Womens bodies are depicted as crossroads of different stories, future hopes, and present struggles.
The grant will provide van Raalte with valuable support in developing her future projects and deepening her research.
What inspired you to create this film?
When I arrived in Mexico City I felt an unexpected feeling of home.
Until this day I dont have a rational explanation for it.
It was something about the people, the colors, the culture as if I had been there before.
Years later I decided to go back.
When I got back to the Netherlands I felt like something inside of me had changed.
Little did I know this was the beginning of an immense journey.
What was the process of selecting the three protagonists, Evelyn, Alicia, and Frida?
Why did you choose to focus on young Mexican women?
The first two thoughts that entered my mind soon after I had this epiphany wereWhy?
You dont have any script.
My photography work already revolved around women and the female body.
And apparently, this made people label me as a feminist.
I had already had my questions around terms such asfemale empowermentand I started to wonderBut what does that mean?
I met Evelyn and Alicia during my residency in 2018.
I hadnt seen a dancer so pure and free before; Evelyn dances from her soul, her spirit.
She taught me a lot about water and the stories we carry in our bodies.
Alicia is another magical being, full of wisdom and power.
I vividly remember seeing her during Dia de Los Muertos and was completely hypnotized by her performance.
Alicia works with clay (the earth).
She often does rituals with her figurative artworks while honoring her ancestors, her cycle, and the elements.
I learned about motherhood, our roots, and the importance of rituals from her.
Last but not least, I met Frida through a friend of mine.
The youngest of all three.
Very smart, vibrant, and beautiful.
Since she couldnt speak English and my Spanish was still very limited, we communicated mostly through body language.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the production of this film?
There were so many I dont even know where to start.
It was my first time producing and directing a film.
In a country on the other side of the world, in a language that I could barely speak.
Since I produced it from my savings we were with a very small crew doing multiple things at once.
It feels like I went to film school for 4 years.
Can you describe the experimental personal process you underwent to find your own voice as a filmmaker?
The most complex and profound aspect was finding my voice through.
I meditated, danced, sang, and screamed.
After interweaving this sound experiment into the film, the story felt complete.
In what ways do you hope the film will empower women and give them back their voices?
As I slowly found new wisdom in silence I felt like I wanted to include this into the film.
I remember so clearly when I asked Alicia over the phone about her relationship with silence.
Until that point, she never spoke about the abuse that she experienced in her past.
And of course, more and more stories came up soon after.
I realized that behind (these) strong women, theres often a lot of pain and intergenerational trauma.
And this is not an issue in just Mexico, it still happens all over the world.
How to listen to my body, to dance from my soul and move without thinking.
To use my voice without fear.
To speak up for myself, as well as others.
How to practice functioning from intuition and the heart and less fear or ego.
To experience both masculine and feminine energy, which all of us have.
In the end, were all just spirits coming from one source: love.
The film can be experienced at rational, emotional, and spiritual levels.
My purpose is to take the viewer on an immersive journey, touching on several intertwined issues.
To acknowledge our troubled past and empower women, give back their voice.
To ultimately transition into a world balanced with nature, each other, and ourselves.
Even now there are parts that I perceive differently.
I dont know if I see this film directly linked to action.
Are there any future projects you are considering that build on the themes explored in this film?
