While breaking into Hollywood is no easy feat, one Pacific Northwest artist has found herself in the middle of a feature film. In a colorful fusion of art and cinema, abstract artist Mia Schulte was personally chosen by Director Zach Koepp to have her work exclusively featured throughout his upcoming film, ‘Ava.’
The film, which is set to release in 2025, stars many well-known actors including Michael Madsen and Brian Letscher, to name a few. Madsen is best known for acting in many iconic Quentin Tarantino films such as ‘Reservoir Dogs,’ ‘Kill Bill: Volume 1 & 2,’ ‘The Hateful Eight‘, and ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood‘ — while Letscher is best known for his leading role as “Tom Larsen” in the ABC hit series, ‘Scandal.’ The film is produced by Jeffrey Reddick, creator of the renowned ‘Final Destination’ franchise.
Though Schulte and Koepp had never met in person prior to the production of ‘Ava,’ Koepp came across her work on Instagram and immediately felt inspired by her abstract paintings.
“As a filmmaker, I’ve always relied on the synergy of music and art to ‘hear’ my movies— these elements are essential to completing the vision. While scrolling through Instagram, I was suddenly inspired when I encountered Mia Schulte’s work. Her pieces immediately struck a chord, echoing the emotional depth and complexity that our film seeks to convey. Mia’s work, with its dynamic layers and fluidity, mirrors the intricate interplay of trauma, resilience, and transformation that lies at the heart of our narrative. Her art doesn’t just reflect the journey; it embodies the very essence of the human experience we aim to capture on screen. The parallels between her visual storytelling and the themes of our movie are not just striking— they’re profoundly beautiful. I look forward to championing her as an artist in not just my upcoming projects, but in every way possible,” said Koepp.
Photo Credit: Zach Koepp
Schulte’s stunning abstract pieces are inspired by her unique upbringing which allowed her to experience many parts of the world at a young age, as well as her current surroundings in thevibrant Pacific Northwest. Schulte was born in Turkey and grew up in multiple countries in Europe as well as many cities in the United States, including Washington D.C.
“I am eternally grateful for the gift she gave our movie, and I can’t wait to see her work in the next one. These are the special moments in the arts— when collaboration is so pure, artists will be woven together forever,” said Koepp.
You can view Mia Schulte’s current and past works on her website.
