Ninna Pálma
“ON YOUR RADAR” IS A WEEKLY GRAD FILM NEWS SEGMENT THAT FEATURES A STUDENT PICKED AT RANDOM.
NINNA PÁLMA IS CURRENTLY A 3RD YEAR STUDENT AT GRAD FILM. WE ASKED HER A FEW QUESTIONS AND HERE’S WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY:
Where do you consider home and what is it like there?
It’s a fairly small town on the north coast of Iceland. My roots extend down the east coast.
Whenever I get my hair in my face because of wind, am almost uncomfortably cold, complaining about tourists and can tell dark and sarcastic jokes without offending anyone - that’s when I’m home.
There is hardly a place in Iceland where you don't see mountains and you’re always close to the ocean. Therefore I feel kinda funny when I haven’t seen either for a while.
I also miss the music scene. It’s pretty incredible for such a small populated place how every other person seems to be creating something.
For all you know your gynecologist is also a lead singer of a heavy metal band.
I can’t say I miss the winter darkness but it’s 24 hour light during the peak of summer - that’s when I wanna be back there.
But New York has definately become a 2nd home at this point. I love how extremely different it is actually, it’s a great place to live if you wanna work hard, the pace and vibe drives you forward. There are also just so many people to (secretly) observe on the subway. Stories.
You can always find a way to create your little comfort zone in an overwhelming place.
What is currently inspiring you as a filmmaker?
I know it sounds kinda gloomy but recently I’m inspired by the concept of death and what it means to different cultures and generations.
I’m currently writing my thesis short and it touches on that subject and also the masculinity culture in Iceland. I’m revisiting themes I started to peak into in my 1st year and I feel ready to take them on and dig deeper this time.
It also varies from time to time what kind of elements inspire me.
Recently it’s water and nature as a character. It’s so powerful. It’s completely out of our control.
I will also say that my classmates and peers continue to inspire me all the time. Hearing their stories and voice evolve is a driving force.
What has been your most rewarding experience at NYU Tisch Grad Film so far?
Two things that don’t function without each other.
The friendships and collaborations are really the essence of this program.
Making stories together, seeing each other at our best and worst - reading somebody’s first draft and then seeing it become this piece of art on a screen - is priceless.
My mind will still go to an image of my MOS crew arriving to set at sunrise, a tired 2nd year crew in a hot tub in the middle of snowy nowhere, a bunch of directors trying to act in class, someone taking a nap on the floor in 1043 etc. - those are the first images that pop up in the my head when I reflect on these past couple of years.
The other thing is how those relationships and that trust allowed me to be vulnerable.
It can be really scary to embrace vulnerability in this process. We all just feel so naked with our work, scared of failure and for others to see us at our worst.
I am really grateful to have been in a space where I can be filter-less when much needed - and to have the kind of support that is equally understanding and slap-in-the-face honest. From both fellow students and faculty.
Because when we get out there in the film industry we will never find a safety net quite like this right here.
So this is the time to feel it all. I strongly believe it is an essential part of figuring out our craft as filmmakers.
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