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Interviews
Swiss Filmmaker Beatrice Minger Grapples with the Legacy of Irish Designer Eileen Gray
- Details
- Parent Category: Film and the Arts
- Category: Interviews
- Published on Friday, 15 August 2025 13:33
- Written by Brad Balfour
Irish designer Eileen Gray built a refuge on the Côte d‘Azur in 1929. Though she built the house for herself, it turned out to be a masterpiece and many people wanted to experience it years after she was gone. This first house was a discrete, avant-garde masterpiece. She named it E.1027, a cryptic marriage of her initials and those of Jean Badovici, with whom she built it.
Upon discovering the house, Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer Le Corbusier, a pioneer of what's now considered modern architecture, became intrigued and obsessed. He later covered the walls with murals and published photos of them. Gray described these paintings as vandalism and demanded restitution. He ignored her wishes and instead built his famous Cabanon directly behind E.1027, which dominates the narrative of the site to this day.
Swiss director Beatrice Minger decided to make a film, “E.1027-Eileen Gray and the House By the Sea,” about this narrative and transform it into a story about the power of female expression, and men’s desire to control it. Sleek and serene, the film captures the poetry of the house and of Gray's vision.
In order to make the film — a hybrid of documentary and fictional narrative performed by actors — she cast Natalie Radmall-Quirke — an Irish actress, articulate in French. As Minger said, “She struck us as capturing a nucleus of Eileen Gray in a way that felt right. We didn’t look for a one-to-one representation, but instead sought a more abstract, more free interpretation. With Axel Moustache as Jean Badovici and Charles Morillon as Le Corbusier, we found the perfect counterparts.”
With co-writer/director Christoph Schaub, they crafted an unusual film to tell about a very unusual woman and creator. Writer /director Minger is based in Zurich and it was there, and in Berlin and Lausanne, that she studied Film, German Studies and Modern History. After graduating, she worked as Assistant Director and Script supervisor on various projects and directed short films and video clips.
Though the film enjoyed a short theatrical run, in coming to Amazon, Apple and Kanopy it is now having its streaming & home video launch on September 9, 2025.
Q: It took a lot to break out of the restraints of society at the time. What do you think made her such a different person?
Beatrice Minger: I think a big part of it comes from her personality. She was a nonconformist and a non-heterosexual who tended to stay out of any artist groups or associations. She was an introvert with an ambivalent relationship to the public. Coming from an aristocratic background, she had the privilege of not having to get married or make a living from her art. That doesn’t mean she didn’t have collaborators. She opened a workshop with Ethel Wyld and later opened a gallery to sell her furniture and carpets. Yet, she wasn’t dependent on making a profit. She didn’t have to comply with any commercial standards or business rules. This allowed her to be very independent and create outside the system, making her truly avant-garde.
Q: Making any film is hard enough but choosing to do this story takes a lot to get it made. What led you to be convinced to make this?
Beatrice Minger: I was fascinated by her life, spirit, strong artistic voice, and choices. She spoke to me. The same was true of the story surrounding the house and Le Corbusier’s violent intervention at its center. I had very strong and complex feelings about it and wanted to understand it. Moreover, I felt that the 1920s and the 2020s had a lot in common. There are many historical parallels, as well as similarities in terms of what preoccupies and moves people. I felt that I could tell a story with a deep emotional connection to the present day.
Q: How much do you think that Gray’s Irish heritage and experience informed her as an artist and as an individual?
Beatrice Minger: As I am not Irish myself, I can only make assumptions shaped by my conversations with Natalie Radmall-Quirke and Jennifer Goff. Goff is the curator of the NMI and is probably most familiar with Eileen Gray’s Irish heritage and her life in general. First, her aristocratic heritage shaped her life on an existential level. Although she never identified with the title, she felt the great responsibility that comes with being born into wealth.
She was well aware that without her privilege, she might not have been able to become an artist. She left Ireland early in life, supposedly because she disapproved of the renovations to her childhood home by her brother-in-law, which she considered completely tasteless.
This seems to have started a pattern throughout her life: once she left, she never went back, except when her mother died. Once she arrived in Paris, her life was also shaped by being a foreigner, albeit she had a network of mostly English-speaking artists. Being a foreigner always comes with a feeling of not belonging, which I think was part of her motivation to create “E.1027.” It was a place far away from home, different in light, colors, and climate, yet it was a place where she could belong. Yet, as we know, she left this house, too, and never went back.
Q: How did her family react to her iconoclastic ways and behavior?
Beatrice Minger: As far as I know, there wasn’t as much friction as one might assume given Eileen Gray’s nonconformist lifestyle. Her mother was eccentric and decided to marry outside her class — to a painter. Her father, who presumably shared her sensitivity and introverted character, supported her decision to become an artist. He often traveled to Europe to paint and took her with him. She was the youngest of five siblings, and, as she says in the film, nobody really cared what she was doing all day. This gave her a great sense of independence, as well as a sense of self-sufficiency — and probably also loneliness.
Q: I would assume that commercial consideration didn’t play much of a role in the making of this film but did you have an idea of what audience it would find?
