Interview with Alix Austin and Keir Siewert of 'Duchess'

Duchess is a martial arts, action short film starring Samatha Schnitzler as Duchess, a female mixed-martial artist in a fight against Trojan, a male mixed-martial artist. Duchess is a battle of the sexes, showcasing gender dynamics in a competitive sport. Keir Siewert is the director of the short film; he is a British-American filmmaker who creates genre-bending films and also music videos. Alix Austin stars as Regina in the short film. She is also an actress, motion capture performer and director,

Describe yourself in three films.

AA: We Need to Talk About Kevin, Oldboy, Whiplash

KS: The Searchers, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Thing

Images courtesy of Alix Austin and Keir Siewert

How did your love for film start?


AA: I think there were two beginnings. The first was falling in love with going to the cinema, as because of where I grew up, it was one of my main creative escapes. However, I think it was only when I started making films that I really started appreciating the artistry. I came into filmmaking in my 20s and it was when I discovered my love of South Korean cinema that the true love began.


KS: For me, it was watching John Wayne Westerns with my father. He was from Texas and I partly grew up in New Mexico. The grand scope of the storytelling and the way it turned ordinary landscape into a modern mythology really captured my imagination. And then when I saw The Searchers, I learned how deep and intricate a film can be without sacrificing its adventure and fun. 


What do you think makes a great film?


AA: One that takes you on a ride and guides you enough so you’re not left guessing at what the themes or message of a film are. It doesn’t need to beat you over the head, but there are ways to create an atmosphere and visual flow that leaves you feeling like you’re in safe hands. In other words I’m not a huge fan of the ‘illusion of meaning’.



KS: I feel like I’m always looking to get swept away. I want that experience where a film has totally immersed me emotionally and mentally. The ways it does that can vary, but when I think of the best times I’ve had in the cinema, it’s the times where I feel like I’ve had an experience.

Images courtesy of Alix Austin and Keir Siewert

What were some of your influences for Duchess?

KS: A really big influence was the Bennet Miller film Foxcatcher, I liked the way it was a sports movie grounded in a strong engaging drama with complex characters. I was also really influenced by Gavin O’Connor’s film Warrior. There’s not a lot of MMA films, but a million boxing movies, so it was interesting to try and tackle a sport that’s under-represented in the cinematic landscape. I was also really taken with the way Michael Mann shot the boxing scenes in Ali. I didn’t want Duchess fights to feel hyper-stylised or heavily choreographed, I wanted it to feel messy and real. Finally, I’d say Ronda Rousey and Billie Jean King were both real life inspirations that factored into the writing process a lot.

What inspired the name Duchess for the main character? 

KS: I always looked at Duchess as a name the character appropriated. It was a term of derision that the men at the gym called her to make fun of her. Kind of like “hey Duchess, you think you’re think you’re so much better than us,” because she didn’t take any attitude off them. So that’s how they made fun of her. Then eventually she just started using the name as a fight name and turned the snide remarks on their head, because it suggests a woman of power and strength.

How did you do the casting for Duchess?

KS: We needed actors who could look physically convincing but could also act. So, we asked the talent to send in a self-tape of them reading a scene, but include a clip of them working out, so we could get an idea of their physicality and how they moved. Both those elements were equally important.

Shinji had actually fought in mixed martial arts fights, so he was easily able to send us video material. Sam was had worked as a stunt woman and dancer, as well as being an accomplished actress. We were so lucky to find two people who could meet the narrow specifications for these roles. Otherwise, we filled the cast out with trusted people we’d worked with before, Bola and Al were both good friends we trusted to do a great job. I think it’s always nice to have a mix of long-term collaborators and fresh blood in a cast.

What was your experience like directing and acting in Duchess?

AA: Pretty hectic but equally energising. This was a truly run/gun and low budget shoot, making what we had at our disposal work for us, while still turning out great performances. The team was so positive, no matter what the shoot threw at us and working with Sam, Shinji and Bola was a real joy. Everyone was really on point, but we still found opportunities to goof off and have a fun time.

KS: It was intense as we had a lot of time restrictions and were often against the clock in terms of budgetary and time restrictions. We also shot on 4 non-consecutive days, as that was when the location was available. So, it was challenging to keep the energy up. Like a lot of my shoots, there was a kind of organised chaos to it, but we got there eventually, and everyone was super into the project. Passion is a big thing you need to get you through challenging shoots.


I noticed that Duchess showcases female camaraderie, was this important to show in the film?

KS: I think I’ve always been fascinated by female friendships and relationships. I always saw Duchess and Regina’s friendship as the heart of the film. The film is about how they stick together to navigate a hostile environment and that’s why film finishes on them and their bond, rather than it being about who won the fight.

Can you talk about how the stunt scenes were coordinated? 

