1. What was one of the most challenging moments you faced while making The Only Son? Did this ‘setback’ change the direction of the final story?

 "The Only Son" is a thesis film, and we were shooting in Los Angeles – so securing the major locations (construction site, school) were probably the biggest challenges. Except for that, of course, was finding good Polish speaking actors – especially someone who would look like a high schooler. But thankfully Owen submitted for the audition, and he was perfect for the role!

2. What was the biggest inspiration behind The Only Son?

 I was a troublemaker when I was a kid, and growing up my dad often had to save me from trouble. When I came to the US I realised how familiar, but at the same time unfamiliar American culture is – what would a father-son relationship look like if the father was a polish immigrant, and the son would be born in the US? I was inspired by both my relationship with my dad and the Polish community that I met in Los Angeles.

3. What message do you want the audience to take away from The Only Son?

I believe films can resonate differently with each viewer. I hope that the audience will find their own personal meaning or take away from this story. I prefer not to prescribe a specific message, as I think the most impactful experiences often come from individual interpretation and reflection.

 4. How supportive was the American Film Institute in the making of The Only Son? Were there any cuts that needed to be delivered before locking the picture?

AFI follows a very strict protocol that provides a great structure for pre-production, production and post-production. We had mentors for the film as well as weekly and monthly meetings. After we finished shooting we had several test screenings with different classes to discuss and improve the film.

During post-production, we encountered an interesting situation with a scene on the construction site. After Jack returns to work, there was an emotional moment where he's supposed to hammer nails. The actor, caught up in the character's feelings, ended up forcefully smashing the piece of wood with the hammer. AFI, adhering to their safety guidelines, categorized this as a stunt. Since we didn't have a stunt coordinator present that day, we were asked to remove the shot from the film. It was an unexpected turn, but it's part of the process when working within an institutional framework.