Beatrice Minger: From the beginning of the project, the producers considered commercial aspects, such as appealing to an audience in the field of design and architecture. This audience appreciates artists’ biographies and the experience of seeing films in theaters. As the film changed topics and perspectives, we felt that we could bring the same audience with us and also speak about discourses around gender, patriarchy, and, not least, the formative decade of modernism: the 1920s.
There are many parallels between that time and today. I hoped the film would speak to a broader audience, mostly women who are hungry to see their point of view represented on the big screen. However, these are mostly conclusions from hindsight. To be completely honest, I was prepared to accept that an experimental film like this one would perhaps find its audience at film festivals, but who dares to dream of this response in cinemas?
Q: What kind of a response have you had now that the film has been released?
Beatrice Minger: The film was overwhelmingly well-received. It was popular at festivals and in cinemas across Europe and is now popular in the UK, Ireland, and the US. Most reviews were positive, appreciating the fascinating story told in such a different, experimental form. But I must give most of the credit to her. Her life and art continue to speak to us decades later.
Q: Looking back, were there things about her life and history you would like to have included?
Beatrice Minger: Oh, I had to leave out so many things! It’s always painful because you want to paint the most complex character possible. However, we didn’t want to simply create an artist’s biography; we wanted to weave the story threads around “E.1027.” This focus made it easier to leave things out and gave us the freedom to create space for other things –– for architecture and reflection.
Q: It must have been tough to organize all this info and make it coherent — who all the players are, etc. How did you meet the challenge?
Beatrice Minger: I read everything I could find and talked to everyone who knew her work better than I did. I absorbed all the information like a sponge. From all this information, I created something of an amalgam. Then, at one point, I had to let go of all the knowledge and create something from it.
Yet, I made sure to check in with the documents to ensure that I wasn’t getting carried away. I was careful to always have a document or story at hand that I could tie the text back to. I didn’t want to impose my own narrative on her; I wanted to listen carefully to what was there and follow her lead.
Music Promoter Chris Keaton Launches a New Venture “The Song Inside You” For 2025
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- Parent Category: Film and the Arts
- Category: Interviews
- Published on Wednesday, 30 July 2025 14:01
- Written by Brad Balfour
Through Chris Keaton’s efforts as a song promoter, his writers have had songs recorded by George Strait, Brooks and Dunn, Reba McIntyre, Trisha Yearwood, Sir Cliff Richard and more. As a 30-year voting member of The Recording Academy (Grammys) and a 2016 inductee into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, this Nashville resident puts his experience to use.
Thanks to his savvy, Keaton has also written three books — “Seven Stupid Mistakes People Make Trying To Break Into The Music Business,” “Dapper” and “Confidence on The Fly.” In addition, he began hosting a podcast series, Random Acts.
As he explained, “From March to late September 2021, I recorded and released 22 episodes (Season 1) of my podcast. In January, 2025, Season Two begins. Season 1 was audio only and the second season will be available in audio and video formats. The Random Acts podcast will include upcoming guests: Warner Music artist, Cale Dodds and Grammy-nominated Dance/Remix Producer, Dave Aude.
But I now have a new venture going live called “The Song Inside You.” This is meant to be an unparalleled experience for those who started out as songwriters but parked their dream to focus on a career. Now that they are nearing or at retirement age, they have realized that one never ages out as a songwriter. This once in a lifetime experience is for them.
The following day, our clients fly home with a copy of the co-written song and memories to last a lifetime. Packages, which start at $5,000, also include two nights at a deluxe hotel on Music Row, just minutes from the famous downtown honky tonks and nightlife attractions.”
Q: Have you done this already as a test case?
Chris Keaton: No. It’s a brand new idea. The sign-ups for registrants so far have come from my social media feed.
Q: Do you have people already booked for this?
Chris Keaton: We began on January 1 to take bookings of registrants.
Q: Obviously, this is something you curate. What’s the process of picking who you focus on and how are you promoting the idea (beyond a story I can write)?
Chris Keaton: Yes, I curate only to make sure that the talent level of the registrants is at least adequate (my judgement call) and they are agreeable to terms created by my attorney. The registrant does share ownership of the copyright with the hit songwriter.
Songwriters already committed to the project include Kent Blazy (hits with Garth Brooks, Chris Young, etc.), Trey Bruce (Randy Travis, Diamond Rio), Cale Dodds (Warner Music Artist with numerous TV/blm placements including the latest ABC TV NYE commercial).
Q: Do you have ideas about how this community will grow?
Chris Keaton: Social media, advertising and focusing on meeting our audience where they are. The target demographic is professionals from all walks of life. People who are either approaching or at retirement age. Emerging songwriters who would like to engage in following their dreams by having the unique opportunity to co-write with some of Nashville’s best and most successful songwriters. Think Fantasy baseball camp or Rock and Roll Fantasy camp.
This one-of-a-kind songwriter experience allows registrants to make memorable moments and follow their dreams. The packages include deluxe accommodations on World Famous Music Row in Nashville; an in-person songwriting session with a bona fide hit songwriter in a professional setting; a recording session with top Nashville studio musicians, engineers and singers in a top tier, professional recording studio. The registrant leaves with not only a professional recording of her or his co- written song but also the memory of a lifetime. Travel to and from Nashville is not included.
Q: Will this model create a new force among the songwriting community?
