Young sprinter Maria has to face the most challenging race of her life in order to reunite with her best friend and find a long lost connection to her mother and her origins.

Interview with Writer/Director/Actor Lana Vlady

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! I started from my own experience of growing up in a foreign country that occasionally you start to call home. You have to prove your value and prove that you deserve the place that you own, which will be always questioned. It's a race towards the acceptance of your own roots, and I wanted to show its different stages, starting from the universe of female friendship in a world that is a constant competition, for victory in sport, as well as for the right of living the life that you want. Even so, the women in the film are strong characters defying but also supporting each other.

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

The Rabbit has many levels within it. It's about friendship, relations with the loved ones, identity... and all of this is shown from a female perspective.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

As I said, the idea of the film comes from my personal experience, but it deals with universal themes such as identity and friendship. Knowing who you are and where you are coming from are important topics for all, and it is too often that people limit themselves without understanding why, instead of breaking the pattern and find new strengths.

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

Of course we had to deal with some budget limitations and therefore had to adapt the initial idea to the practical means we had, but there were no major changes from the script to the final edit of the movie. The most relevant twist was probably the decision to leave the final race as something a bit more inexplicable logically, almost dreamy, in order to privilege the feeling of the characters instead of the actual bureaucracy of the immigration process.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The surprising thing was how each member of the audience reads each theme in a different way. Some people get more attached to one topic, some to another, but the overall effect had been always positive in the sense that most people relate to it from a personal point of view at a gut level.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Working on The Rabbit my first experience as a director, I treasured every ounce of feedback I received.

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

As every filmmaker, I hope that more people can see the work that we've done!

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

The film is being distributed by Prem1ere Film. What I'd love is to show it in as many festivals as possible.

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

Of course, I'd like the story to touch the hearts of the audience. I want to make them see a different perspective and realize how important it is to recognize and face the obstacles life brings in order for an individual to grow strong.

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you very much for your interest!

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

I am currently working on my second short film.

Interview: February 2019

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

La Lepre (The Rabbit)

Young sprinter Maria has to face the most challenging race of her life in order to reunite with her best friend and find a long lost connection to her mother and her origins.

Length: 15:00

Director: Lana Vlady

Producer: Lungta Film – Andrea Calbucci, Maurizio Piazza

Writer: Massimo Di Veroli, Lana Vlady

Key cast: Lidia Carew (Aisha), Lana Vlady (Maria), Magdalena Grochowska (Larisa), Giulia Valentini (Carla), Antonio De Matteo (Valerio), Michele Bevilacqua (Fabio)

Looking for: film festival directors, journalists, buyers, producers

Facebook: La Lepre

Instagram: @lana_vlady

Other: IMDB

Made in association with: Esperia, Enac

Funders: Self-Funded

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? CHICAGO FEMINIST FF/ Film Row, located at 1104 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, 8th fl - Friday, March 1 at 6:15pm; CASCADIA FILM FESTIVAL / in Bellingham, WA- April 11-14.