Heritage Fantasy
2025 Release
ABOUT THE FILM
An American aspiring actress with roots in Croatia travels to the homeland, hoping to make a film about her European relatives that will capture her "brand" and increase her marketability. Finding herself tangled in a loop of conflicting memories about her problematic Balkan grandfather, Katie finds her own patterns of escapism, longing, and success anxiety reflected in her family history.
the team
Katie Kopajtic (writer/director)
Katie Kopajtic is a queer writer, filmmaker and actor whose work spans theatre, film, and writing.
Writing credits include fiction and nonfiction. Fiction: “Walmart: Population 4” (Variant Literature), and “Terranueva” (The Future Fire). Nonfiction: “Can Mitski and her Stans Save American Theatre?” (Electric Review); “Heritage Fantasy” (Cream City Review); “I’m Proud of my Queer Fandom” (Electric Literature); “Longing for the Magic of My Childhood Home” (Catapult); and “Best Club, Worst People” (the Under Review).
Notable acting credits include: Modern Witches (The Players Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe) Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood (River’s Edge Theatre Company), Lipstick Lobotomy (Columbia University staged reading), and Confessions of a Personal Trainer (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017, 59E59, The Tank).
In 2017, she wrote and directed the short film “The Actor”, starring Catherine Curtin and Lynn Cohen, which premiered at the New York Short Film Festival in 2018. She has also worked as Assistant Director for the short film Wake, and as a production assistant on The Light of The Moon (SXSW Audience Award), What Breaks the Ice, New York Fashion Week 2018-2019, and in various advertising projects including GLAMOUR and Adidas.
Katie is a graduate of the 2021 Tin House Summer Workshop, and holds a B.F.A. in Acting from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (2011).
Alex Meixner (score)
ALEX MEIXNER (Score) has performed around the world, notably at American festivals like The National Folk Festival and Central Park SummerStage, as well as at uncountable community celebrations and accordion-centric events. His virtuosic yet delightfully quirky style has made him a sought-after collaborator, spokesperson and educator. As a recording artist, he has worked with renowned avant garde accordionist/ composer Guy Klucevsek, popular Irish entertainer Seamus Kennedy, Texas indie rockers The Krayolas. His recording “Polka FreakOut” with Brave Combo’s Bubba Hernandez won him a GRAMMY nomination.
Katherin Machalek (editor)
Katherin Machalek (Editor) is a documentary filmmaker originally from New York City, now based in Copenhagen. She is known for directing WELCOME (Chicago South Asian Film Festival, 2021), I WAS HERE FIRST (DOC NYC, UnionDocs 2015), and CLIM8 (Altitudes Festival, 2014). As a crew member, she has also contributed to THE RUSSIAN WOODPECKER (Sundance, 2015), THE ACTOR (NY Short Film Festival, 2018), and SISTERS OF THE WICKED WIG (LA Shorts Film Festival, 2016). Inspired by Chantal Akerman, Katherin’s films examine the domestic realm, intergenerational feminist dialogue, and psychic inheritance.