Interview with Screenwriter Tali Zingman (HEADSTRONG)

Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Tali Zingman: Alice (32), a girl plagued by her own self-criticism and loathing, has just caught her boyfriend of five years cheating. Faced with the double-edged question of what to do, Alice confronts the different, zany sides of her personality. In this inner battle of the mind, she must weigh out what she is more afraid of: being in an unstable relationship or being alone.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Comedy, drama, psychological piece

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Film often uses tropes for their depiction of female characters: the traditional mother, the punk rebel, the girl-next-door. Headstrong takes these tropes and shows that they can exist all within the same girl. The female lead is complex, multi-faceted, and most importantly, authentic. The film also addresses the themes of mental illness, anxiety, and feminism. Alice’s inner battle is one that so many girls unfortunately face in the modern age. They are instilled within this self-criticism and the social pressure to be dependent and a care-giver, rather than a self-functioning and thriving individual. For a short film, it covers a great deal of ground all under the accessible format of an innocuous comedy.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Self-love story (Hyphens count, right?)


Nightmare Before Christmas.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Two years.

7. How many stories have you written?

Over 30.


Lately, it’s been “Nobody” by Mitski.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

I struggled with the “cheese-factor”, mainly because I don’t usually write rom-coms. When I started, I didn’t realize that what this was, at the end of the day, was a girl learning to fall in love with herself. At the end, when she goes around the room and tells the different sides she loves them, she’s finally accepts every part of herself and validates that she loves them. That to me felt dramatic, but at the same time, I questioned “Why?” Why is it so taboo to say you love yourself just the way you are? That for me was my own self-discovery.


Nothing…except caramel frappuccinos and my dog.


I found my experience with Female Film Festival to be extremely positive. They are personable, enthusiastic, and really focused on building a safe environment which nurtures each artist. I was truly touched by their constant passion and investment in my work.


I felt very proud of this script and wanted the right platform to present it. I found the festival’s mission to be exactly the right fit. The feedback was timely, constructive, and extremely helpful.

 Watch the Screenplay Reading:

Alice, age 32, is a self-conscious girl with a bitter dilemma: what to do after catching her boyfriend of 5 years cheating. It’s up to her and the kooky sides of her personality in her head to decide. This is one epic inner battle.


Revenge – KAT SMILEY


One thought on “Interview with Screenwriter Tali Zingman (HEADSTRONG)

Leave a Reply


You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Google photo


Twitter picture


Facebook photo


Connecting to %s