Chris Keaton: I believe it already has. Several professional songwriters with whom I have shared the idea are doing similar but smaller scale versions: offering their time and expertise to emerging songwriters without access to the industry via Zoom songwriting sessions. The professionals are paid for their time, energy and talent and the emerging songwriters get a wonderful and valuable experience, a lesson in how songs get written on a professional level, and a co-written song which is better than they could have written on their own.
Most everyone understands how difficult it is to have access to those who have successful songwriting careers. It is nearly impossible. With The Song Inside You program, not only do registrants gain this one-to-one access. They can also learn how to grow their songwriting craft.
Q: Do you think it will create an online distribution network out of the result of the songwriting creations?
Chris Keaton: That remains to be seen.
Q: How did you get involved with music in the first place?
Chris Keaton: On February 9, 1964, along with millions of other young people, I saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Their performances that evening shaped my life and career path like nothing else. The very next day, my brother and I started lip syncing to The Beatles. About a year later, we started a neighborhood band.
At the time, I was learning to play piano but the band already had a piano player. They insisted I play something, so my dad took me to the local music store. He pointed out a trumpet and I was like, “Not so much.” He pointed out a sax and before I could object, he said “Ladies love sax players.” So I said “Let’s get one of those!” I learned to play sax in band classes in school and never looked back. I was a touring musician for many years — playing in bands with Gary U.S. Bonds and then Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, among others.
Q: How did you become a song plugger?
Chris Keaton: When I moved to Nashville in 1993, I noticed that people in the business with the nicest houses, nicest cars and year-round tans were music publishers and song pluggers. I immediately decided that was for me and found my way into the business. The fact that I didn’t have a clue about what to do never stopped me from learning.
For more information or to sign up for a free weekly newsletter at www.chriskeaton.com. Registrants can reach out or get more information including pricing via: www.thesonginsideyou.com. You can see more at https://www.youtube.com/@chriskeatonrandomacts
Singer/Songwriter Kyla Nicole Healey Discovers Herself Through Making Music And is Bringing It To The World
- Details
- Parent Category: Film and the Arts
- Category: Interviews
- Published on Tuesday, 08 July 2025 14:02
- Written by Brad Balfour
Photo: Stefan Dickerson
Discovering a new musical talent makes the experience of writing about them all the more enriching. Take Kyla Nicole Healey. Originally from Long Island, this singer/songwriter has been pursuing her passions of being a singer, dancer and actress since she was three years old.
Growing up in an artistic family — her father an actor and mother a painter — they were always listening to vintage vinyl in the evenings. Healey knew early on that she was an old soul and resonated with such classic jazz artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, and Billie Holiday. She also counted legendary singing screen stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, and Doris Day among those who made an impression early on.
Says Healey, “Ella’s voice struck a chord within my heart and soul immediately, and has never left. A timeless talent, she is such that you simply want to close your eyes to feel, listen, and absorb her raw talent and the yearning in her voice. The medium of jazz music is much deeper than the physical and has become spiritual, when you allow the music to speak for itself.”
Furthermore, the youthful performer has starred in such off-Broadway musical theater productions as “The Sound of Music” (as Maria) “A Streetcar Named Desire” (as Blanche) and “Cabaret” (as Sally Bowles) in New York City’s Greenwich Village Theatre and Manhattan Movement & Arts Center.
Bi-coastal from New York City to Los Angeles, she’s been inspired to create her own sound, blending the old with the new. She describes her music as inspired by the old but with a new spirit. When her self-titled debut album — produced and arranged by Stefán Dickerson — was released in Spring of 2024, it featured jazz standards such as “Sway,” “Cry Me A River,” “Moon River,” and “Fly Me to the Moon,” to name a few. Melodic and warm, yet melancholic at the same time, it truly encapsulates a moment in time for her.
Now in production, a new EP — recorded and curated in Los Angeles — consisting of six unique songs is being released this summer. Titled “Eras of Kyla,” it’s an eclectic mix of jazz, soul, R&B, folk, and pop music. All incorporated within her original music, this EP is a fusion of genres, a mixture of dark and light with a poetic lyricism that truly reflects Healey’s passion for songwriting.
Adds the New York native, “Songwriting for me has been a beautiful catharsis and a medium for expression. A subconscious narrative of dreams, hopes, loss, love, grief, and yearning, the process has allowed me to discover hidden parts of myself. A subconscious narrative of dreams, hopes, loss love, grief, and yearning, the process has allowed me to discover hidden parts of myself. Without writing and exploring the physical world I wouldn’t be able to transform this material into a spiritual musical expression. I’m forever grateful I started to express my poetry and songwriting from my early years, since I was 16 years old and on.”
This exclusive Q&A was conducted in anticipation of that release so some of her comments were made as she’s has been contemplating its completion. This conversation not only reflects what’s happening now but what’s being planned to happen.
Q: You’re working on a new record. Who wrote the songs? Did you write them with someone? How did you choose the songs?
Kyla Nicole Healey: With a playlist of six songs, the new EP is titled “Eras of Kyla,” since it’s all original music that I wrote. Some of the lyrics were based on older poetry from when I was younger to semi-newer words. It’s more of a collection of my thoughts on personal issues of love, loss, grief, addiction, and how music has really helped me. It’s a beautiful medium for expression and I have an important need for [definitely pulling these out of me]. It’s very cathartic and soulful, especially in these [stressful] times.
