Support the pod! https://buymeacoffee.com/lowlevelbarbarians Need help with market expansion, product market fit, growth, or fundraising? Reach out! * https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderle/ Kicking off 2025 with something different. We sit down with Anna and Leo, two fearless indie filmmakers who left Russia to pursue free expression, true art, and their Hollywood dreams. Their journey is anything but ordinary, and they’re carving an uncharted path to greatness. Check out Anna and Leo's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@motionandsounds Lets Connect! * https://www.linkedin.com/in/annakadykova/ * https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonid-shmelkov-82932ba0/ Raw Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/JOgWqPbOVSE 00:00 Escaping Russia for Hollywood Dreams 01:12 Anna 04:36 Leo 07:19 Censorship in Russia 14:26 Getting Stuck in Sri Lanka 15:44 Countries With Big Independent Film Industries 19:29 Challenges Of Feature Film Funded by Russian Government 22:05 How Western People Perceive the War With Ukraine 24:53 Insider Insights On the War of Ukraine 27:56 What Would You Be Willing to Die For 28:40 Dying & Being Forgotten vs Being Remembered 32:37 Breaking Into the Film Industry 34:44 Contrarian Approach 37:28 Finding Authenticity In Your Own Voice 43:22 Forget the World Chaos By Surfing 45:29 Leaving the Sri Lankan Village 52:11 Re-doing the feature film 01:02:57 Most Ambitious Project 01:03:49 Blind Trust In Selling A Script 01:12:59 Balancing Art vs Commercial 01:14:19 Beginner's Mindset 01:15:46 Crisis As A Possibility & Thinking Big 01:23:13 Defining The Partnership