Tag: Filmmaker

  • Indie Actor & Writer, Kristina Monarc aka Prym

    Indie Actor & Writer, Kristina Monarc aka Prym

    I am a starting independent actor in the Philippines! I’m 20 years old by the way. I used to want to try modelling before but I’ve leaned on film and acting recently. My projects are also more increasing this quarantine. 

    My nickname is also Prym btw! (Pronounced as ‘Prime’.) My first name is Kristina Monarc haha and my last name is Cabral. But people just call me Prym 🙂 

    How will you describe your fashion style and what inspires it?

    My fashion style, come to think of it, is inspired by a lot of movie characters. As an actor, I tend to dress up based on my mood: whether I feel like a Rachel Green, or a high school female soccer player haha with my oversized tees and long socks. Although most of the time, I like to put in a chic culture: cropped tops, off shoulders and tank tops, Nadine Lustre-inspired.

    But in the long run, comfort is key – even how much I like v-necks to reveal my sternum tattoo, nothing beats the idea of comfortably walking in your pants knowingly you’re ready or not to show some skin that day. It always comes in moods.

    Do you have any quotes or mottos you like to use in life?

    I’ve lived with quotes pretty much my entire life haha. One is from Atticus, “I’d rather have a body full of scars and memories than a head filled with regrets and a perfect skin.

    I feel like the more you push yourself away from your comfort zone, the more you’ll meet your better self: you have no idea what she’s capable of! Imagine if we did the things we wanted to do. Imagine if we lived a life of passion; what a beautiful world it would be, if people were honest, to each other and themselves, and if we all were self-aware and lived fulfilling lives.

    One last thing I’ve read is from an entrepreneur book I forgot whose author was it. He said, “We must strive to be self-entrepreneurs, where we find a valuable spot in society that pays well.”

    Is there something in life you can’t get enough of?

    I love watching movies but I also like spontaneous times like when a friend visits and you go coffee shop-hopping or something. I love it when things go unplanned, and at the end of the day, there’s a good story worth to tell. Cinematic moments, I call them.

    The things you can never repeat in real life, and felt that the only thing missing was a camera in front of you. As an actor and filmmaker, I see that coming a lot. It reminds me to cherish moments we’ll never have again.

    Which 3 types of food do you enjoy eating most in the city you live in?

    I love our sabaw food. Tinola, sinigang, lutong Kamatis. We Kapampangans pride ourselves for our cooking!

    If you could change or improve one thing about the world, what will it be?

    The environment. Make the coal house-making capitalists be more responsible. They’ve contributed so much in climate change, and making the most money. We normalize this abnormal heat and live on aircons – but what about those who cannot afford? And what future could our children possibly have?

    Would you rather invent a new gadget or discover a new species?

    Discover a new species definitely. Hopefully mermaids or anything Narnia-related 🙁

    Does chivalry still exist today?

    Yes, it still does. But it’s often not recognized. Because sometimes the concept of what a good man is should be the norm. 🙁 such as, respecting a woman for saying no. But I believe in those things as well, that, as long as a man genuinely respects a woman, with no other intentions, then the ‘concept’ of ‘chivalry’ doesn’t have to exist because in the end it’s just a term.

    One man shouldn’t feel obliged to do good, but do it out of the kindness of their hearts. And I’ve met so many good men in my lives, doing chivalrous things without asking anything in return. I’m lucky enough to have a partner in life like that.

    Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Kristina. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”?

    For me, sexy is when somebody just goes out there and relentlessly pursues their passion. Of course, physical is a bonus, but we all stay for the character.

    And people tend to become beautiful when they start doing what they love: it’s in the way they talk or how they seemingly convince you on something.


    Follow the gorgeous Prym (Kristina Monarc) on

    Instagram: @kristinaprym

    I have a new short film incoming, named A Story of a Dying Butterfly. Directed by Stephen Canlas. It’s a Kapampangan short film!


    Images courtesy of Prym

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  • Entrepreneur & Filmmaker Layne Marie Williams

    Entrepreneur & Filmmaker Layne Marie Williams

    SimplySxy has the pleasure to interview Layne Marie Williams, filmmaker and founder of Women of The Now (WoTN). Learn about what inspires Layne Marie, how WoTN is striving to provide more opportunities for women in the entertainment industry and who she’ll love to collaborate with if given the opportunity!

