Wilma CasalMAJA SKJØTH HEGELUNDAI CHUN HUANGSTEPHANIE SHERMANAITANA GALAVIZMELISSA CASTRODIANA ALIDOINA MINDREANELIZABETH ARIFIENRANI DEMUTHMÉLISSANDRE T-BROXANE DUCHESNE-ROYINDEPENDENTWOMEN’SCINEMA
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04And Now I Lay Me Down32Damselfly6234 Cows88The Valley116Crowded Dreams142Monumental184Elantra Is Almost A Life210Lives236Multiplicity of Oneness280An Ocean AwayRani DeMuthElizabeth ArifienDoina MindreanDiana AliAI-CHUN HUANGS. Sherman A. Galaviz and M. CastroMaja Skjøth HegelundMélissandre T-B & R. Duchesne-RoyKalina PetrovaWilma CasalContents
Hello Rani and welcome tomakers For this specialAn interview by Francis L. Quettierand Dora S. [email protected] we have selected, an extremely interesting shortfilm whose trailer can be viewed at. The filmexplores the complications of aRani DeMuthWomenCinemakers meetsLives and works in Santa Barbara, CaliforniaAND NOW I LAY ME DOWN came to me in a vision.In 2022, I lost part of my nose to skin cancer. As a forty-something woman inHollywood, isn't aging enough?AND NOW I LAY ME DOWN was inspired by the existential dread of losing my looksand film career in one fell swoop. I saw an aging woman in the film industry dealingwith rejection and the challenges of being a mother. Amidst flashes of pink and gold, Isaw my character—Celia Dalvi. She was a woman with bravado and entitlement. Celiashows how maintaining the appearance of perfection is doomed. My film asks how tobe happy when life is filled with sorrow. Celia's reward ultimately is not theresurrection of her career but the reconnection with herself. Sometimes smelling theflowers isn’t enough. You have to eat them.
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WomenCinemakerssuccessful career as a performer,particularly as a woman, through acomedic lens. We truly appreciate howyour film balances comedy and dramawhile tackling serious themes like ageingand rejection. Might you elaborate on yourapproach to weaving such distinct tonalqualities into ?Rani DeMuth: I have always seen this film asa Dramedy. I wanted the story to be funnyand poignant, to poke fun at my characterwhile honoring her. Humor finds its way intoeverything I do. There’s no stopping it! I feellike Dramedy is the genre that’s most true tolife. It leads me to find humor in serioussubjects and can thereby make them morepalatable. The comedy comes through bypointing out life’s absurdities, but it’simportant to mention that I just watch andlisten to my character in my mind and writedown what I see and hear. I trust mycharacters to lead the way.While my film is comical, I take all my subjectsseriously. When I came up with the idea forthis film about a woman who just can’t take itanymore, I began to research suicide. I cameacross a staggering statistic that nine out often people who attempt suicide and fail nevergo on to try again. In an instant, peoplereported experiencing instant regret and sawhow their problems weren’t worth losing theirlives over. Celia’s character plays out thissame narrative. Through self-introspection,you can heal yourself. This controlling ideahas beauty and levity. I embraced this andallowed humor to flow into the piecewhenever possible.The protagonist of the film, Celia Dalvi —— appears to embody a complex portraitof privilege and vulnerability. How did youapproach, during the writing phase, thechallenge of crafting a character whonavigates both entitlement and profoundemotional depth?Rani DeMuth: Everyone has profoundemotional depth. Even people who come offas vapid. By showing how Celia acts alone,
she instantly becomes vulnerable becauseshe is being honest. She's not performing foranyone. Like Celia Dalvi, we can all relate toeating our feelings, rejection, and wanting torelive our greatest accomplishments. Thegoal was to show Celia through all phases ofher day—with and without her staff, to offerunique insight into each seemingly banalmoment. I wanted to reveal some momentsyou wouldn't usually see with a character—the beat an actor experiences after you say\"cut.\"Because of the design of this film, where theaudience is asked to look back on everythingthey have seen before the ending andreevaluate, it was vital that we correctly trackCelia's emotional arc. Like THE SIXTH SENSEor THE USUAL SUSPECTS, the film should be
even more satisfying upon the secondviewing.By the film's end, you realize that Celia wassetting the stage for her dramatic exit, butthe way she prepped her stage was anauthentic performance. Her preparations fordying reveal what she cared about most.While my movie has a cheeky air, and I pokefun at Celia throughout the film, when Celiacalls her estranged daughter and leaves aheartfelt message, it's impossible not to feelsomething for Celia.This scene is strategically placed in the heartof the film. If you write to the truth of thesituation, you will always have emotionaldepth.
