The Interview is a bittersweet fairytale about a desperate female immigrant who opts for the help of a mysterious device that removes her foreign accent to land her dream job. But at what cost?
THE INTERVIEW follows Maria, an immigrant trying to find a job after receiving her work authorization card. It opens with her working for cash as a cleaning lady but soon after receives her work authorization. We follow her as she goes through numerous interviews, and is turned away time and time again. On one such occasion, she learns it’s because of her accent. Through a chance encounter, she obtains a mysterious device which alters her voice to sound like a native English speaker. She uses it at her next interview but to no avail. Devastated and lost, she throws the device away and decides she isn’t going to compromise who she is to try and win a job. With a new confidence about herself, she attends another interview. The story ends with her cleaning again and waiting to hear back from her last interview. She isn’t getting her hopes up but has a positive outlook on the future.
Ksenia Naughton is a Chicago-based film director, screenwriter, producer, and video editor whose work explores social justice, mental health, and stories centered on women, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ communities. Driven by her own experiences, she is drawn to narratives of resilience, identity, and belonging, often focusing on female protagonists. Her films have screened at festivals worldwide. Her short film Jack and Anna screened at over 40 festivals, including the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival. It received the Best Global Short: Beyond the Rainbow Award at the 2019 SCAD Savannah Film Festival and earned Silver and Bronze honors at the 42nd Telly Awards. Ksenia has also been nominated for the Young Director Award at Cannes Lions and the Focus Features & JetBlue Student Short Film Showcase at the Gotham Awards. She is an alumna of the AICP Mentoring Program (Cycle 2), where she was mentored by Jennifer Sprunger of Ridley Scott Associates, and was a semi-finalist for the 2023 CDDP – Commercial Directors Diversity Program. In 2024, she was nominated for the Princess Grace Awards and the Tribeca Through Her Lens program. She is a member of BAFTA, Film Fatales, and NYWIFT.
Illinois Art Council Creative Projects 2026 - Grant Winner
The Puffin Foundation 2025 - Grant Winner
Illinois Art Council Creative Accelerator Fund 2025 - Grant Winner
Outstanding Screenplays Shorts Competition 2023 - Semifinalist
Screenwriters Network 2023 - SWN Short Film Screenplay Competition Finalist
Producer/Co-Writer/Editor - Brian Naughton
Producer - Ashlyn Kelley
Director of Photography - Jana McLain
Production Designer - Olivia Moore
Costume Designer - Miranda Quinn
