<p><strong>By: Yomna Walid&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Acting is about more than stepping into different characters. It is about discovering new places, embracing different cultures and connecting with people through storytelling. For Austrian actress Valerie Pachner, that journey began in a small village in Austria and eventually led her to some of the world's biggest film productions.</p>
<p>Known for her emotionally powerful performances in A Hidden Life, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and the Austrian drama Four Minus Three, Pachner now stars in Stories alongside British-Egyptian actor Amir El-Masry and Egyptian actress Nelly Karim. The romantic drama follows two people from different worlds whose lives become intertwined through handwritten letters, exploring how love can transcend borders. The film also has a personal connection for Pachner, who says she fell in love with Egypt long before joining the project.</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IOl2qGuSXJs" width="560" height="314" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>&nbsp;</p>
<p>In an exclusive interview with NileFM, Pachner spoke about the inspiration behind her acting career, what drew her to Stories, memorable moments from filming in Egypt and the advice that continues to guide her career.</p>
<p><strong>You've built a career across European and international cinema. What first inspired you to become an actress?</strong></p>
<p>I grew up in a small village in the countryside of Austria and, honestly, initially my desire to pursue acting merely came from wanting to escape the narrowness of my village, wanting to meet new people, experience new things and see a different world. Acting offered that to me through workshops in bigger cities, but also through the experience of acting itself. It was a very honest, truthful way to meet people, very deep and personal. At 16, I found that more interesting and exciting than casually hanging out or partying.</p>
<p><a href="https://ibb.co/NdYJP7XV"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/8L8fpXJK/1.png" alt="1" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>What was it about the script for Stories that made you want to be part of the film?</strong></p>
<p>I found the way these two characters fall in love deeply romantic. Through letters! There is something so intimate about sending and receiving a letter, even if it comes from a completely different world. I love how it is slow-paced yet quite intense. I was also very intrigued by the fact that these two overcome the obstacles of coming from two different worlds and how love can cross national borders with ease and certainty. Love doesn't care about borders.</p>
<p><strong>What drew you to your character, and what did you connect with most?</strong></p>
<p>I loved her openness and her adventurous spirit. That was something I could certainly connect with. As an adolescent, after school, I went to Honduras for a year. The occasional acting workshops in the nearest bigger city were not enough. I wanted to go far away, explore the world, travel and meet new cultures. During that time, I also travelled to Egypt and completely fell in love with the culture. This is where Liz and I share a passion: travelling and fully immersing yourself in a new world, whether it is a new country or a new character for a project.</p>
<p><a href="https://ibb.co/ktXJk6h"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/GqR9B3V/2.png" alt="2" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Can you share a memorable behind-the-scenes moment from Stories that audiences might not know about?</strong></p>
<p>When we shot the scene at Vienna's Strudlhofstiege, a famous landmark in the city, Liz and Ahmed (Amir El-Masry) had their picture taken by an older couple passing by. That couple are the real Elisabeth and Ahmed, Abu's parents. That was such a special moment to shoot for all of us.</p>
<p>Another memorable moment came during the wedding scene. My Austrian colleagues and I really did not know what was going to happen. Director Abu Bakr Shawky told our Egyptian colleagues what to do and explained the different wedding rituals, while we were completely clueless, so our surprise, confusion and delight were very real.</p>
<p><strong>What was the biggest challenge in bringing your character to life?</strong></p>
<p>Maybe her unbroken optimism. I find myself more sceptical and realistic, so I struggled a bit at first with how she could be so wildly positive. But over time, this positivity kind of spread into my own being, and that was a very lovely experience.</p>
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<p><strong>Your performances often convey so much through silence and subtle expression. How do you approach that as an actor?</strong></p>
<p>I think, for me, dialogue is really the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more going on for a character, a human being, and I start to build that very thoroughly through preparation. I think about how that person holds herself, how she feels in her body, how she moves through a room and what she thinks about first when she wakes up. This allows me to fully immerse myself in the world that is offered on set, and silent moments are not scary but become an even greater place of safety for me, where I can allow the character to just breathe.</p>
<p><strong>You've worked in Austrian, German, British and Hollywood productions. How do those experiences differ, and what has each taught you?</strong></p>
<p>In general, acting is acting and, at its core, there are always very similar experiences on set. The biggest difference is probably on the financial side: how much time there is to shoot and whether it is more like a sprint for arthouse films or a marathon for big studio productions.</p>
<p><strong>You've received several major awards during your career. Have they influenced the roles you choose, or simply reinforced the stories you want to tell?</strong></p>
<p>I never work for awards or festival success. When I am on a project, what matters most to me is the story, what we want to tell, not how we tell it. Even less important is whether people will love it, whether it will go to a festival or whether I will receive an award for it. There is nothing wrong with thinking like that, but I personally don't enjoy approaching my work from that perspective. It is more important to me that I find what is being told important.</p>
<p><a href="https://ibb.co/K80kfHz"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/5JMySVx/3.png" alt="3" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>What can audiences expect from your upcoming projects?</strong></p>
<p>Currently, I have two films in cinemas: Stories and the Austrian film Four Minus Three, a very emotional story about a woman, and a clown, who loses her family in a car accident. My latest film, I Is Another, with Claes Bang, will have its premiere in the Piazza Grande section at the Locarno Film Festival in August, which I am very excited about.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<a href="https://ibb.co/ymys8d6K"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/Y4kjtPcJ/Copy-of-Copy-of-Red-and-Orange-Photocentric-Modern-Newsroom-Instagram-Post-3.png" alt="Copy-of-Copy-of-Red-and-Orange-Photocentric-Modern-Newsroom-Instagram-Post-3" border="0" /></a></p>
<p><strong>While you're in Egypt, would you consider working on an Egyptian film if the right opportunity came along?</strong></p>
<p>I would absolutely love to work in Egypt again! I loved being there so much; the people were so lovely. I would return in no time!</p>
<p><strong>Looking back on your career, what's the best advice you've ever received?</strong></p>
<p>Do what you feel is right. If that means saying no to a project because you don't feel it or because you need a break, even if it is a great opportunity, then that is right, and you can trust that feeling.</p>
<p><a href="https://ibb.co/Q31QLs6d"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/hJt9bpKf/5.png" alt="5" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Photo Credit:</strong>&nbsp;Valerie Pachner's official page</p>

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