Eva Victor recently made an appearance at the Storyhouse screenwriting festival in Dublin, where the multi-talented actor, writer, and director shared insights about the creation of their first feature film, Sorry, Baby.
The movie, entirely crafted by Victor as the writer, director, and lead actor, debuted at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival before being acquired by A24 for a notable $8 million. The premise of the film revolves around the character Agnes, encapsulated by the phrase, “Something bad happened to Agnes, but life goes on… at least for everyone around her.”
Victor discussed the initial hurdles they faced after writing the screenplay, particularly realizing their aspiration to direct the film despite lacking experience. “It was a real challenge because after writing the script, I understood that I wanted to direct it, but had no clue how to. There was a gap of about three years from script to shooting, during which I had to prepare myself to direct and ensure I did it justice,” Victor explained.
The production of the film was supported by Barry Jenkins along with Adele Romanski and Mark Ceryak from Pastel. Victor reminisced about Jenkins’ initial contact, which came via a direct message on Twitter after he viewed some of Victor’s popular videos. “When we first met, I remember I was wearing too much blush. He complimented my videos and pointed out that what I was doing was essentially directing. He said that even though it was on a smaller scale, I was still making critical decisions about camera angles and shots. His affirmation really planted a seed in me, making me realize that my skills were being recognized beyond just comedy,” Victor shared.
Victor also highlighted how Jenkins’ mentorship helped them navigate the complexities of filmmaking, particularly in letting go of certain ideas for the greater good of the project. They recounted a challenging moment concerning a scene where their character, Agnes, after being sexually assaulted, retreats to her car. Victor initially envisioned this scene occurring during the blue hour, a brief dusk period that lasts about 20 minutes. “My producers explained that capturing that scene during the blue hour would require multiple attempts, which worried me as I didn’t want the preceding indoor scene to drag on too long. However, Barry helped me understand that it was alright for the indoor experience to feel subjective, reflecting the shift in Agnes’ world as she steps out into the night. This reassurance from him was liberating and epitomized good producing,” Victor commented.
The Storyhouse festival took place over two days, from April 16 to April 17, 2026, offering a platform for filmmakers like Victor to share their experiences and insights.
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