St Kilda Film Festival – Lena
Lena works as a hairdresser in a small Peruvian town on the edge of the Amazon jungle. In this short documentary, she recalls her previous career as a singer and her reasons for leaving the industry. Developed under the guidance of Werner Herzog and produced in cooperation with Black factory Cinema, the film is the bittersweet portrait of a charismatic young woman, her voice joining millions in the ‘Me Too’ movement.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Editor Kate Lefoe
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I had an idea to explore hairdressing salons as a place of nurturing and therapy, and set out to meet the women working in them…. Combined with being in the jungle town of Puerto Maldonado, Peru. I made the film in 8 days under the guidance of Werner Herzog.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This is an intimate portrait of a strong charismatic Peruvian woman bravely sharing her #YoTambien (#metoo) moment.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I believe that it offers a sense of recognition and acknowledgement of the ubiquity of sexual harassment for Women globally, by just focusing on one woman’s story. The start of social and cultural change can only come with women’s voices being heard, believed and acted upon.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Whilst in Peru, Herzog gave me guidance on the edit of the film. He encouraged me to keep the shot on Lena’s face while she’s sharing her story, rather than overlaying with cutaways to ensure the power of the story came through. The simplicity of the short allows it to be more powerful.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback has been very positive, and I’m looking forward to watching the film with an audience at the St Kilda Film Festival premiere.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I'm glad people are as interested in Lena's story as I am.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I’m hoping that the documentary finds a wide audience around the world.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Film Festival directors, sales, buyers and distributors would be great.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Just having Lena's story heard and shared is a political statement.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
The main focus of the #MeToo movement has been in Western countries. How do we as a global community expand this conversation?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m currently on a Writers Residency at Siteworks in Melbourne, developing a feature film Wicked Women.
Interview: May 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
Lena
Lena works as a hairdresser in a small Peruvian town on the edge of the Amazon jungle. In this short documentary, she recalls her previous career as a singer and her reasons for leaving the industry. Developed under the guidance of Werner Herzog and produced in cooperation with Black factory Cinema, the film is the bittersweet portrait of a charismatic young woman, her voice joining millions in the ‘Me Too’ movement.
Length: 6:35
Director: Kate Lefoe
Producer: Kate Lefoe
Writer: Kate Lefoe
About the writer, director and producer:
KATE LEFOE is an award-winning international filmmaker based in Melbourne. She has won awards for direction, editing and sound for her films which have screened at Academy-accredited festivals internationally, with several shorts being distributed online and DVD. Supported by an Ian Potter Grant, Somersault Pike, her VCA Masters graduate film, which she wrote, directed and edited, screened in the Melbourne International Film Festival Accelerator Program, won Best Editing at Flickerfest Film Festival and scooped up several more awards for sound design, editing and direction. Released as a Vimeo Staff Pick in 2018, it was viewed 32K times in the first week alone.
Key cast: Lena Akaiyipisque (Star), Werner Herzog (Mentor), Indira Candy Gonzales Luna (Interview Translation), Melisa Ramirez (Subtitle Translation), David Ross (Sound Design and Mix), Ben Sengouvanh (Colour Grade)
Looking for: film festival directors, distributors
Facebook: Kate Lefoe
Instagram: @lefoe
Hashtags used: #lena #metoo #peru #blackfactorycinema #herzog
Website: katelefoe.com
Made in association with: Black Factory Cinema, Film Victoria
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? St Kilda Film Festival / Melbourne - 23 June in Session 5 - Life, Documented