WomenCinemakersYour film has a fascinating visual style thatseems to play with baroque colour palettesand domestic compositions. We'reparticularly impressed by Ernesto Lomeli'scinematography. Could you walk usthrough how you developed the film'svisual aesthetic? What informed yourchoices in lighting and camera techniques,especially your use of static shots?Rani DeMuth: When I first came up with theidea for this film, I saw the colors as well.Flashes of pink and gold whirled through mymind amidst a wealthy Rococo backdrop. I wasinspired by the aesthetic of VALLEY OF THEDOLLS, THE LOVE WITCH, and WesAnderson. I had a lot of fun with productiondesigner Vanesa Liska on designing CeliaDalvi's world. This was pre-BARBIE, I mightadd. Pink was in the air!Celia channels her pain into neurotic floraldetails in her home. Vanesa made incredibleflower arrangements that can be seen inalmost every scene in the film, making Celia'shome feel all the more opulent. Vanesa alsointerview
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WomenCinemakersrented multiple gold busts. She was smart inhow she spent our limited money. We had theunique challenge of needing to show a wealthycharacter yet having limited funds.While I love a moving camera, in comedy, staticshots are often the best for highlighting theabsurdity of a situation. Woody Alen is amaster at this. Keeping the camera fixed on ascene (on a tripod) allows the audience to fullytake in the humorous details of the character'sactions and expressions, often creating a senseof heightened awkwardness or irony. When youhave a comedic genius like Jane Kaczmarekdoing physical comedy, it's best to lock off yourcamera. Let her be the star.Ernesto Lomeli is a fantastic cinematographer,and I was lucky to work with him. Ernestowanted the film to look like a French perfumead. I loved this take! We both wanted Celia tolook beautiful—like her character would wantto look—and for her home to be a fresh takeon old Hollywood. We added a grain effect inpost to give the film a more cinematic look.interview
WomenCinemakers interviewComedy and absurdity often allowfilmmakers to tackle sensitive or taboosubjects in a way that's more palatable.Were there moments in the script or on setwhere you felt the comedic lens helpedaddress weightier subjects more effectively?Rani DeMuth: Using a comedic lens for thesubject of suicide was perfect for my story.There are a few heavy-hitting subjects in myfilm. Divorce, the existential dread of aging,Mother/daughter relationships, and suicide.Wow, I never realized how many weightysubjects I took on until I wrote them all out! Ideal with suffering through comedy in all of mywork. Finding humor in darkness can transcendour pain. This is my favorite thing aboutcomedy. I feel frustrated that dramas are morehighly regarded than comedies. I think it'sbullshit. The best comedies deal with humansuffering, as well as our best dramas. DOCTORSTRANGELOVE, ANNIE HALL, and MONTYPYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL are greatexamples of comedies with profound depth.
