Queens World Film Festival 2020 – Gabrielle
When 13-year-old Gabrielle signs up for ballet class, she encounters bullying both from her teacher and true friendship where she least expects it. A story about resilience, body image, finding what moves you, and knowing your worth.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Editor Nicola Rose
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to tell a story about a child who is bullied for who she is and what she loves, and how she navigates that situation. But it's not just a story about bullying and hurt. Above all, Gabrielle is a story about resilience and strength, finding what moves you and knowing your own worth.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
There have been a lot of stories about bullying, and rightly so. But I wanted to tell a very specific story, about a child who is bullied by an adult. Unfortunately, I can attest from experience both firsthand and secondhand that this is incredibly common. But what's surprising is how little-known that is — people don't want to believe an adult would pick on a child. So I wrote this story to shine a light on that dynamic — not to "educate" as such, but to provoke thought.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think (again, unfortunately) that most of us have run afoul of a bully, be that person a child or a so-called adult. And if we haven't, we have either been very lucky, or we ARE the bully. But there's no one out there who hasn't been on some side of this.
On a personal level, I experienced some of what my main character experiences, in a broad sense. I changed many details but kept some lines of dialogue word-for-word as I remembered uttering them or having them uttered to me when I was 15. Things, especially words, always pack a harder punch when they're specific.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Well, it got a lot shorter in post-prod, for one. I had wanted to spend more time with the characters, so I had more scenes shot than we could ultimately use. The version now playing in festivals is about 2/3 of the original film. Prior to that, the tone of the film had changed in pre-production. It became sweeter and more earnest, where it had been a little more comic and acerbic in the beginning. It evolved to fit the actors.
Since then, I've made a really silly comedy. I think I earned it.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
A lot of people identify with Gabrielle, as I expected. Many remember being affected by someone like her teacher, Madame Oksana. Overwhelmingly, it's resonated with people.
I would really love to hear from more kids. That hasn't happened as much yet, but that'll change. The film is playing in at least three children's film festivals in the coming months.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Interestingly, it got back to me that the jury of one fest ended up passing on the film because they thought the bullying depicted was over-the-top. That one really took me aback — not the rejection, but the reason. Because unfortunately, what's being depicted in the film is just the tip of the iceberg of what so many kids experience daily.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I want to connect with people who can help promote and show the film. Anti-bullying organizations have taken an interest, as have dance groups. The film also deals with body image, and girls looking out for other girls — so there's a great deal in it that people connect with on an emotional level. Ultimately, I just want more eyes on the film. That's all that ever matters.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Any and all of the above. Don't be shy.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Gabrielle is — although not exclusively! — a film for children. It is definitely a film about children. My hope is that kids who've experienced something similar to what Gabrielle goes through will see the film and feel a little less alone. I want to get it into as many children's festivals as possible.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
When a child is bullied by an adult, what kind of adult does that child then become herself?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Nicola Rose finished principal photography on her new film Biff & Me in November 2019.
Interview: February 2020
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Gabrielle
When 13-year-old Gabrielle signs up for ballet class, she encounters bullying both from her teacher and true friendship where she least expects it. A story about resilience, body image, finding what moves you, and knowing your worth.
Length: 13:31
Director: Nicola Rose
Producer: Nicola Rose
Writer: Nicola Rose
About the writer, director and producer:
NICOLA ROSE is an award-winning, NYC-based filmmaker whose work is gathering acclaim on the festival circuit. She came to filmmaking in 2015, finishing her début film Creative Block two years later. Since then, her films have included In the Land of Moonstones (2018), Gabrielle (2019), and the upcoming Biff & Me (2020). Nicola is the recipient of the Raine Filmmaker Award, the Female Filmmakers Fuse Emerging Talent Award, and many others. She is a graduate of Columbia University and the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris.
Key cast: Adèle Marie-Alix (Gabrielle), Julia Morales (Camille), Valeriya Korennaya (Madame Oksana), Maggie Stephens (Serena), Destiny Monet Cruz (Isabella), Alina Cecilia (Carly), Maggie Shirk (Macy)
Looking for: film festival directors, sales agents, distributors
Facebook: Gabrielle
Twitter: @nicolarosemce
Instagram: @gabriellemovie
Hashtags used: #gabriellemovie, #findwhatmovesyou, #knowyourworth, #antibullying
Website: www.nicolarosedirects.com/gabrielle
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Bay Area International Children's Film Festival/Oakland, CA — February 2020; Nevada Women's Film Festival/Las Vegas, NV — March 2020;
Queens World Film Festival/Queens, NY — March 2020; Oxford Film Festival/Oxford, MS — March 2020; Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival/Los Angeles, CA — April 2020