Q: When you call it “Eras of Kyla,” it makes you sound like you’re a hundred years old.
Kyla Nicole Healey: I’m an old soul. I’ve always been an old soul since I was young. I used to listen to vinyl with my dad. I remember even when I was three years old, I’d listen to vinyl by the fireplace, growing up in Long Island, New York, Greenlawn near Huntington. He used to be an actor. My mom was and still is a very talented painter. She does oils and watercolor. My parents were very supportive of me doing the arts and singing.
I just remember growing up and listening to records from Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Doris Day, even Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth, and a lot of people I don’t know the names of. Marilyn Monroe was a great jazz singer, and people don’t really listen to her, but I love her voice. It’s very sultry and sexy. But she had a lot of darkness and depth as well, that people don’t allude to. It’s always this, I don’t know, happiness and glamor, but that’s only one facet of her.
Q: Do you remember the first record you heard, or the first that made you want to sing?
Kyla Nicole Healey: The first one that I really recollect and is instilled in my memory would be Ella Fitzgerald’s “Someone To Watch Over Me.” Her singing that in “My Funny Valentine.” I’m not sure exactly what it was titled, but I specifically remember that song.
Q: Your style has jazz elements, but I wouldn’t call you a jazz singer. You’re more in the vein of a Sade or Norah Jones. What do you think?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I think I’m finding my authentic voice right now and infusing different genres and elements that are jazzy, but soulful, and have a kind of indie chill, ethereal dream pop-like feel. It still has those jazzy, raw, intimate elements that are more natural and a nice tonality, but I’m also infusing different influences that have inspired me over the years. I think crossing genres is an important part and process of it and exploring as well.
Q: I noticed you have had some Broadway show experience. Sometimes you can be very big, broad and loud, and the sound has that operatic quality. But your music is very much different from that. When did you figure out that you wanted to go in a different direction than that kind of a stage experience?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I’ve done some musical theater and onstage theater like Blanche in “A Streetcar Named Desire” — as dramatic and intense a role as any. I’ve always loved musical theater. But I’ve also just liked being a singer and songwriter, especially when I’ve felt I could use my authentic, unique voice. It’s been a chance for me to really express how I was feeling. It’s a more personal way to showcase where you come from, your influences and your own lane.
Q: Has it defined the sound that you have? I’ve heard the samples, and it has a very different vibe than being on a theatrical stage. How has that defined how your live performance will be?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I’ve been performing with more of a jazz quartet, but I’m still in the process of exploring that outlet. I think that it would be more of a threshold and combination of engineering and having those tracks and as well as combining these different musical elements. I even use the sitar in one of my songs, “Psyche,” so it’s a bit unique. I like combining different instruments, Middle Eastern influences and rock and pop. It would be amazing if I could get a live sitar player, but I think it would be a combination of having those engineers as well as live musicians.
Q: Interestingly enough, Norah Jones’ half sister Anoushka plays sitar. They’re both daughters of the late legendary sitar maestro, Ravi Shankar. Anoushka does a lot more traditional Indian music, so that can be an influence.
Kyla Nicole Healey: And I love her too. Anoushka Shankar is amazing. I’m like an old Indian man at heart. [she chuckles].
Q: I can see those influences in what you’re doing. Your vocalizations could fit very well into that. You’re still exploring, so what things have you been discovering lately?
Kyla Nicole Healey: It’s part of a process, unnerving or discovering parts of yourself. The journey is the destination, as they say.
Q: Do you improvise live or are you improvising on the record itself?
Kyla Nicole Healey: A little bit of both. I like to improvise live and on the record. You never know what’s going to happen with the musicians in the moment. That’s another element of why I love jazz, because there is that spontaneity and interplay between musicians that’s only created in the live moment. You have to really feed off of each other’s energy. It’s apparent whether there’s synergy with musicians or if there’s not and it’s lacking.
Q: How did you find your musicians?
Kyla Nicole Healey: Usually from producer referrals. Or I see a lot of people out live, performing at prominent venues and musical venues. I’ll just approach them if I feel like it’s a good match or fit, and I love their work. So I like to see people live and to see what they enjoy doing live, seeing how it’s played out in real time.
Q: On your first record, you had a well-known producer….
Kyla Nicole Healey: Yes, Stefan Dickerson.
Q: How did he find you, or did you find him?
Kyla Nicole Healey: Actually through “Backstage.” Right when I moved to Los Angeles, I found him and his assistant reached out to me. It took a while to work with him, but I auditioned for him a few times and then started working with him as a developmental client.
Q: You have a different producer for this record, or are you producing it yourself?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I’ve been working with a new producer. He’s Italian, actually, Mario Fanizzi.
Q: How did you two find each other?
Kyla Nicole Healey: Through my friend who’s also a great singer-songwriter and an actress as well. We met actually at the racetrack.
Q: He’s your personal partner, not your business partner?
Kyla Nicole Healey: Both.
Q: What have you learned from racing?
Kyla Nicole Healey: it’s more mathematical and analytical than just what’s on the surface. Things are a lot deeper than meet the surface with getting any edge in gaming and sports,
Q: You could say that about music. Music has a mathematical element to it.