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WomenCinemakers interviewThe character of Celia Dalvi feels deeplynuanced—wealthy, entitled, yet vulnerableand self-aware. Was she inspired by real-lifeindividuals, or is she more of a composite ofpersonal experiences and observations?Rani DeMuth: Celia Dalvi is a combination ofmade-up and fictional people. When I first gotthe idea for my movie, I immediately got thename, “Celia Dalvi.” This name is a play on thename of my old acting professor from UCLA, theinfamous, since deceased, Delia Salvi. Delia was amagnificent acting professor known for herhands-on ability to teach directors how to workwith actors. She also made a lot of people cry.She was a former student of Lee Strasberg andtaught Oscar-winning director Alexander Payne,Justin Lin, and Geena Davis, among others. I washer student and Teacher’s Assistant for twosemesters. I think Susan Beth Lehman describesher best in her essay, “Remembering Delia Salvi.”She writes, “ She wasn’t a happy woman. It wasobvious that her life’s expectations didn’t involvenursing others to some starring platform.
WomenCinemakersWhatever she may have looked like whenshe was young, she did not age into anattractive woman, especially in Los Angeles,a city harsh enough about the aging of anyperformer, let alone the character actor withstrident features and bulging eyes. But Deliacarried herself as if she should have been acontender, and she dressed with the flair of astar.”I channeled my inner “Celia Dalvi” to writethis character. I can suffer from debilitatingperfectionism and attempt to control mysurroundings. It’s always a losing battle.
WomenCinemakersThe story centers on the intersection offame, personal identity, and societalexpectations, particularly for women in thepublic eye.Do you feel the film has a universalrelevance, or is it more of a reflection ofthe unique pressures faced within theentertainment industry?Rani DeMuth: I think my film has universalrelevance. The more specific you are as afilmmaker, the more universal your movie willbe. While I deal with the entertainmentindustry, women all over the world deal withfeeling less valuable as they age. Ironically, weare wiser with age—yet our society seems tovalue youth over wisdom – at least for
females. I think many women feel the need tokeep up appearances no matter the cost. Weare seeing this theme of ageism in a lot ofcontemporary cinema. Most recently, THESUBSTANCE was terrific in its body horrorglory.The comedic aspects of And Now I Lay MeDown might resonate differently withaudiences depending on cultural andgenerational perspectives. For instance,the humour surrounding ageing, wealth,or the performative nature of socialinteractions could evoke differentreactions from younger viewers versusolder ones, or from audiences in differentcultural contexts. Was this something youactively considered during the writing orediting process, and how did you ensurethe humour remained accessible andmeaningful across diverse audiences?Rani DeMuth: If you start worrying aboutwhat others might think of what you're doing,you are screwed. I write from my heart and letthe chips fall where they may. The morepeople can relate to my writing, the better,but that's not for me to decide. My job is tobe true to myself. While I have yet to have anInternational premiere, my film should beuniversally appealing. Progressive films likeBLAZING SADDLES and DJANGOUNCHAINED represent all different races andtake great delight in playing with ourexpectations. The audience can feel thefilmmaker's intent. No matter who I write, Icome from a place of love and admiration.Every character should make the greatestcase for themself.I find great humor in the scene where Celiawears a kimono and makes a Japaneseceremony out of her Sushi take-out order. ForCelia, the actress, this is honoring her \"lastmeal\" the best way she knows how—througha culturally fitting performance. Celia isshowing respect for Japanese culture.Latinos have approached me after filmscreenings and said they were cracking upover Celia's attempts to speak Spanish. Celia'sgardener, Manuel, is the hero of the story. HeWomenCinemakers
doesn't need material things to be happy and isalways in a good mood.We are particularly impressed by how you'vemanaged to transform what could have been aponderous meditation on mortality intosomething remarkably nuanced and, at times,delightfully quirky. And Now I Lay Me Downseems to interrogate the notion of a \"perfect\"final day. What philosophical or personalreflections underpin this exploration ofmortality and expectation?Rani DeMuth: I’m an overthinker and I love tophilosophize. When writing this script, I thoughtabout control and chaos, performance versusauthenticity, and regret and redemption.Celia meticulously curates her day, believing shecan script her departure with dignity and flair. Butlife—and death—don’t follow scripts. Her failedattempts (sushi with the rice on the wrong side,voicemail misunderstandings, her unzipped gown)highlight the futility and absurdity of trying toimpose order on something as chaotic andunknowable as mortality.WomenCinemakers
WomenCinemakers interviewAs an actress, Celia approaches her “finalperformance” theatrically. But the most truthfulmoments—her tearful calls, her raw voicemailto her daughter—are unscripted. Theseglimpses show how real connection, notspectacle, gives life meaning.In the film’s final moments, as Celia falls towardwhat she thinks is her death, she has a flash ofclarity. She recognizes how her childhoodtraumas shaped her emotional failings and sees,too late, the potential joys she might stillexperience—grandmother-hood, romantic love,a second act on stage. This unexpected survivalbecomes symbolic: not a resurrection, but achance to live differently.When I came up with the idea for this filmabout a woman who just couldn’t take itanymore, I began to research suicide. I cameacross a staggering statistic that nine out of tenpeople who attempt suicide and fail never goon to try again. In an instant, people reportedexperiencing instant regret and saw how theirproblems weren’t worth losing their lives over.Celia’s character plays out this same narrative.