KS: We had a fight co-ordinator for the end of round 2 and for round 3 to work out things like the kick and the throw. The big thing for me was I wanted the kick to happen in a longer shot, so that it was more of a sudden surprise to the viewer. The point was always that it didn’t feel like “movie fighting.” We weren’t making a martial arts movie, we were making a drama about fighters, so I wanted it to feel blunt and messy. Ronin Traynor, the fight co-ordinator, really got that and worked really hard with actors in the limited time to make sure we accomplished everything safely and effectively. It was also just really good having Shinji and his experience being in MMA fights, because he was always able to give us advice about how to make something look more real and authentic.

While making Duchess, did you find a parallel between the sports industry and the film industry?

KS: I see Duchess as a metaphor for the battle of sexes and for the struggles of gender imbalance in the workplace. It’s not meant to be about the sports world specifically, it’s more alluding to wider issues, using the sport as symbolic. So, I think there’s parallels in most industries to be honest. This film was shot before the MeToo movement and I think has only become more relevant as the veil lifts further on people who abuse their power.

 How do you think the sports industry and film industry could improve? 

AA: I’m also a film Director and a personal goal of mine is to create projects that not only feature more female leads but draw attention to the fact that there’s a severe lack of roles for women of all backgrounds in secondary & background roles.

Good examples of this being implemented are in The Martian and the first season of Jessica Jones. At first, I found it strange and weirdly are a little distracting, but then refreshing as I got used to it and realised that the way to counteract that gut reaction is to make it a more common practice.

KS: I think support is always key, as well as opportunity. I think the way I sometimes defer from other people though is I’m not a big fan of the idea that we’re only supposed to make films about our own experiences. I love making films about women and one of my biggest filmmaking idols is Kathryn Bigelow, who makes fascinating films dissecting gender within the world of action and genre movies. Point Break is one of the most interesting action movies, in the way it depicts the gender elements. I think it’s a fascinating perspective that comes from her ability to appraise and investigate male culture from an outside perspective. Having the outsider perspective can be incredibly useful to art. In an ideal world, all artists would have equal opportunity to tell stories about anything they want.

What do you hope that audiences take from watching Duchess?


KS: For me, I think I always want two responses. I want people to get swept up in the tension and the excitement of the drama, but I also hope it makes them think about some of themes the film is touching on. It’s been said a million times, but sports are a metaphor for life, and here we were very much trying to use it as a way of exploring the gender dynamics in a traditionally male space. My hope is always that people can find something in Duchess that they can relate to and find worth discussing.

Can you talk about your production company Hydraholix Productions? 

AA: Hydraholix is a collective focusing on genre films and dark dramas. We’ve co-created and directed several films together, as well as supporting each other across individual projects.

​Hydraholix’s most notable work includes Bruce Millar award winning crime thriller 
True Value and Best Horror Winner RETCH, which premiered on ALTER (click to watch).

Both RETCH and Duchess are in the process of being developed into feature films.

Our most recent film Portrait, a tense Drama, is currently touring the festival circuit.

Do you have any upcoming projects that audiences should watch out for? 

AA: Our next short Portrait also focusses on gender dynamics, this time through the prism of sexual harassment and abuse in the photography world, starring Sorcha Groundsell (BBC’s Clique, Lead actor on Netflix’s The Innocents).

The film is currently being submitted to festivals and will begin its circuit in late 2020. For the latest news, we regularly update our Instagram page on @hydraholix.

How has your experience been with the Fighting Spirit Film Festival?

AA & KS: One of the friendliest and communicative festivals we’ve been a part of. Sometimes you go to festivals and it can feel a bit anonymous and imposing, but FSFF is the opposite. The atmosphere in the foyer especially is very friendly and inviting and encourages people to stick around and chat.

Images courtesy of Alix Austin and Keir Siewert

Speed Round. Pick one film for each category.

Which film describes your life?

 AA: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

 KS: Living in Oblivion (1995)


What film do you think is underrated and deserves more attention?

 AA: Disobedience (2019)

Note: I’m guilty of not having watched this film when it came out in cinemas, so I’m acknowledging that I was part of the problem. It really stuck with me and if you watched Netflix’s ‘Unorthodox’ series, this is really worth your time.

While I’m here, I want to shout out ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ which you can watch on Amazon Prime after you’ve watched ‘Disobedience’.

KS: Blue Steel (1989), a Kathryn Bigelow film in which Jamie Lee Curtis plays a cop on the hunt for a serial killer that stole her gun. It’s an action film with a female lead that isn’t just a repurposed male-lead. It’s about being a woman in an action movie.     

What is your favourite film by your favourite director?


AA: You Were Never Really Here by Lynne Ramsay (2011)

 KS: After Hours - Martin Scorsese (1985)

What’s your favourite cult classic film?

AA: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

KS: Wake in Fright (1971)

What film has the best soundtrack?

AA: Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)

KS: Trainspotting (1996)

Images courtesy of Alix Austin and Keir Siewert

To keep up to date with Alix Austin on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

To keep up to date with Keir Siewert, make sure to Follow Him on Instagram and his Website.

Also keep up with Their Production Company Hydraholix on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.