Dances With Films/Traverse City Film Festival 2018 - Échappé
While on tour in 1970, a Soviet ballerina learns of her brother’s plan to defect.
Interview with Writer/Director Allison Mattox
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I initially became fascinated learning the true stories about Russian ballet dancers who defected from the Soviet Union in the 1960’s and 1970’s. I grew up dancing, but didn’t realize that some of my favorite ballet stars like Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, and Natalia Makarova had defected from the Soviet Union. I began somewhat obsessively researching their stories and poring over archival dance footage and interviews at the Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. Before long, that research inspired this fictional story.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
“Échappé” is a period thriller that offers a glimpse into the world of classical ballet. With the current immigration crisis, and tensions between the U.S. and Russia at the highest they have been since the Cold War, the film also draws interesting parallels to life under another oppressive regime.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
One of the most fascinating things that I uncovered in my research was how much more the male ballet dancers were expected to defect during tours abroad. When the ballerina Natalia Makarova defected in 1970, Russian authorities essentially admitted that they hadn’t really been watching the women as closely. In addition to the themes of oppressive regimes and artistic freedom, it was important to me to explore how gender played a role in this specific moment in history.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It was really important to me to tell this story as visually as possible. My background is in theater, so I love writing dialogue, but with this project, I really tried to pare down the first few drafts of the script to communicate more visually. The majority of the script is also in Russian (which I do not speak) and so the process with the actors was a little different, as well. Thankfully, they were incredibly collaborative and their input in early rehearsals definitely helped shape the film.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
At my first Q&A, a woman was really upset with certain elements surrounding the premise of defection. I think a few people were caught off by her bluntness, but it was exciting to me to have her question be part of the mix. Defection is not a black and white issue and involves a great deal of sacrifice and compromise that can be controversial. More than whether people love the storyline, I would rather have it elicit a strong reaction like she had.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I think that moment in particular caused me to step back and take a second look at all of the complications within the story. At that point, I empathized so strongly with my characters that it was helpful to see some of those issues with fresh eyes.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I’m honored to get to share my film with www.wearemovingstories.com and hope that it can help expand the audience for this film.
Who do you need to come on board to amplify this film’s message?
I have a feature-length script of “Échappé” and would love nothing more than to develop this project into a full-length narrative. At this point, I’m looking for anyone who can help me turn this film into a feature.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I’d love for people to connect with these characters and maybe even fall in love with ballet along the way. I also hope that this film can serve as a reminder of the pressures of life under oppressive regimes, especially in the midst of current tensions between the United States and Russia.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
In the midst of the current immigration crisis, this film explores asylum-seekers in fairly recent history. I hope that “Échappé” can help spark some conversation about what many immigrants risk and sacrifice for freedom.
Would you like to add anything else?
If you’re a director, do something in a foreign language. It’s surprisingly fun and causes you to think about everything in a slightly different way.
What other projects are key creatives working on?
The lead actress, Olesya Senchenko, is an international model who has had recent roles on “Elementary” and “Billions.” Beth Napoli, our cinematographer, is working on several shorts and recently shot a feature film that is in post-production. My producer, P.J. Walsh, is writing and producing while also developing plans for writers and creative teams. And I’m continuing to develop “Échappé” and a few other feature-length scripts while taking this short around the festival circuit.
Interview: July 2018
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
Échappé
While on tour in 1970, a Soviet ballerina learns of her brother’s plan to defect.
Length: 12:48
Writer: Allison Mattox
Director: Allison Mattox
Producer: P.J Walsh
About the writer, director and producer:
ALLISON MATTOX is a writer and director at the University of Southern California. Her previous short film, “Three in June,” explores marriage and sexuality in 1960’s Georgia. Allison lives in Brooklyn, New York.
P.J WALSH is a creative producer living in New York. His focus is on designing and developing executable plans for writers and creative teams. Previous projects include NYTVF Official Selection “Detective Detective” and Brooklyn Web Fest nominee “MyBnB.”
Key cast: Olesya Senchenko, Pavel Shatu, Nikolai Tsankov, Abigail Simon, Martin Harvey
Looking for: film festival directors, producers, & distributors
Instagram: @echappefilm
Other: www.echappefilm.com
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Traverse City Film Festival is the next stop!