Kyla Nicole Healey: It does. Exactly. He works with a lot of math people, so maybe they can write an app or something that helps with the modern age, with AI and everything. It’s just a combination of math, talent and skill. But also, I guess you’d call it, sheer luck. I don’t even know what you call it these days, but that energetic spark intrigues people. Something like that. It’s not just talent these days.
Q: Have any horses inspired you to write a song?
Kyla Nicole Healey: There are some amazing ones. Who was the last winner? I don’t know.
Q: Were you looking out for what were the horse races that were recently in the news? What was the one that won? Sovereignty, I think, won.
Kyla Nicole Healey: Sovereignty won the last, and then Journalism.
Q: Yeah, Journalism. I like that horse for obvious reasons.
Kyla Nicole Healey: He’s beautiful. I love the grey stallions. There was this one horse called The Gray Wizard that was just so beautiful. It was from London. I remember seeing it at Saratoga Springs.
Q: That could be your next song. “The Gray Wizard.”
Kyla Nicole Healey: You like it, right? “The Gray Wizard.” [She chuckles]
Q: Have you pretty much moved to LA? You’ve abandoned us here in New York?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I’m still bi-coastal, East and west coast. I visit my family in Florida, which is where I’m at right now.
Q: What influences do you find in LA and what influences do you find in New York? Florida is great for Latino influences. Is that something you’ve discovered?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I enjoy Bossa Nova and Latin influences, and I’ve explored that as well. Like “Sway” on my first album. But coming from New York to LA, it is definitely a bit different, a bit of a culture shock. New York is a little more [upfront]. At least they tell you to your face if they don’t like you, or it’s an interesting dynamic.
I’m pretty versatile. I can get along with anyone, and I’ve definitely met some great people there. I’ve worked with some talented musicians, singers, writers, producers, and met some great renowned actors. There’s definitely quality people there, but it’s harder to find your footing and not get drowned out by all the nonsense, partying and whatnot. I would say, if I had to choose, I’m still an East Coast girl. People there are a little more real.
Q: When you finish your record, are planning to come back and start performing here? I don’t know what venues they have for non-hip hoppy, non-pop music kind of artists. I think of you as having a somewhat more sophisticated, adult sound, even though your look could be more of a pop style. Your sound is really rich. It’s more appealing to me than a lot of the other stuff. It might be harder to find an initial pop audience, but that’s good in the long run.
Kyla Nicole Healey: Iit’s good to have both of those elements. It’s like a nice juxtaposition. In LA there’s lots of nice indie venues or reputable jazz venues like Vibratos or the Mercury Lounge if you want indie rock. In New York, as well, there’s a lot of great established venues like Cafe Carlyle and places of that nature. I’ve performed on an international tour when I went to London, which was really amazing. And I got to record at Abbey Road in London.
Q: Wow, that’s fantastic. Who produced that session?
Kyla Nicole Healey: For that session? Myself and my manager, Don Johnson, helped produce that. I was thinking of maybe doing a limited vinyl or another EP just for those recordings special to “Abbey Road.”
Q: As you write your songs, do they evolve or change in the process? Do you learn from one song to the next how to maybe come up with a new hook, or a different element or texture?
Kyla Nicole Healey: They change over time but I would say a lot comes out of the blue like how a lot of poets or writers find inspiration. They’ll have block for a while and then, out of the blue, they’ll be able to channel or write down everything quickly. I feel that for me, I like to write a lot of times at night. I’m kind of a night owl. I am more inspired during the witching hours. It’s quiet, and I’m more connected to the moon. I feel more inspired that way than during the daytime. But things change for sure over time.
Q: You’ve said songwriting has been a form of catharsis, a medium of expression, a way to express a subconscious narrative of dreams, hopes, loss, love, grief, and yearning. It sounds like there’s a dark side that you’re addressing here. Is it a process of therapy, discovering these things and you’re then getting them out?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I would say catharsis. I already know they’re there and I’m getting it out. For me, it’s a yearning. I feel a melancholy and am nostalgic for an older time. I always say I’m an old soul, but I think it’s just that I love older influences and older artists, most who have already passed.
I love influences like Jim Morrison and Stevie Nicks or deeply troubled people like Amy Winehouse as well. Jim Morrison was a poet. I have this book of his poetry. They have a very dark path, and dealt with a lot of addictions and issues and grief. It was definitely channeled through their music. I think darkness is needed. No dark without the light. It’s a beautiful thing.
Q: Hopefully, you’re using the music before you abuse yourself [chuckles].
Kyla Nicole Healey: Yes, in a healthy way. That’s why it’s needed. It’s catharsis. I’m using healthy mediums, I think therapy’s needed for everyone regardless, even if you’re doing well.
Q: I noticed your last name is Healey. Do you have Irish roots?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I do. My dad is Irish, a little bit, but I’m a French European Jew. I’m Jewish as well. I celebrate the best of both worlds. My mom’s Jewish, dad’s Catholic.
Q: There’s a lot of good instrumental music from Israel that could be influential as well. And from Ireland.