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WomenCinemakers interviewThrough self-introspection, you can healyourself.Thanks a lot for your time and for sharingyour thoughts, Rani. Finally, what’s next foryou as a filmmaker? Are there particularthemes or genres you’re eager to exploreafter , or does thisproject signal a continued interest incharacter-driven narratives?Rani DeMuth: I will always be interested incharacter-driven narratives. I love humanrelationships and family dynamics. I’m currentlycasting my first feature, END OF THE LINE, anensemble cast, character-driven, dark comedy.I’m writing a Japanese horror script (I lived inJapan for a year when I was fifteen) and workingon a TV project based on my childhood. Myparents followed an Indian guru for the firstfifteen years of my life—hence my Indian name,Rani. All my projects have a philosophical bent. Iwant to explore many cultures in my storytellingand create a new mythology for contemporarysociety.
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Hello Elizabeth and welcome tomakers. Before starting toelaborate about your film we would inviteAn interview by Francis L. Quettierand Dora S. [email protected] readers to visit inorder to get a wider idea about yourartistic production. For this specialedition we have selected , anextremely interesting dance film that ourreaders have already started to get toElizabeth ArifienWomenCinemakers meetsLives in Central Coast Australia and works internationally as a director, creative director and choreographerLife is fleeting...especially if you are a ‘Damselfly' living only for a few brief moments as a free-flying adult. With the essence ofgrievance slippery and intangible, every loss is unique, and tells its own story.This visual poem, set to ERAs fervent lyrics and gentle tones, whisks us away to a world that is transcendental. Where the sonicrhythms and dream-like visuals obscure notions of time and place. Two people navigate their way through a labyrinthinepatchwork of emotions - before they part for one final time; staged upon a natural backdrop in New Orleans.They jostle and contend against unseen forces, in an endeavour to let go, in this emotive performance choreographed and directedby the singer of this track- Elizabeth Rose Arifien.We close the film in the environment from which we all begin: within the flowing tranquillity of water, as one surrenders back intothe biorhythm
interviewWomenCinemakersknow in the introductory pages of thisarticle and that can be viewed at. We were particularly impressed withhow the film creates a profound.Could you tell us more about theinspiration behind weaving such apoignant narrative of ephemerality withthe imagery of a damselfly?Elizabeth Arifien: The fragility of life hasbecome ever more present in the past yearwith social media trying to dim news on thegenocide happening in Palestine. We are allhere for such a fleeting time and having lostpeople close to me this past year the filmfeels ever more present in my life. We are allborn and we will all die, what we do in themiddle is our choice and for those morefortunate than others should be conscious ofthis privilege. My aim with ‘Damselfly’ was togo back to the biorhythms of life and I wasin a privileged position to allow the piece totake shape through deep and meaningful
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WomenCinemakersconversations with all involved. The film is areflection of our experiences of death andrebirth.The visuals have a poetic, almost painterlyquality to them. Could you share yourprocess for crafting the film’s aesthetic, fromthe colour palette to of thecamera work?Elizabeth Arifien: Alejandro has an inspiringpractice and consciousness when it comes to hisDOP work. He is very aware of emotions andcaptures the depth of thoughts and vulnerabilitywith such care. He shot some of the footage infilm which brought an ethereal quality to thefilm and texture we felt it needed for the dreamyquality we wanted to create. Initially the film wasto be in black and white but when everythingwas developed I couldn't walk away from theunusual colours this location in New Orleanshad to offer. Especially coming from London itwas so striking I didn't want to lose that.Henry Howard (colour grade) played with manydifferent tones for the film but the one weinterview
