An Interview with Maya Albanese: Director and Writer of Freeze 

“Freeze is a love letter to the female experience of modern day” 

Argo’s head programmer, Amanda Salazar, had the chance to sit down with director, Maya Albanese, for an in-depth look at Maya’s new film, Freeze, which she wrote and directed,

Maya Albanese is a director and screenwriter known for her whimsical storytelling and creating art that jumpstarts social diaologue.  

In this interview, she admits that this has been her most personal piece of art from her repertoire. Maya wrote Freeze based off her real-life experiences with fertility and aging. From the time of the film’s conception, she was unsure about whether the idea was worth bringing to reality. Yet, the basic premise for her story manifested into the film’s ultimate and epic punch line. After winning a screenplay competition, Maya put the gears in motion to bring her idea into fruition. 

Maya answers questions about her filmmaking choices from color grading, sound design, and casting. Maya also reveals some easter eggs you can’t miss in the film.  Each decision she made was meant to heighten the anxiety and mental deterioration of the main character. She sheds light on how time and storytelling intertwine to create a more in-depth and complex narrative structure. 

Most noteworthy is Maya’s craft and knowledge as a satirist. Influenced by Voltaire’s ‘Candide,’ Maya hones her poetic license to create lightness and comedy from even the darkest of moments. 

For this emerging female director, humor is necessary to cope with life’s challenges and difficulties. 

“The most accurate depiction of life has tragedy and comedy”

Maya’s success with Freeze reminds us that the best stories come from personal experiences, and from sharing directly from our hearts and emotions. Maya reveals a remarkable ability to understand her own psyche and channel her vulnerabilities into a unique plot, a complex protagonist, and a stunning case of visual storytelling. 

That the film contains a deeper commentary on gender and reproduction makes it all the more impressive, and a perfect example of why we need more female filmmakers.

Watch Freeze now exclusively on Argo.

For a more in-depth review of her film, check out our REVIEW OF THE FILM.