Kyla Nicole Healey: I love Celtic folk. That’s another big influence. I would say it’s in one of the “River on the Walk” songs. If you’ve heard that one [that I recorded], it’s a little more folky, like a Joni Mitchell vibe.
Q: You should definitely look into some of the Irish singers, like The Corrs or Enya. She does really interesting moody instrumentals, along with her voice.
Kyla Nicole Healey: Oh, I love Enya. If you ever heard her, she does a lot of Celtic folk — also like world music. It’s very ethereal.
Q: Why are you settling on just an EP? It sounds like you have enough ideas to make two full LPs.
Kyla Nicole Healey: I know but I just wanted to see how this panned out first, working with a new producer and it’s been going well. I guess we can see, I do have so many more ideas. I have a lot of songs written in all of my notebooks, so they’re ready to come out.
Q: How does a song start for you? Do you start with the lyrics, and then you work with musicians that you find the music. Or do you just sit and compose the music on a piano or a guitar? What is your development of choice?
Kyla Nicole Healey: It depends on the day. I sometimes hear a melody or I hum something that resonates with me first, and then lyrics do come from it. I would say maybe the music and the emotions influenced me more. Hearing something on the piano or the instruments first, for the most part, I would say. Then the lyrics come in or I would match something that resonates with that tonality. The music’s more inspiring for the initial impact.
Q: This is a great point in your career where you’ve gotten enough groundwork done, but at the same time, the doors are open for all kinds of different directions. It must be tough to make decisions where a song has ended and the next song begins.
Kyla Nicole Healey: It is. I think I [do] run-ons and especially when I write. It’s good to be concise. I’m learning, but also to get your point across. I guess learning when to stop is valuable.
Q: In any case, where do you start first, with the lyrics or the music? When do you start composing?
Kyla Nicole Healey: More on a guitar or a piano. I would say the music influences more, but I think it depends. I do have a lot of lyrics that I write first, but I hum and find a melody first. I say on the piano or guitar, but mostly piano. I start composing the music and then the lyrics will follow.
Q: When do you think you’re going to finish this record? What’s the game plan? Will you release it yourself or with your partners or whatever, and not wait until you find a label that will put it out?
Kyla Nicole Healey: We hope to have it out in mid to late July. We’re just shopping around for a label, to see if there’s a good fit. Like an indie label or an already established label. We’re kind of figuring out now, which would be the best.
Q: Is the plan to release it on vinyl as well?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I would like to, yes. I like something tangible, as well. I know everything’s online these days, but it’s nice to hold something real, like vinyl or CD … right?
Q: If you had a desert island disc, what disc would you take with you on that desert island?
Kyla Nicole Healey: Just one?
Q: If you had to take one. Oh, I could give you two.
Kyla Nicole Healey: I really love “Cream” like Eric Clapton.“Strange Brew” and “Sunshine of Your Love.” I love rock ‘n’ roll, too and old school vinyl but it depends on my mood. I’m so moody, I’m all over (the place.) I love different genres. But maybe Jim Morrison. I love The Doors, too. I think “Riders on the Storm” would be great on the desert island.
Q: And on the jazz side?
Kyla Nicole Healey: Ella Fitzgerald and maybe Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, or I also love Diana Krall. She’s easy, effortless. She has a natural vibe.
Q: If you had a choice of anywhere to start your tour, where would you like to start? LA, New York, Ireland. Where?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I’ll start in New York. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Kind of a cliche, but it is true. Then… I’ve already been to London, but I’d love to go back and maybe go to France and Italy. I have yet to go there. I would love to do that. Maybe I’d go to some nice wineries there, do an Italian retreat, a musical retreat. I think that would be unique. I think of Europe, honestly. There’s New York and exploring the U.S., but Europe would definitely be a dream.
Q: In any case, you’re now in Florida. What will you do for the rest of the day? You’re going to go off to a studio, or you’re going to work on songs?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I’m spending some family time. But we like to go out to concerts and listen to music at home. My parents are big supporters of the arts, as they’re artists themselves. Mostly, I spend time with the dogs, go to the beach, I’m kind of just relaxing here.
Q: Who do you want to see live that you’ve never seen, that would be your target?
Kyla Nicole Healey: I also love Kali Uchis. She inspires me too. And Lana del Rey.
Q: I could see Lana del Rey as an influence, for sure.
Kyla Nicole Healey: Lana del Rey, for sure. She’s very poetic and has a dream girl/ethereal vibe. She has jazzy, sexy, sultry roots as well. I think she’s really created her own lane, which is inspiring.
Q: I hope you make it to London. You can explore where Amy Winehouse worked. Did you see any of the Amy Winehouse films? There’s the documentary in….
Kyla Nicole Healey: …Ronnie Scott’s [Jazz Club]. Next time I’m there, I’m going to perform at Ronnie Scott’s. Amy practically grew up there. Her grandmother dated Ronnie Scott, and she was always invited; she frequented went there with her dad.
For more info go to: https://kylanicolehealey.bandzoogle.com/home
Filmmaker Beth Lane Celebrates her Family As Holocaust Survivors in the Documentary “UnBroken”
- Details
- Parent Category: Film and the Arts
- Category: Interviews
- Published on Thursday, 26 June 2025 13:57
- Written by Brad Balfour
Beth Lane photo: Chad Batka
In light of all the attention on antisemitism and the Jewish people since the October 7th massacre by Hamas terrorists, there’s been a desire for a story of triumph in the face of bloodshed and slaughter.
