Exploring bold new works from filmmakers around the world, the 52nd New Directors/New Films, our annual festival co-presented with the Museum of Modern Art, officially kicks off on March 29. Ahead of the festival, get to know the filmmakers who speak to the present and anticipate the future of cinema.

Matija Gluščević, co-director of Have You Seen this Woman?, shares a few words on what interested him in becoming a filmmaker, his directorial influences, and more. Join Gluščević and Zorić in person for Q&As on April 6 & 7.

What made you first want to be a director?
Matija Gluščević: For a few years, I volunteered at an international film camp where I met film students. Hanging out with them made filmmaking become an appealing thought to me.

Was there a film or director you were inspired by or continue to be inspired by?
Michael Haneke, David Lynch, Luis Buñuel, Eyes Wide Shut (from director Stanley Kubrick).

In your own words, tell us about your film. What should audiences know?
We wanted to make a film that constantly reshapes itself, mirroring the changes of the main character. It should be as unpredictable an adventure for the viewer as for the protagonist. So don’t overthink it, just enjoy the ride.

What does it mean to you to show your film at New Directors/New Films?
It is a dream come true to be part of the NDNF festival. We are very happy to have an opportunity to present our film to the NY audience, especially because it is a USA premiere.

What was the biggest lesson you learned during the making of your film?
Make films with friends, be persistent and do whatever you want.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t take yourself too seriously.

What else do you enjoy doing outside of filmmaking?
Just being lazy or reading.

What’s a film you saw recently that you enjoyed?
Palindromes from director Todd Solondz.

In their nervy and eccentric feature debut, filmmakers Dušan Zorić and Matija Gluščević use the template of an apparent missing-person story to expand upon ever more provocative inquiries into the malleability of identity and the invisibility of daily living. Ksenija Marinkovic gives a daring, remarkable performance as Draginja, the centerpiece of this ever-shifting narrative, a door-to-door vacuum cleaner vendor whose reality is shaken when she happens upon a dead body while on her rounds. Yet this is just the first of Draginja’s various embodiments, each more outlandish and disturbing than the previous. Set in a depressed yet vividly evoked working-class Belgrade, the haunting Have You Seen This Woman? is an often funny, always unpredictable vision of the sometimes-nightmarish search for oneself.

Dušan Zorić and Matija Gluščević’s Have You Seen this Woman? screens on April 6 and 7 with filmmaker Q&As. New Directors/New Films takes place March 29-April 9. Explore the lineup and get tickets, including a discounted 5-Film Package.