Anna's Story
As the Cuban Revolution was approaching in the late 1950s, my parents fled to Miami. I was born about a decade later, in 1969. My father quickly fell in love with American culture, but unfortunately for him, his family stayed back in Cuba, became communists, and excommunicated him — something I only learned many years later when I traveled to Cuba as an adult.
My parents were both big cinephiles who’d grown up watching Hollywood movies. They passed this love of cinema onto me and we often stayed up late to watch and discuss films. As the years passed, my interest in movies blossomed into a passion. As a teenager, I’d used a VHS camcorder passed down to me by my brother to make little films and shorts, some of which were widely seen and well-received throughout my high school, even garnering mention during morning announcements.
At the time, filmmaking was not what I had my eye set on for a career. At school, a lot of importance was given to the women's movement, the civil rights movement, and the gay liberation movement. I became very political and even aspired to go into government. I’d been anonymously recommended for a gifted program, and at 16, earned a scholarship to study political science at Georgetown University, Washington DC. Out of all my siblings, I was the only one who left home at 18, and who paid for my college.
After just one year as a political science major, however, I realized I wasn’t cut out to be a politician. Making decisions that are good for some people and bad for others wasn’t what I wanted. I was also surrounded by students who embodied the 1980s “greed is good” ethos — people with whom I had little in common and no desire to associate.
Disillusioned with poli-sci, I turned back to film. The university TV station had an opening for a show host. I thought if I could land the gig, I could help shine a light on important issues that were largely being ignored. I got the position and soon I successfully lobbied to be able to write, direct, and produce my own projects.
My first piece was a mockumentary that became a big hit on campus. From there, I took on a larger role as a director and producer and eventually landed scholarships in London and Paris in 1991. Discovering France and European filmmaking was a revelation because in Europe cinema leaned into activism using new voices and new realism to tell the stories. America, by contrast, was all about big-budget films with explosions and male leads, with women relegated to playing love interests, prostitutes, mothers, and secretaries. Given those realities, I was inspired and determined to move to Paris once I graduated. Once back in the States, I became the first person to make news stories for our university TV show about homosexuality on campus and worked on campaigns for National Coming Out Day and anti-rape awareness.
I graduated in 1993, and, fulfilling a promise to myself, moved to Paris. I brought nothing but a backpack, $1,500 USD, and a student credit card. I managed to get hired as a manager at a Sony Video store, which gave me access to cameras and all manner of equipment. I started making DIY independent films, covering live events, and leaning into LGBT activism.
While cutting edge in other ways, France felt 10 years behind America on LGBT issues, because the French LGBT movement was still underground and gays, bis, and lesbians were all separate and balkanized subcultures. There were very few events or venues for lesbians, so I started a lesbian party called “Ladies Room” in 1995, which I’m happy to say is still going strong today. Ladies Room screened short films and brought in artists to perform. I created the event because I wanted to meet other lesbians and artists, as well as build a safe place for all LGBT folks that centered on the otherwise underrepresented lesbian community. Radio shows began talking about us, and DJ Sextoy, one of our resident DJs, went on to become famous in France. It was and is a wonderful club night. Every year to this day, I celebrate the anniversary of the Ladies Room in Paris.
Nowadays, I spend most of my time as a filmmaker. One thing I‘ve learned in life is to find humor in everything, so I always infuse my documentaries and films with comedy. While I make my own films and documentaries, such as Hooters! (2010) and Who's Afraid of Vagina Wolf? (2013), I also started producing films for other under-represented filmmakers with my company Burning Bra Productions, including the Spirit Award-nominated Wild Nights with Emily (2020) starring Molly Shannon.
I live and work between Paris and the US but Paris will always hold a special place in my heart. Bell Hooks once said that if you want to be pertinent, you must constantly be moving in and out from the margins to the norm and back. If we truly want to be agents of change, it’s important to share what we learn with the community. Now back in Paris as my home base, I’ve started a popular, free workshop on directing and collaborative filmmaking. The goal is to demystify, inform, and inspire! I always tell my students that the job of a film director is to shoot it, finish it, and show it — and most of all, to enjoy the process.
For more about Anna, follow her on Instagram.
Artist Notes
“Anna is one motivated human being with the ability to inspire everyone around her. The rainy clouds in the background indicate tough times and the rising sun in the top left corner indicates that the self-motivation helps conquer any adverse situation. Anna is featured scaling the forestry peak with a sack on her back. The sack indicates that she has bagged every opportunity that has come her way, while also creating some on her own. In spite of several difficulties, she has emerged stronger every time and hence tasted success in so many things she has ventured into.”
Published Jul 1, 2024
Published in Issue XII: Cinema