Elina is a period drama that follows the principal ballerina of a Russian dance company, on tour in 1960s America, who is trying to decide whether or not to defect.

Interview with Director Maria Forsythe

Watch Elina here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Elina was my senior thesis project I made during my last year in film school. I wanted to have one final project that stretched my filmmaking limits and allowed me a space to not only grow personally, but also connect with and learn from other filmmakers in Austin.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Elina is a unique film that uses the historical context of Soviet Union ballerinas to tell the stories of women who sacrifice everything for the sake of their art. I think it is an important and challenging message that hopefully inspires all of the audience members to pursue their passions as well as their truths.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The themes and experiences of Elina are heavily drawn from those of my mother, who was a professional ballerina in New York and Austin. Growing up, I heard about the challenges she faced for the sake of expression through this art form she loved, as well as the sacrifices she made in order to be a mother. I wanted to tell her story, and in so doing, I hoped to tell the stories of many women who conquer physical and emotional struggles while pursuing their dreams.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Throughout the screenwriting and production processes of Elina, I was constantly faced with the struggle of telling a period piece about Russian ballerinas on the budget of a student film. Though the nature of my story presented many confines, it actually allowed me to find creative liberation in telling a simpler contained story; Elina starts as the curtain opens and ends as the curtain closes. By narrowing my focus both in storytelling and in visuals, Elina was able to evolve into its own film that is reflective of all of the amazing creatives who contributed to it.

Elina waits in the wings as the curtains open.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I have been extremely humbled by the feedback of Elina so far, both in the Austin filmmaking community and the festival circuit. It was a challenging piece for me to create and grew me in so many ways as a filmmaker, and to have such positive feedback both about the visual storytelling and the overall themes of the film is more than I could ask for.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

To me, the purpose of making a film is to have your viewers leave the theatre with a different perception of the world than they had entering it. I wanted Elina to be a film about women told by women, that highlights the experience women have in creative industries and the sacrifices they make. By hearing how others view the film, I have found that everyone sees something a little different in the message, which is extremely exciting as a filmmaker. Some viewers hope she defects to find freedom from the USSR, some hope she stays to pursue her dreams as a dancer. I love hearing everyone’s reasonings and reconciliations with her decision, and it has helped me grow as an individual and challenge my perceptions on the nature of Elina’s experience.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

In making Elina, I hoped to grow as an artist, connect with other filmmakers, and tell a story that is worth watching and challenges its viewers. I am humbled and honored to have people see Elina and be presented with the theme of the female experience. I want to receive feedback in order to deepen my artistic skills, I hope to have other filmmakers and women in film reach out to me and connect with each other, and ultimately, I hope people like Elina!

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

At this point, Elina needs more platforms for viewing. Festival directors, journalists, and distributors are pivotal in helping us reach that goal. I want to continue to hear feedback and connect with other filmmakers, and I can’t do that alone.

Choreographer Sergei interrogates Elina about her role as principal ballerina; both on stage and off.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

As I’ve hinted at before, Elina is a story about women told by women. I wanted to create a film that highlights the female experience, and by bringing on a predominately female cast and crew, I also hoped to create an environment that encourages and inspires women filmmakers. I want my film to exude that message and challenge its viewers to walk along with Elina in the experiences she has.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

A big theme of Elina is sacrifice. What is she sacrificing by staying in the company to pursue her passions? What is she sacrificing by defecting? And from a more general perspective, what are women sacrificing in their creative fields every day?

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you! Thank you for believing in this film and helping its message get out!

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Our screenwriter Nicole recently had one of her pilots featured in Breakthrough Reading Series and has been working diligently on the CW’s new show, Charmed, which you can now watch! Director of Photography Hannah Barker is currently launching a project called Butterbean, which you can find on Kickstarter. Director Maria Forsythe joined the team of short film An Uncomfortable Woman which will launch its Indiegogo campaign early October.

Interview: September 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

Elina

Elina is a period drama that follows the principle ballerina of a Russian dance company, on tour in 1960s America, who is trying to decide whether or not to defect.

Length: 12min

Director: Maria Forsythe

Producer: Joanna Wu

Writer: Nicole Feste

About the writer, director and producer:

MARIA FORSYTHE is a director/cinematographer and recent film graduate from the UT Austin. She hopes to tell stories that explore, challenge, and celebrate the individuals. 

NICOLE FESTE is a screenwriter and recent screenwriting graduate from Chapman University, currently living and working in LA.

JOANNA WU is a Radio-Television-Film graduate from UT Austin. She is primarily a producer but also works both G&E and Camera department in Austin.

Key cast: Janie Macklin, Kelsey Buckley, Vitalii Ineshin

Looking for: Film Festival Directors, Distributers

Facebook: ElinaShortFilm

Instagram: @elinashortfilm

Other: https://vimeo.com/elinashortfilm

Funders: Indiegogo, Women In Cinema UT Austin Chapter

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Screening at Lady Filmmakers Festival Saturday, September 29th 12:15pm Main Screening Room