It’s been over a year and a half since I moved to the UK. When I did, I got the chance to connect with some amazing people, and one of them is Delia. If you would ask me when we started to be in touch, I’ll just tell you I am not sure. We were Facebook friends since before moving here, however, some months 
back we decided to actually get together. I knew she chose acting as a path, but I didn’t know that much about her film, D’ora.
In short, everything starts in 1996 in Romania, six years after communism regime has ended. However, people are still living deplorable lives. Passports are scarce, travel and the western lives seen in magazines and on TV, no more than fantasy. Dora is the dramatic story of a young girl from a village deep in the Romanian countryside who decides to escape. Smuggled in the back of a van, Dora, a university graduate, travels 1900 km to London, where her life is about to change beyond belief, as she embarks on a life of crime.
We were out for lunch one day when I decided to go a bit more in depth and find out from Delia Antal more about her film.
How did you think about this story? Why this story?
I was trained as an actress at the Actors’ Temple in London and I met Martin Barter, who was traveling around the world to choose students to train at The Sanford Meisner Center. Together with a few other people from my class, I ended up being chosen by Martin, who is also called the guru of the Meisner 
Technique, to take part in his five week intensive teaching project. His way of training us was to make us also write and direct in order to be able to put ourselves in their shoes as well. I never considered myself a writer and I actually wanted to go because of that, because my goal was learn how to act. When I was about to quit he asked me to just tell him a story, a real one, which I did. His reaction was as honest as they come and he pushed me to put that on paper and to write something that meant something to me. And that felt easier, so I did. I wrote short scenes and I had to direct them. As actors I chose people from my own class and ended up coming up with something truly meaningful for which I got an amazing feedback. Probably because it was the truth, and it really was hard being an immigrant in London at that time and everyone was touched about it. And, in the end, I realised I enjoyed the power that comes with directing a movie.
And how did you get it from that stage, of small scenes, to an actual film?
Well, after the course I came back to London, got a few small parts in big films, but I was feeling like nothing big was happening. So I called Martin and looked for some guidance who was the one to hint it actually. I got a dog at that time and Linda use to keep me indoors, so I sort of got around to it.
Do you still have her?
Linda? No, sadly, she passed away exactly before travelling to Romania to shoot the film. But if you read my book, she is in the book. In a way I did all of this because of Linda.
Are the film and the book connected? Or is the book more like the background story?
They are related. Anyway, that is how the whole story came to life. But I never intended to direct it. All the directors I worked with were changing the story and I didn’t like that. I wanted to stay true to what happened. So again, Martin was there to support me. And I was thinking how will I be able to do that? And it just seemed really hard to do because I was used to those usual big cameras and everything seemed so intimidating. Until I worked on a project, as an actress, and I realised how many stuff you can do nowadays with smaller gear, because technology has evolved, and that worked to my advantage.
Was is hard to find the team?
No, it wasn’t because I knew a lot of people who were at the beginning of their careers as well and everyone wanted to make things happened. And we were really straight forward about it and clear on the fact that any profit we would get we will split in equally. I had a huge support from Veronica Lazar, my associate producer, she was very good with casting the actors and various production stuff.
You filmed both in Romania and here, in London?
About 30% in Romania, in Transylvania, in my grandmother’s village, and the rest in London. But for example I used my flat to film some scenes, the immigrants house is a cleaner’s house, the hotel room if shot at a friend’s hotel, the restaurant is one that I frequent, so everybody helped me with what they could. That is why I feel more comfortable making films here, because here, in comparison to LA for example, people are a bit more human, it’s not just about the money. They help you if they can.
You probably had a few bumps along the way, as it happens with all projects, but what did you find most challenging?
Probably promoting it. And capturing the right amount of attention the film deserves. Because there wasn’t a clear budget for that first of all, and I don’t have the expertise to cover that. It was screened in Cannes, however I do think someone needs to look at it with fresh eyes and guide me a bit more in that aspect.
And what are you doing now?
Well, I want to get a bit of recognition for this movie and to manage to bring it to the attention of a wider audience. And I’ve just finished a documentary called We Cannes which is about a new filmmaker at Cannes Film Festival, it’s a bit of an insight and the struggles you go through to make your project happen. And I also shot a documentary this last summer about exceptional Romanians living in the UK, and that is in post-production at the moment.
Do you have a certain topic you would like to address in a film at one point, and it’s sort of a goal topic?
I do, my dream project would be to make a film about the father daughter relationship. Me and my father had quite a rocky relationship and I eventually realised it was because of the lack of proper communication. And I believe that would impact on a lot of similar relationships and might actually make a difference to some of them.
If you want to have a peak at the film, check out its official Facebook page.
