by Dov Kornits
With her Instagram series Not Russian Anywhere, the showrunner/star has not only created a compelling standalone series, but also a proof of concept for a bigger series, along with bringing attention to endometriosis and adenomyosis, chronic pain conditions that she has lived with all of her life.
Why an Instagram series?
“We wanted to meet audiences where they already are — glued to their phones, scrolling at 2am. Instagram gave us the perfect mix of immediacy, accessibility, and creative freedom. It’s a low-barrier, high-impact way to test the concept and build a following without waiting years for a green light from a network.
“It was also a strategic move. I hadn’t yet completed a TV series as a showrunner, so this was a way to demonstrate to streamers, producers, and funding bodies like Screen Queensland and Screen Australia that I could not only create but execute a series to a professional standard.
“Let’s be real — no one hands you a full TV show right off the bat. You have to prove you can run the marathon before they let you on the starting line.
“The series became our proof of concept, our calling card, and a way to introduce the world and its characters to an audience we already knew was hanging out on Instagram. By the time we pitch the half-hour version, we won’t be walking in cold — we’ll have data, audience engagement, we know the story and it’s marketing, and we have a fanbase already invested in seeing more.”
How biographical is the series?
“Let’s just say… there’s a healthy dose of truth in there. While the characters are fictional, many of the situations, cultural quirks, and ‘did-that-really-happen?’ moments are pulled straight from my own upbringing. I’ve lived those ‘lost in translation’ clashes where Aussie and Russian customs collide — sometimes awkwardly, sometimes hilariously, and occasionally with a little emotional explosion in the middle.
“I also live with endometriosis and adenomyosis, which took 17 years to diagnose. Chronic pain has been one of the biggest hurdles in my life, not just physically but in explaining to my family what it means day to day. Now that they truly understand, they’ve been unbelievably supportive — which, in itself, is a kind of love story.
“Some choices in the show are made to keep a bit of creative distance from my own family, but their influence is everywhere — from small personality quirks to the bigger-than-life rural-town characters that could only have been born out of where I grew up. My mum tells me not to tell everyone that it’s basically a documentary, and my cousins, aunts, and uncles all see bits of themselves in it (and thankfully love it). I think that’s the magic — the heart of the story comes from a root of truth, so even in the wildest scenes, audiences can see their own family somewhere in ours, no matter their background.”
Felicity Jurd does an amazing job as a Russian – what was the training like to get her accent right, and to say Holodets properly? Did she try the dish as part of the research? And, did the cast and maybe even the director [Aimée-Lee Xu Hsien] hang out with your family before making the series?
“Felicity is a highly experienced dialect coach herself, but she still approached the role with incredible humility and precision. She constantly checked in with me and with Inga Romantsova, who plays Bubba, to make sure every word, inflection, and cultural nuance rang true. That attention to detail was just phenomenal.
“As for Holodets — she nailed the pronunciation, but I don’t believe she’s actually tried it, and I wouldn’t make her. Cold meat jelly is something you have to willingly sign up for. Personally, I’m not a fan, but I find it hilariously funny when it appears at family holiday gatherings. Some of my cousins like to keep the old traditional recipes alive, even though none of us in the next generation really eat it.
“It’s funny, I caught up with Felicity recently and we were reminiscing about just how much we loved the experience of making Not Russian Anywhere. Felicity has worked as an acting coach with some of the biggest A-listers on some of the most high-profile productions, and she told me she’d jump back into Not Russian Anywhere any time because the filming felt like being part of one big, immediate extended family.
“We were lucky enough to have a quick zoom and a small pizza party the day before shooting, and that was it, it was a real test of trust – the kind of trust, trust exercises want to be. I was so lucky my team, crew, cast, just jumped in with director Aimee-Lee and I. Without that, I don’t think we would have got the outcome we have, which we have been praised by some notable Executives, A-list talent and Directors calling it premium, quality content and they can’t believe it’s an Instagram series – that is a real testament to the whole team about how much everyone gave on this one of my best production experiences ever…. I know I’m biased but can confirm it’s at the top.”
You end on a bit of a cliffhanger, so you must have a play for a further season?
“Oh, absolutely. That cliffhanger was my polite way of saying, ‘Don’t get too comfortable — there’s more coming.’ We’re now pitching Not Russian Anywhere as a half-hour series, and the next season turns up the chaos, heart, and humour in ways even our characters won’t see coming.
“We’ve proven the concept online — built an audience, shown what we can deliver, and made something that’s both hilarious and deeply human. Now, we’re inviting broadcasters, producers, and partners to the table. It’s a story about family, culture, and chronic health challenges — told with joy, wit, and zero apologies.
“We didn’t make this in the traditional way, and we’re not pitching it in the traditional way either. In today’s industry, you can’t just wait for a door to open — sometimes you have to build your own. We’ve built ours. Now we’re holding it open.”
What has the response been like so far?
“Wild — in the best possible way. I’ve lost track of how many DMs we’ve had from people asking where they can watch the “full series,” because they’re convinced Not Russian Anywhere is already a half-hour TV show. That’s both insanely cool… and a little heartbreaking when they realise thar they’ve binged it all through our short episodes. But it’s the best problem to have — it tells us there’s a real appetite for more.
“What’s been especially moving is the personal messages from women saying they felt seen in the series. The support from QENDO and Chronic Pain Australia has been huge, helping us open up conversations about endometriosis and chronic pain — topics rarely explored in mainstream media. I’ve had people share their own stories with me, sometimes for the first time, and it’s incredibly humbling.
“We’ve even heard that episodes have been shown to representatives of Parliament in discussions around women’s health and chronic pain — as a point of reference in conversations about changing legislation. To think this idea started with a girl who grew up in Central Queensland, constantly told there was “no possible way” she could be part of the industry, let alone make her own show, is… well, incredible doesn’t even cover it.
“And now, partnering with Women in Film & Television Australia on our national Post Code Doesn’t Matter initiative, we’re taking that impact on the road — into regional and rural communities — to show that you can create industry-standard content from anywhere. This project has grown far beyond just making people laugh. It’s become a platform for advocacy, community building, and education. The fact that something we made with such heart is resonating on so many levels… that’s the kind of feedback that keeps you going in this industry.”
Not Russian Anywhere is currently available to view on Instagam.
