Africa and all that that meant. It’s a real passion project for me and we start shooting in Cyprus in November.