So when filmmaker Beth Lane embarked on an international quest to uncover answers about the plight of her mother and her six siblings, she found a story to inspire. As children, they had escaped Nazi Germany by relying on their own youthful bravado and the kindness of German strangers. Their self-rescue resulted in this documentary, “UnBroken” — the story of the seven Weber siblings, ages 6-18, who evaded capture and death following their mother’s incarceration and murder at Auschwitz.
After being hidden in a laundry hut by a benevolent German farmer, the children spent two years on their own in war-torn Germany. Emboldened by their father’s mandate that they “always stay together,” they used their instincts to fight hunger, loneliness, rape, bombings and fear. Separated from their parents, the siblings had to declare themselves orphans in order to escape to a new life in America. This salvation would become what finally tore them apart, not to be reunited for another 40 years.
Daughter of the youngest Weber sibling, Lane set out to retrace the family’s steps, seeking answers to long-held questions about their survival. The film examines the family’s journey as told through conversations with the living siblings — now in their 80s and 90s. Lane and her crew made a road trip across Germany, following the harrowing path taken by her family over 70 years ago.
As her feature debut, this documentary is both a professional milestone and a personal effort to immortalize the Webers’ incredible story of the siblings’ survival. They’re the only family of seven Jewish kids from Nazi Germany known to have lived and emigrated together.
Lane is also an actress, singer and dancer whose driving force has been to display empathy through storytelling, design and meditation. She has curated and served on panels and hosted over 40 episodes of a weekly Instagram live on-camera podcast, “Banter with Beth.” “UnBroken” was named Best Documentary Feature Film in Indianapolis at the 23rd Heartland International Film Festival in 2023. That was just one day after the terrorist organization, Hamas, attacked Israel — the worst assault against Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Q: When you realized you had this rich history, how much investigating did you have to do to put the whole story together?
Beth Lane: I was six years old when I learned that my mother was adopted at the same age she had been when she arrived in America. She didn’t tell me about the Holocaust then, or how her mother died, but she did mention that she had six siblings I would never meet. Like any child told they can’t have something, I wanted it all the more. I didn’t know why I longed to meet those siblings, only that I did. Even then, I had the curiosity of an actress and the daydreaming powers that have never left me.
Years later, that longing found form: my mother reunited with her siblings. One of them, my Uncle Alfons, wrote a 40-page memoir marking the 50th anniversary of their arrival in America — a personal history woven with survival, loss, and love.
Over time, I came to realize that the story of my family wasn’t just poignant — it was extraordinary. My grandmother Lina, whom I never met, was a Jewish resistance fighter in Berlin. She helped others escape Nazi Germany, forging visas and passports in secret. But she couldn’t save herself. She was murdered in Auschwitz on December 1, 1943, at exactly 11:35 in the morning.
Whenever someone asks, “If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, who would it be?”—I never hesitate. Queen Elizabeth I, perhaps (we share a name). But more truthfully: Lina. My grandmother. A woman I never knew, but whose courage and sacrifice run in my blood. As my Aunt Ruth says in our documentary “UnBroken,” “She believed that if you help others, you help yourself.” That belief— that legacy — is how I know I come from a rich history: the Weber kids in 1946
I began researching in earnest the moment my mom decided she wanted to return to Berlin and Worin for the first time in over 70 years. That was the summer of 2017 — and I haven’t stopped since.
What started as a personal journey quickly turned into something much bigger: unearthing family documents, tracking down distant relatives, translating letters, and digging through archives in multiple countries. Each discovery led to more questions, more layers, and more truths that had been buried for decades.
There’s a book I need to write. A museum exhibit I need to launch. This story isn’t just about the past — it’s about preserving a legacy that still echoes through the present. The research? It never ends.
Q: When did you decide to make a film about it?
Beth Lane: I decided to make a film about it after that life-changing trip to Berlin and Worin with my family. We visited the farm where my mother and her siblings were hidden during the Shoah. Seeing the place where they endured such unimaginable hardships deeply moved me. I made a vow then to tell their story — not only to honor the bravery of the Weber siblings but also to highlight the courage of those who helped them survive.
Q: How did you organize the film and map it?
Beth Lane: Organizing the film was a massive undertaking. We had over 200 hours of footage from three days at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, three weeks in Germany, and three weeks in the United States. We started by dedicating six weeks just to watching every single minute of that footage. From there, we made scene selects and gradually whittled it down to around 20 hours.
It’s a process of constant refinement — you keep shaving it down until the footage starts to tell you what it wants to be. Once we had a story lock, we moved into the next phase: incorporating animation, original music, and graphics to bring emotional depth and narrative clarity to the story. It was a long and deeply immersive process, but it allowed the heart of the story to emerge organically.
Q: At one point you decided to add animation — talk about that decision and the process of doing it.
Beth Lane: The decision to add animation came from a deep desire to have the audience experience these stories through the lens of a child — just as my mother and her siblings had lived them. The sisters are now in their 80s and 90s. And while their memories are vivid, animation allowed us to bridge the gap between their adult reflections and their childhood experiences.
