Dances With Films 2019 – Bonded
In a last-ditch effort to save their marriage, Sam and Jess, enlist the help of a stranger from Craigslist to play the victim in kidnapping role play.
Read MoreDiscover Indie Film series: Amazon 2019 – Above Jewels
Two dysfunctional sisters attempt to bury the body of a cheating husband before being discovered by a Good Samaritan passing by.
Read MoreSan Francisco Black Film Festival / Melbourne Documentary Film Festival 2019 – Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Know Me
The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Soul's Sexiest Superstar
Read MoreDances with Films / Palm Springs Shortfest 2019 – Washland Express
A young woman shares a connection with a car wash employee who rides along with her through an express car wash. Entranced by the bubbles and flashing lights, they begin to fall for each, but as the wash ends, things take a dark turn.
Read MoreMelbourne Documentary Film Festival 2019 – The Ghost of Peter Sellers
Young Director, Peter Medak desperately trying to complete a movie on the open sea, whilst battling the comedy genius of Peter Sellers, who is trying to sabotage the film.
Read MoreDances With Films 2019 – An Aspirational Space
A single woman attempts to take control of her life and uncovers the dark side of self-help.
Read MoreCan You Take My Picture
Nan tries to have a little control over her uncontrollable circumstance. A picture is worth a thousand words, but to Nan, it's worth so many more. An uplifting tale about hope, struggle, and a lasting image.
Read MoreAmazon Prime 2019 – This Is How
A woman tries to allow herself intimacy and normalcy in a budding relationship while trying to hide her unique form of self-harm.
Read MoreMelbourne Documentary Film Festival 2019 – Bartle
In a remote part of Yorkshire, villagers gather for a bizarre, ancient ritual.
Read MorePalm Springs ShortFest 2019 – Made Public
On the eve of his wedding day, a groom’s cold feet go viral, forcing him and his bride to rely on the court of public opinion to save or destroy their marriage.
Read MoreNew York Indian Film Festival 2019 - Maya
Having found someone she likes, Maya is ready to commit to marriage under one non-negotiable condition: that her mother joins the household. The secret reason behind this requirement is awkwardly revealed during a loquacious exchange about love marriage over lunch between the two families.
Read MoreMelbourne Documentary Film Festival 2019 – The Art of Incarceration
Beyond the walls of the prison, the artists' quest for freedom is truly exposed.
Read MoreMelbourne Documentary Film Festival 2019 – Homefront: A new kind of war memorial
What happens when you destroy a war memorial and what do you put in its place?
Read MoreDiscover Indie Film Series: Amazon Prime 2019 – Beach Day
When Lexi takes her boyfriend Sam for a date on an abandoned beach, Sam becomes suspicious that there may be ulterior motives at play. Can their relationship be saved, or is it, so to speak, dead?
Read MoreMelbourne Documentary Film Festival 2019 – The Last Stop
What do you do when a good kid goes bad?
Read MoreSetting Sun Film Festival 2019 – Desk Mates
The story of two young dudes engaging in a conversation about their difference of opinion on how they navigate relationships and dating. It does not go well.
Read MoreMill Valley Film Festival 2018 – Wild DaZe
Save The Wild Save Yourself
Read MoreMaryland Film Festival 2019 – Deborah Harry Does Not Like Interviews
Blondie’s Debbie Harry endures years of superficial, tedious, and demeaning questions from journalists until she devises a brilliant way to turn interviews on their head.
Read MoreMelbourne Documentary Film Festival 2019 – Accidental Climber
In 2014, Jim Geiger attempted to become the oldest American to summit Mt. Everest. What ensued was the worst disaster in mountaineering history.
Read MoreSt 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.
Lena
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.
Lena
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