Incredible, exquisite, and ambitious, Yulia Sak is an actress, director, dancer, artist, and member of the Union of Christian Writers. A winner of national and international contests, she was awarded the Order of St. Anne, first grade.
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Yulia, while preparing for the interview, I read your biography and was amazed! Literally. Such an incredible number of projects and such diversity of your talents can hardly leave anyone indifferent. Among all your talents – dancing, acting, writing, and art, which one do you consider to be the most important?
My main talents are certainly the acting and the talent of the editing director. That’s what I like to do most and do all the time. However, I am also improving my other talents. Whatever I do, I do my best. Otherwise, I don't see the point in taking up a project.
Such a gifted woman probably has a very busy schedule. Please reveal the secret, how do you manage to devote time to each of your talents, how do you force yourself to create?
I can’t live without art, so I am always in the state of creating. To keep up with everything, I use my time rationally, and I can quickly switch my attention to different things and do several things at a time. For example, on a film set, I act as an actress, camerawoman, and stage director.
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I was very interested in your one-woman show about Anna Akhmatova. In my opinion, you even look like Anna Akhmatova or is that how you grow into this role? And besides, is it difficult to get into the character of an outstanding figure, such as Akhmatova?
Maybe, I look like Akhmatova a little, but our lives are different. I always get into one’s role quite well and quickly. It isn’t difficult for me to work on Akhmatova's character – fuzzy characters are much harder to play.
There has been a long-lasting dispute among those who love literature and poetry: Anna Akhmatova vs Marina Tsvetaeva? I must confess that I prefer Marina Tsvetaeva. What is your advice to our readers and me? How one can get into Anna Akhmatova's poetry?
I also love Tsvetaeva's poetry more. However, everything depends on one’s preferences. They are both brilliant! Read Akhmatova, and her genius will certainly get into your heart!
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The theme of a woman in art is prominent in your projects, e.g., Anna Akhmatova, the project “Elegy of Love: Vira Kholodna”, and a series of films about outstanding women. Why have you focused on this direction?
I have many performances, films, and, in particular, the project “The Outstanding Women”. At first, I didn't think of making a series of such performances, such films, but it seems to me that God wanted it. I'm glad we did these projects: the great people must live in our memory!
In your opinion, how do women's talents affect their personal lives? What price do they pay for being creative? Do you feel the burden of their experiences as you play the role?
All real artists feel the burden of their talent. We perceive everything very emotionally. And we eventually get exhausted. But when I play roles, my mental suffering sometimes burst out because of the burden of suffering of my heroines, and that helps a little.
There is a common belief that men are more gifted than women. What do you think? Does men's creativity vary from women's?
It depends! Women often have to pay more attention to the family, while men focus mostly on the profession. However, those women who enjoy what they are doing are incredible personalities!
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Yulia, I'm sorry that we are limited to a short interview, though your biography has so many interesting pages. But I have to go to my final question: what I haven't asked you yet, but you’d like to share with others?
It’s love! It is the most important thing in life! Only love can make one either happy or unhappy. I wish people to be more thoughtful and not play in love! Then the world would get better!
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Photo: Oleksandr Smolin
Translation: Global Translation Services 1+1