    What inspired you to start Women Of The Now?

    While Co-Founding The Women’s Film Festival in 2013, the folks I was making movies with at the time in Philadelphia, PA – we called ourselves Women of The Now. WoTN has now grown into a well known 501c3 organization in Chicago, IL that provides training, resources, and community to womxn and gender non-conforming filmmakers.

    We were making films and we needed more chances to showcase, build, develop, you name it, our work. Wild determination and a whole lotta grit launched me into it all. I was 23 at the time. I don’t think I had any idea what I was in for! I’ve loved and been deeply challenged every moment of it. It’s made me who I am.

    How is WoTN working to provide more opportunities for women in the entertainment industry?

    We are in the midst of a really exciting evolution right now – we just turned three years old and are really focusing on best practices, our mission statement, and metrics in order to become more sustainable for the years to come. We have been living by the statement “Do less better” so what that means is strengthening and growing our core team, creating events that are both educational and provide chances to network, as well as building up the technological side of our Database and beyond (you can find this on our website!) where womxn and gender non-conforming filmmakers can join the database to be considered for future job opportunities.

    What is a typical day like for you?

    Ohhhh it really depends. Everyday sincerely looks vastly different for me. Right now with quarantine, I’m in Alabama with my mom and stepdad. I live in Chicago (though I am about to move to LA!) but I got stuck in Alabama because of COVID-19 after attending my little brother’s (what ended up being veryyy tiny) wedding. It’s sincerely been lovely though. If I had to be stuck anywhere, this is the place to be y’all. Truly. It’s peaceful. So much nature. It’s home.

    We have three dogs so I spend a lot of time hugging them LOL. I’ve been feeling like a wild wolf woman. I write, I drink cognac, I have lots and lots of zoom meetings and phone calls. My dogs will howl and I howl right back. I kayak, paddle board, I pulled two giant splinters out of my foot this week. I just started reading Irish fairy tales and this super spooky book a best friend recommended by the great Tana French for inspiration. It’s incredibly isolating, it’s glaringly glorious, it’s totally how I’m supposed to spend my time right now.

    Do you have any favorite quotes or mottos you like to use in life?

    Little by little, one travels far.” -J.R.R. Tolkien

    If you could collaborate with anyone past or present, who will it be?

    Guillermo del Toro and Marilyn Monroe. So basically del Toro and I need to collab on a spooky sexy monster movie about Marilyn.

    Which flavor best describes you?

    Hmmm. It would definitely need to be pink and green. Probably some kind of lollipop flavored like cotton candy and sour apple.

    What tips can you give to women aspiring to go into the entertainment industry and what they should expect?

    Oooh this question is always a doozy because I want to give a different answer every time now…

    Have fun. Have fun with it. Because it is not always going to be fun. In fact, most of your days will not be fun. You will have interactions and meetings that are so hard. Remind yourself why you absolutely cannot stand the idea of doing anything else but this work. And that’s because it has the power to be wickedly fun. We get to play pretend, we roll cameras and make art for people to absorb and carry on into their lives…hopefully a little bit, maybe even severely, changed afterwards. We get to entertain! Remember the fun. Otherwise, do something else. It’s truly such a life of uncertainty, do something else if it doesn’t absolutely fill you up with ridiculous joy and merriment. That’s what keeps you vibrating.

    Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Layne. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”? 

    Oooh I love this question. This is a new one. I define sexy when I feel the utmost like myself. I think that LMW has a dirty martini in hand, is wearing something fabulous, and is probably laughing so hard she’s thrown her whole head back and on into the lap of whoever is next to her. Whoops.


    Follow the amazing Layne Marie on:

    Website: www.LayneMarieWilliams.com 

    Instagram: @directorlmw_

    www.womenofthenow.com

    WoTN IG: @womenofthenow.chi 

    Check out my films @scutly_movie and @veiledtractate on IG (they also have Facebook movie pages where you can stay up to date on any screenings happening near you!) You can also learn more about another film I directed “Golden Voices” at https://www.goldpointstudio.com/gps-films


    Images by Layne Marie

    Like to be featured on SimplySxy? Drop us an email at editorial@SimplySxy.com!