landed on was most natural, he was veryexplorative and patient, we knew thedifference the tone would make so tryingmany options was important to us all.The choreography, in its emotional nuanceand physicality, seems to reflect. How did youapproach translating such an abstractconcept into movement, and what were thechallenges of working with the dancers toachieve this?Elizabeth Arifien: When I begin to make anew work I come prepared with my researchand my emotions but I then allow themovement to speak and my mind to quieten.Cassidy and Joshua (the dancers) were sogenerous in their exchange with me that thechoreography flowed so effortlessly out of us.As I wrote the song and sang it too I felt themeaning and context very deeply. The
challenge was being on set and having torework the choreography in the sand, it's noteasy dancing on such an unforgiving surfacebut they did so wonderfully and dealt with thechallenge with such professionalism.The film’s visuals and sonic rhythms createthat obscures timeand place. Was this intentional from theoutset, and how did you balance thisabstraction with the deeply personalnarrative of the two characters?Additionally, could you elaborate on theprocess of the choreography anddirection with the specific rhythms andtones of the track?Elizabeth Arifien: Yes, it was always the ideato create a dream like landscape that obscurestime and place. The narrative was very muchset to the music, I love choreography thataccentuates the music and vice verse. For this
WomenCinemakerswork I created a full 5 minutechoreography that ran from start to finishwhich held the narrative together for thedancers and had the story clear in ourminds. I then plotted cut aways whichacted as flash backs, memories, momentsof time that we could weave in the edit.This way of working is challenging andcreates more footage than needed but forme it holds the integrity of the worktogether. It also allows me to have a fullpiece of choreography for if and when alive performance opportunity arises.appears to deconstruct lineartemporality. Its structure feels almostlike , with its lyrical pacingand emotive imagery. Was this poeticquality something you, or did itduring the creativeprocess?Elizabeth Arifien: The visual poetry wasalways the plan but that was madepossible through Alejandro’s talents, trustinterview
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WomenCinemakersand ability to lean into the concept and trustthis was going to evolve the way it neededto.There were so many visuals we captured thatwere unexpected such as the sunrising at duskand the haze coming up over the water.The practical reality of capturing the movementinvolved me hanging off Alejandro’s shoulderdirecting him with what came next in thechoreography and where the dancers would bemoving. We had no rehearsal time with him inthe studio so our communication and trust wasparamount to making this work so well.We really appreciate the delicate balanceyou’ve maintained between abstraction andemotional resonance. Your exploration ofloss feels universal yet deeply intimate. Howdid you strike this, and what doyou hope viewers will take away from thisduality? In particular, how did you ensurethat the film remained accessible toaudiences while still preserving its poeticand metaphorical depth?interview
WomenCinemakersElizabeth Arifien: My thinking behind theduality of personal and abstraction is howintangible an experience of loss is. It's notsomething we can grasp through words ormovement. I tried hard to maintain amediative state when making the work whichenabled me to tap into something far greaterthan myself. Going into that state allows thework to have its own place and I'm thankful Iwas able to provide the space for that tooccur.I have no expectations on what people takeaway from the work, people might hate it Ijust hope their opinions have substance. Thatit touched them enough so they're able toexpress a response.We really appreciate how the film’s closingsequence returns to water, symbolising areturn to beginnings and biorhythms.What was the thought process behind thischoice, and how do you see it resonatingwith the film’s overarching themes?interview
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