Other Worlds Austin - La Sirena
A psychosexual fairy tale about a woman who surrenders to her own inner monster to avenge her broken heart.
Interview with writer/director Rosita Lama Muvdi
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
LA SIRENA originally grew out of a desire to challenge the image of how women were being portrayed in film. They were usually the wives, the mothers, the hot girlfriends, victims, the objects of desire, while then men were running around dictating the plot and having the complex roles that audiences enjoyed watching. Similarly, in life, women seemed to be expected to fulfill the same roles. However, because I never identified with those roles, I grew more and more fascinated with defying those expectations any chance I could.
Growing up in the small and conservative city of Barranquilla, Colombia, I was always sold the idea that all women had to live up to certain societal expectations that I always found hard to identify with. While young girls were looking up to delicate princesses eager to find their prince charming, I was always more fascinated with the villains. They were ambitious, driven, and had a darkness that defied any expectation of who or what women were supposed to be. Furthermore, because conversations about sex were practically non-existent, I became increasingly curious about why the subject was so forbidden, especially since it was so celebrated amongst men.
As I continued to develop as both a woman and a filmmaker, I realized there were parts of myself and my sexuality I felt scared to reveal. Slowly, this burning desire to express what was trapped inside of me started to become greater than I could have ever anticipated. When I finally surrendered to what felt like a darkness inside of me, I was able to embrace who I really was and the freedom that came with it, even if it meant hurting the ones I loved the most.
Thus, LA SIRENA is a psychosexual fairy tale that speaks to that monster that lives inside of us. It shows us that not all women are perfect lovers, wives, or mothers. It’s not always the man who is bad, because women can be devious, too, especially when it comes from a place of truth we can identify with. It teaches us that the fairy tale ending’s “kiss of true love” should not come from others, but from embracing the truest form of who you are, even if it’s monstrous.
Ultimately, our inner monster lurks around in the deepest and darkest part of our soul. Most of us have learned to keep it at bay; swimming around as it feeds off the filtering thoughts we have everyday and the perversion in the mundane. But every now and then, there’s a hunger that awakens us, one we can’t control, and we’re forced to feed it. It is then that we give in to the darkness and allow our inner monster to come out and play. Will you let yours take over?
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
It’s hard to speak to people’s tastes and sensibilities, however, my hope is that they’ll identify with some of the film’s themes and also be entertained and drawn in by the characters and the curiosity of what they’ll do next.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think a lot of us at one point or another have felt the pain of heartbreak, of wanting to be with someone even though you know deep down you shouldn’t. However, there’s something that keeps you hooked to that person, whether it’s the passion or the pain, and it’s hard to let go. In many ways, Mia in the film is a woman who struggles to break free from Hector’s net, so to speak, and I think audience members can identify with her emotional struggle in some ways.
However, I think the film speaks more to the idea that we all have what I like to call an inner monster that we try to keep hidden and under control. Whether it be a dark sexual desire for someone you can’t be with, a lust or thirst for something you can’t have, a hunger for something you know you shouldn’t do, there’s always something that lives inside us that we inevitably surrender to. Ultimately, it can represent something different for many people, yet, for me, that monster was my own sexuality and finding the courage to embrace it, surrender to it, and finally be able to feel the freedom in doing so, even if it affected the ones I cared about the most.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I had originally thought of LA SIRENA at a time in my life where part of me wasn’t prepared to tell the story. I had written the film as a way to express a desire inside of me to surrender to something I never thought I’d be brave enough to do. However, I discovered that by allowing myself to surrender to what I was most afraid of, I was finally able to develop the ideas in a truthful and honest way. Furthermore, the nurturing environment of the American Film Institute Conservatory gave me the freedom to be honest with my stories where I was also surrounded by an amazingly talented team of collaborators who took that ambitious vision and brought it to life, as well as the wonderfully brave and talented actors who believed in the story and breathed life into the characters in the film in the best and most surprisingly magical of ways.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We’ve been thrilled with LA SIRENA’s success in festivals such as Dances With Films, where it won the Grand Jury Award for Best Short, as well as genre festivals where it has won for Best Horror. Our cinematographer even won the ICG Emerging Cinematographer Award for LA SIRENA. In the end, I think we made a film that the team and I are incredibly proud of and it’s been wonderful to see that passion and hard work be recognized in the festival circuit.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Most of the feedback for our film has been positive, with most of the comments related to shock and surprise in terms of where the story takes them, but also the appreciation for having complex women protagonists, as well as an array of women being the camera telling the story. They are blown away by the the beautiful cinematography, the scope of the film, and its uniqueness. It’s always nice to hear people gasp, groan, or even see them jump during the film’s screenings, and it’s those reactions that make it a joy to share the film with people. Whether they love it or hate it, if it sparks a conversation in anyone, that’s all I can really ask for as a filmmaker.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I think any platform that will help filmmakers, especially women, have their work shown is always exciting. My hope is that the film reaches a wide audience, and if WeAreMovingStories.com will help, then that’s great!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I’d love all of the above to come on board, like festival directors who can help putting the film on more screens for more audiences to experience, as well as portals in which to premiere the film online or on demand, and any producers who would be interested in my upcoming films.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
If any part of LA SIRENA creates a memorable experience for audiences, whether it’s by provoking thought, or an image that gets burned in their minds, I’d say that’s all I can hope for as a filmmaker.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
I think the end is always a big debate for audiences. However, Hector’s character is one that divides audiences as well.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
The writer/director is currently writing several features, as well as starting the festival circuit with another short film she wrote and directed called TABULA RASA, as well as INSTINCT, which she wrote. The cinematographer has been working non-stop on major studio films, as well as DPing several music videos. The editor is also involved in several productions, and the producer has continued to work on multiple projects as well.
Interview: December 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. 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
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LA SIRENA
A psychosexual fairy tale about a woman who surrenders to her own inner monster to avenge her broken heart.
LENGTH: 24 min.
DIRECTOR: Rosita Lama Muvdi
PRODUCER: Daniel Leighton
WRITER: Rosita Lama Muvdi
CAST: Jordan Monaghan, Kelsey Reinhardt, Darrel Cherney, Vera Cherny
LOOKING FOR: producers, sales agents buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists
FACEBOOK: @LaSirenaFilm
INSTAGRAM: #LaSirenaFilm/@rowzeeta
An AFI Thesis Film
NEXT SCREENING: Dec. 9th, 2017 at Other Worlds Austin.