Everyone resists authority at some point in their life. The world is full of rebels fighting against evil for the sake of “good”, right? Okay, maybe I’ve just seen too many movies about the rise of the underdog, but this theme can certainly make for a compelling piece of entertainment.

The latest to catch attention is the female-led indie action-thriller short, “THE RESISTANCE.” It stars ANNA FRANKL-DUVAL and Lenore Marks as best friends fighting a totalitarian authority now in command of the United States.

“The Resistance” has screened at the Portland Film Festival, Berkshire Film Festival, Chelsea Film Festival, San Jose International Film Festival, Reading Film Festival and Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.

Portraying a strong female rebel wasn’t the first time Anna has proven talented. She nabbed a nom for Best Actress at the Festival of Cinema NYC for the indie short If Only, which she also wrote and produced; and starred in the FunnyOrDie and festival fav comedy short American Deportation. Her stage credits include German Munoz’s How Will I Know at London’s White Bear Theatre and Brighton Fringe Festival; Vikki Stone’s Definitely at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival; and Robert Auletta’s Agamemnon: Redux at LAB at the Roger Smith Hotel.

I recently caught up with Anna Frankl-Duval to find out more about her latest rebellious role:


Tell us about your role in “The Resistance.”

ANNA: I play the role of Chole in Lenore Marks' short film "The Resistance." Chloe, along with her best friend Emma, played by Lenore Marks, is one of the leaders of an female-powered underground resistance movement who are fighting against the totalitarian authority known as The Regime Republic who have taken control of the United States.


Did you do anything specific to prepare for portraying a rebel in this dystopian world?

ANNA: We shot "The Resistance" in the winter of 2017, so to be honest, the political climate played a big part in my preparation. I was already pretty fired up and connected to the spirit of rebellion after the 2016 election, engaging in activism and heated discussion in my everyday life. In some ways "The Resistance" felt like an extension of that activism and a wonderful project for me to pour my feelings into.

What would you consider your character’s ‘best’ quality? And their ‘worst’?

ANNA: There are so many things that I love about Chloe - she is such a strong, driven, person, who knows exactly who she is and doesn’t back away from a fight, which I really like. She has a lot of great qualities but I think I would have to say that it’s her loyalty that I admire the most - Chloe is someone who is there for the people in her life, no matter what, and we get the opportunity to see that multiple times over the course of the film. On the flip side, Chloe definitely has a bit of a temper - I happen to think that the occasions that we see her get angry just prove how big her heart is and how invested she is in the people in her life and what she’s fighting for, so I’m not sure I’d callout a “worst” quality, but I know I’m biased.

Any interesting stories from the set you can share with us?

ANNA: "The Resistance" set was like no other set I had worked on before. The atmosphere was amazing - incredibly supportive and open. I think a big part of that was the fact that the amazing crew, cast, and creative team were majority female, with some wonderful men too, all working together to tell this feminist story with strong, intelligent, gutsy women fighting to keep their rights in a world where they are in danger of losing them all. I think that everyone on set could connect with that on a personal level. Plus, the fact that every person on set was great at their job, supportive of each other, and keen to collaborate - there were no egos.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned from working on this project?

ANNA: I think there is so much to learn on every single job you do - I get better at my job every time I step onto set, or into rehearsal, or behind a mic in a recording booth. The biggest lesson I learnt from "The Resistance" was probably the power of collaboration. I’m always keen to work in an environment where everyone feels like their input is valued - that’s certainly the atmosphere I tried to create on the set of my own short film "If Only" - and the set of "The Resistance" was one that really drove home the beauty of having a team that respects and trusts each other and is open to trying out other people’s ideas for the sake of making the project the best it can be.

And, now just for fun:

Who’s your favorite actor/actress?
ANNA: Emma Thompson

What role from the past do you wish you could have played?
ANNA: Fleabag

Favorite movie or TV show from your childhood.
ANNA: Favorite TV show was “Friends” and my favorite movie was “The Parent Trap,” the Lindsay Lohan version.

Tell us one thing that would surprise our readers to learn about you.
ANNA: Although I sound very British and I’m a proud Londoner. I’m much less British than people assume - my mum was a Hungarian refugee and my father is French and Scottish.

How can fans keep up with you?
ANNA: Instagram: @annafranklduval link

Thanks, Anna -- keep up the good fight!