'I closed the message thinking it was fake': Russian actress Natalia Witmer reveals the shocking way Evacuation found her

"This has to be fake," she thought, dismissing it instantly.

But the second message made her pause.

This wasn’t a scammer or a stray text. The casting director genuinely wanted her to audition for a role in a Kazakhstan-based film, titled as Evacuation.

Still unsure but curious, Natalia set up her camera and recorded an audition video by herself. She sent it off, hoping for the best.

The reply came swiftly — and it wasn’t the one she expected.

The casting team turned it down. They wanted something real, raw, "from the heart".

Natalia sat there, frustrated, wondering how to bring more emotion into her next attempt. That’s when her family stepped in.

Her mother, grandmother, and cousins — all seated around her — encouraged her, guided her, and helped her get it right.

Natalia shared the experience during the 31st edition of Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) where Evacuation was screened in the 'International Competition' section.

Excited to visit India, Natalia revealed her mother was even more enthusiastic about the South Asian country and its music.

"Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja," hummed Natalia countless times prompting the journalists to capture the moment as the actress shared her mother is a bigger fan of this song from Bollywood superstar Mithun Chakraborty's blockbuster 1982 film Disco Dancer.

"My mother loves Indian music and it was my dream to come to India," she said.

Why does the film Evacuation matter?

• Evacuation is both historical and human-centered: it personalizes a massive wartime migration through one mother’s journey.
• It’s a Kazakh production, but the story is pan-Soviet, showing how Kazakhstan played a key role during WWII as a refuge.
• The film could resonate strongly today, given global conversations about displacement, refugees, and war.
• Casting a European / German-based actress like Natalia Witmer brings an international dimension and may help the film reach a wider audience.