A self-described theater brat, Tara Miele realized there was a storyteller behind her favorite films when a friend invited her to come watch a series of student films.
“I grew up a blue-collar kid in Long Island and never assumed that was a job you could do.” At the event, however, she said “it was like somebody pulled back the curtain on Oz. I just knew I was going to be a filmmaker.”
The following week, she marched into the Film Studies office and announced she wanted to make a movie. Her first student film premiered at Slam Dance in 2000. “Taking a film to Sundance this year, after 20 years on the journey, was a really special thing for me.”
In Miele’s latest film, Sienna Miller and Diego Luna star in Wander Darkly. According to the description, “New parents Adrienne and Matteo are forced to reckon with trauma amidst their troubled relationship. They must revisit the memories of their past and unravel haunting truths in order to face their uncertain future.”
In this interview, Miele talks about how Sienna Miller ability to be a chameleon actress, what it means to work with nurturing creative partners, how her circular process works, why creatives need to “make time for their heart,” and what it means to have integrity as an artist.
If you enjoyed this interview, look for the print version on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and join millions of viewers for the new YouTube video essay series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5
