Table of Contents
Some films are built from meticulous plans; Talismans was built from a storm. When extreme weather scrapped half of Lada Kopytova's pre-planned beach shots, the Ukrainian-British writer-director leaned into observation instead, and the result is what she calls a messy, multi-media scrapbook diary entry β an eclectic portrait of London-based artist and jewellery maker Klara Fokicheva.
The film follows Fokicheva's practice of collecting fragments surrendered by the city and landscape after dark, and the animist belief that runs beneath it: that objects and matter are carriers of spirit and memory, alive with what has passed through them. For Kopytova, currently Sally Potter's assistant and a filmmaker who had been pivoting toward fiction, Talismans became a return to something she loves β the patient act of picking up a camera and watching a life unfold.
Key Takeaways
- Talismans is a documentary portrait of artist Klara Fokicheva, tracing how mudlarking on the Thames foreshore feeds her work with found materials.
- A storm alert on the shoot day forced Kopytova to improvise, and that adaptability became the film's defining strength.
- Selected into Not Film Fest's "Beyond Form" section, the film resists genre β Kopytova describes it as a scrapbook diary entry.
Below, Kopytova talks about fascination, foul weather, and the freedom that indie filmmaking gives her to try, fail, and evolve.
Interview
What drew you to make this film, and why this story, why now?
I have been fascinated by Klara's works and working process for quite some time. Having been to her studio a few times, it was always an inspirational place for me, full of found elements that she would later integrate into her jewellery pieces or artworks. I wanted to capture her working process and share her philosophy around recycling and repurposing of materials to inspire artists and people alike.
What tool, technique, resource, or mindset shift helped most during production?
On the day we were supposed to be shooting, there was a storm weather alert in London. We were meant to be shooting on the beach for the majority of the film, but because of extreme weather conditions half of our pre-planned shots and ideas quickly went out of the window. Being adaptive and improvising on the day and really observing the world around, finding interesting details and inventing fun, quirky shots, is what really made this film in my opinion. Just being totally present and focusing on what's in front of you rather than meticulously replicating storyboards.
What do you hope audiences take away from this film?
I hope this film inspires people to unlock their creativity and go out and make something! Or even better go down to the river and mudlark, slowing down from our fast paced city lives.
How has this film shaped or shifted the kinds of stories you want to tell next?
This film has re-ignited my love for documentary film, for sharing stories of other people. I've been mainly pivoting to fiction filmmaking for the past few years, but since completing Talismans am eager to just pick up my camera and observe life again, learning from people around me and their ways of being and seeing.
What is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into it here?
The greatest strength of indie filmmaking is setting the boundaries yourself and being in control of what shape and form your ideas take. I think aiming high β maybe sometimes failing as a result β but, most importantly, having the freedom to try new things and be inventive is the greatest joy indie filmmaking can bring to creatives.
How does your film fit within, or push the boundaries of, its genre or form?
My film has been positioned into the "Beyond Form" section of the festival, so I guess I could say that it doesn't abide by any genre or form. I like to think of this film as a messy, multi-media scrapbook diary entry, painting an eclectic portrait of an artist.
What does it mean to have your film selected for Not Film Fest, and where do you see the film going next?
This will be my second time at Not, having been part of the selection back in 2024 with my debut narrative short, Blueprint. Not Film Fest is one of my absolute favourite film festivals in the world, and I'm so happy to be back this year with Talismans! Being part of it means being part of an incredibly talented and supportive network of like-minded indie filmmakers and building the future of film together. This film is also due to play at various open-air cinemas across Poland as part of OnArt Film Festival. After it finishes its festival run, I see it being hosted online on an art-centric platform like Nowness (Nowness, if you're reading this β email me!).
Main Cast & Crew
- Featuring β Klara Fokicheva: b. 2003. Foundational to her practice is collecting objects and materials surrendered by the city and landscape after dark β fragments of bone, ceramic, and driftwood salvaged from the Thames foreshore, remnants shaped by tide, soil, and time. Rooted in animist and earth-centred belief, her practice understands objects and matter as carriers of spirit and memory. Graduating from the Royal College of Art MA Painting course in 2026, she lives and works in London.
- Producer & Director β Lada Kopytova : Ukrainian-British writer-director based in London. Her short DIRT received the Full Short grant and mentorship from Roman Coppola and screened at the European Parliament. Her work has screened at Bolton, Sunrise, Carmarthen Bay, BFI Future Film Festival, and NFFTY, among others. She won Best Emerging Filmmaker at Courts D'Un Soir for Blueprint, has been featured in ELLE Ukraine, Director's Notes, and The New Current, and is Sally Potter's current assistant.
- Cinematographer β Caleb Pithers-Gregory : British cinematographer working across narrative and documentary film, commercials, and music videos, with projects longlisted for the Grierson British Documentary Awards, nominated for Best Factual β Long Form at the RTS Awards, and premiering at NFFTY.
- Editor β Sophie-Dominique Parea : Romanian writer-director and editor based in London, working across narrative and commercial projects.
- Composer & Sound Designer β Olmo Ramella : sound designer and composer based in London, specialising in experimental sound design and production.
- Colourist β Jonathan "Jongy" Tam : freelance colourist and cinematographer specialising in Baselight and DaVinci Resolve, with previous clients including Tesco, Guinness, and Universal Music.
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