For me, it was the most powerful medium not only to visualize those memories, but also to engage the audience’s imagination. Animation gave us the freedom to express moments that couldn’t be captured through archival footage or reenactments — moments of fear, wonder, confusion, and even resilience — all from a child’s perspective.
Q: There’s lots of travel involved to get this done. Talk about managing it.
Beth Lane: Managing all the travel for the film was definitely a huge undertaking, but I was lucky to have a fantastic line producer who was incredibly organized — especially with Google Maps. We used a 40-page narrative written by my Uncle Alfons. He created it for the 50th anniversary of the Weber siblings’ emigration from Germany to America. That document became our roadmap.
I went through and circled every place, street, and city mentioned. Then my line producer turned all of that into detailed maps and itineraries. It was a real team effort. That level of planning was crucial in helping us retrace the journey and capture the emotional geography of the story.
Q: How did your family react to being filmed?
Beth Lane: They were surprisingly open — each in their own way. My mom, a dancer and performer for years, was the easiest to convince. Aunt Gertrude welcomed it, and Aunt Ruth wouldn’t stop talking. It was marvelous. But these are deeply tender topics, and the emotional weight was real.
Aunt Ruth chose not to see the final cut. Aunt Renee initially declined but ultimately agreed. Her contribution is stunning in brevity, humor, and depth. Aunt Judy abstained from filming but attended a recent screening in Dallas, where she felt deeply seen and heard.
Most cousins were enthusiastic, though a few declined. My kids were skeptical at first, since this was my directorial debut. But later, they admitted that they underestimated me.
Aunt Senta, who was in hospice, couldn’t participate, but she supported the film financially. That support gave me the confidence to tell their story. I used it to found The Weber Family Arts Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to combating antisemitism and hate through the arts.
Q: Were they happy with the results?
Beth Lane: Absolutely. None of us expected the film to win awards, have a nationwide release, or stream on Netflix. When I told my mom that “UnBroken” had ranked #5 in the top 10 U.S. Netflix films within 24 hours after its launch, she nearly fell out of her wheelchair.
Q: Did the film change lives among the subjects or beyond?
Beth Lane: Yes. One cousin converted to Judaism after being raised Catholic. Others who had lost touch reconnected by attending screenings and meeting me. It’s powerful to see the story reconnect our family and remind us all of our shared humanity in a divided world.
Q: What were the profound discoveries that you and your family made that were unexpected?
Beth Lane: Three weeks after I committed to making “UnBroken,” the Charlottesville rally happened. White supremacists marched through a Southern town under the guise of protecting Confederate monuments. But we knew it was really an attempt to spread hate and amplify antisemitism. That was a moment of clarity: our story couldn’t wait. It needed to be told — now.
Fast forward to October 8, 2023: our world premiere at the Heartland International Film Festival. Just 24 hours earlier, news of a devastating terrorist attack broke. Watching such horrific violence — families torn apart, civilians targeted — shattered something in us. What was most painful was the wavering moral clarity surrounding it.
I was in Manhattan when the Towers fell on 9/11. Back then, there was no question about what was evil. Today, that certainty feels like it’s slipping away. That loss of clarity was one of the most painful realizations of this journey.
There’s a “before and after” for me and our family now. But with that, I’ve gained spiritual clarity. I’m more grounded and prepared for the unexpected. That makes me sad — knowing to expect wrongdoing.
Q: “UnBroken” is a stand against hate in all its forms. It’s a bridge to remind us all to be human and simply to do unto others as you would wish to be done unto you. This isn’t a political or religious film. It’s a spiritual film. A personal story about staying human in a world that too often forgets how.
Beth Lane: Yes. And if there’s one message I want to share, it’s this: Even in the darkest moments, there is still light. Still hope. Still connection. “UnBroken” is my offering to anyone searching for that light.
Q: Now that you’ve made a film that’s part of an important legacy of Holocaust survivors, how do you hope it impacts on the world at large?
Beth Lane: I hope it makes people pause and realize how disconnected we’ve become — relying on texts instead of calls, online likes instead of real conversations. “UnBroken” is a reminder to cherish our neighbors and to practice kindness. Antisemitism isn’t just a Jewish problem; it threatens society as a whole. As a daughter of a Holocaust survivor, I feel a duty to speak out against hate and bigotry — and I hope others feel inspired to do the same.
What sets “UnBroken” apart from other Holocaust or family-history documentaries is that it’s a woman-led story spanning generations, told through a deeply personal and spiritual lens rather than a political or historical one. It blends humor, pain, and healing in unexpected ways. It’s urgent given today’s climate of antisemitism and global unrest.
Q: What’s next for you? Other films, books, etc.?
Beth Lane: I’ve been invited to give keynote addresses, which has been incredibly meaningful. I love connecting with audiences — sharing stories that remind us we are more alike than different. That sense of oneness is the heart of this work. I hope “UnBroken” continues to lead us toward that. I have a book and museum exhibit in development, plus three more films in development that need funding. The Weber Family Arts Foundation is growing, and we’re seeking resources to hire an executive director to increase our impact.
NOTE: To watch “UnBroken,” support the foundation, or to host a screening, visit:
http://www.theweberfamilyartsfoundation.com
