Boy Parts
Boy Parts is a revenge film about a cult of survivors of sexual assault who kill and eat abusers. Lives are lost, relationships are gained and justice is served.
Interview with Writer/Director Ella May Sahlman
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Our idea spurred from our love for horror and feminist film. XTina and I have always been intrigued by the relationships and deep bonds shared by queers and femmes, and this seemed like the perfect lens through which to explore this theme.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
We wanted to create this piece as a way to unite queer survivors. We want this film to help create a safe space for communities; for survivors to know that they are not alone. It is important for women, trans and non-binary folks to understand that we have community and support in one another.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Growing up, we recall seeing revenge porn on the silver screen, always featuring women-hating protagonists carrying out their vengeance via r*pe and murder. We’re tired of it, to say the least. Our creative vision for this project is to get even. We are producing the very type of film that we would like to see in theaters - one that features a female protagonist seeking justice on her own terms. The American justice system has failed survivors of sexual abuse, and this film is about women and queers taking fate into their own hands. While themes of feminism, revenge, and survival are prevalent throughout the film, we also want to explore interpersonal relationships that do not fit into the binary. Love can’t always be defined as platonic, familial, or romantic; sometimes, it just can’t be put into a box. We begin to explore this anti-archetype through the relationship between Boa and Grace. It is clear they love each other due to the sacrifices they make for one another. At moments, it feels platonic, and other times, it doesn’t. The question we are trying to provoke is, “Does it matter?” Sometimes, love is love.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It started when Ella approached XTina with the question, “What would the Manson cult have looked like if Charlie was never in the picture?” After that, we kept coming to each other with more ideas and knew that we needed to turn these notes into a screenplay.
As our writing developed, we noticed we had injected our past experiences and trauma from sexual assault into each of these characters and their motives. Thus, Boy Parts, a camp horror film, was born.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Have only received feedback from friends and family and it's been pretty exciting so far... but this film is not for the faint-hearted :)
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Hoping that more people get a chance to see our film and are able to realize how important the themes are that we are highlighting. It's time for action!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
All of the above!!! We want to make Boy Parts: The Feature
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Ella is working on a few projects over the summer and XTina is taking their composing to the next level.
Interview: April 2023
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
Boy Parts
Boy Parts is a revenge film about a cult of survivors of sexual assault who kill and eat abusers. Lives are lost, relationships are gained and justice is served.
Length: 18:06
Director: Ella May Sahlman
Producer: Ani Schroeter & Hil Steadman
Writer: Ella May Sahlman & XTina O'Neil
About the writer, director and producer:
ELLA MAY SAHLMAN is an LA-based music supervisor and filmmaker. Music and film have driven her to create meaningful art. Her work explores themes of identity, gender, sexuality and the horrors we experience on a daily basis as women. With 8 shorts under her belt, Ella is at her happiest when she is directing.
XTINA O'NEIL is a femme nonbinary filmmaker and musician. They have also written, recorded and produced their own horror musical and are currently writing a queer coming-of-age feature film.
ANI SCHROETER is a New York-based filmmaker. As a freelancer, she has produced countless short films, music videos, commercials and campaigns working with brands and companies such as Expedia, Nike, A24, Universal Music, Anomaly, Object & Animal and Tommy Hilfiger.
HIL STEADMAN is a New York-based filmmaker. She is a part of the production team called ANIMA Works, which specialize in fashion, music videos, branded content, documentaries and narrative works. ANIMA believes strongly in the power of building a diverse network of collaborators. We believe that building an honest relationship with our clients and employees is the best way to make genuine and high-quality work.
Key cast: Flora Wildes (BOA), Tessa Albertson (Grace), Madeline DeFreece (Kat), Sydney Cole Alexander (Jade), Mel 4Ever (Viola), Amanda Saich (Xena), Flora Sahlman (Elvis)
Looking for: distributors and buyers
Instagram: @boypartsfilm
Hashtags used: #cult #lgbtq #trans #horror #sapphic #blood #women #they #boyparts
Website: www.cherryproductions.org
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: Cherry Productions LLC & Anima Works LLC.
Funders: Go Fund Me
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Short Corner at Cannes film festival - May 24th
More festivals TBD