‘Glaistig’ is short film about Anna’s own trauma and artistic journey to self reclamation of her own being after feeling a sense of struggle in fitting into Hollywood standards. We have caught up with Arianna Veronesi for an interview on this short film.
UniversalCinema Magazine (UM): What inspired you to make this short film?
Arianna Veronesi (AV): As a woman raised in a patriarchal society, it’s felt like living a life sentence of imposed limitations on my personal and professional freedoms. I created this film in an effort to heal myself and, hopefully, others. To expose the truth of trauma we, as women, can face every day. To honor those who feel unable to fill the roles they are expected to play in their bodies, communities, careers and beyond.
(UM): How has your pursuits in Hollywood impacted your journey as an actor?
(AV): Even though I had the honor of working with two incredible inspiring artists such as Anthony Hopkins and Francis Ford Coppola, I was nonetheless confronted with the reality of the“business” of show business. I experienced an endless amount of discrimination, stereotyping, conformism, misogyny and ageism all of which felt very disempowering.
My health began to decline and my inspiration was dwindling. Enter writing. It was through my imagination and the freedom I found on blank pages that I reclaimed my power to truly create from the inside out. I used writing as a way to not only empower myself but others also. I had found my true mission as an artist.
It was through penning and then starring in the Award Winning theater solo-show, MY JANIS, that everything came together. I was able to talk about and portray a woman’s (Janis Joplin’s) bravery and her struggle to survive as female artist growing up in conservative Texas. I felt a profound connection to her story as a young girl growing up bullied and ostracized for her anti-racial beliefs and more so for not looking or behaving as “a woman should”. This spawned an ever growing hunger to deeply explore and expose the effects of sexism and the roots of the female empowerment movements. That is what sparked the idea for my latest film Glaistig which allowed me to unearth and express, through all my creative instruments, what my experience has been throughout this journey.
(UM): What kind of themes were you trying to emphasize in ‘Glaistig’?
(AV): My intention was to expose the consequences of misogyny and patriarchy by exposing intimate truths about the trauma it invokes. I did this through the lens of exploring the purpose of art as a transcendent healing tool. The choice to portrait Glaistig, the Gaelic mythological fairy, was easy because she is the embodiment of female empowerment and a longtime personal inspiration for me. She is a supernatural creature dedicated to protecting women, children and mother earth from being pillaged which makes her the ideal representative for reclamation and this film’s message.
(UM): Is this short film a depiction of your own experiences in the film industry?
(AV): Yes, absolutely. I felt that sharing my personal experience as a foreign female actress and abuse survivor was relevant and necessary to my own sanity as an artist. It’s representative of the challenges I have had to navigate both internally and externally throughout a long career in the industry.
(UM): What message do you hope this short film would give to the audience?
(AV): First of all, I hope that people can relate to the messages and walk away feeling seen and heard in its reflection. My biggest desire was and continues to be offering an experience that lends itself toward healing and wholeness for women individually and collectively.
(UM): Have you received any feedback from anyone who has watched this short?
(AV): Apart from the 8 AWARDS that we already received from Festivals around the World; the feedback has been incredible. So many have reached out to share about having identified with the struggle depicted. Whether it was through tears or uncomfortable laughter they seemed to love how bold and raw the acting was and really felt moved by the power of the dance sequence. Of course a lot of the credit goes to the powerful vision of our impeccable director Abbey Spacil and to our incredible talented cinematographer Kaity Williams.
(UM): Can you describe the body movements in your dream sequence and what the purpose was behind it?
(AV): When we experience sexual trauma there’s a disconnection happening between our subconscious mind and our body, because the body is not a safe place to be anymore. The movements tell the story of the emotional body, from the oppressed fear and pain of past hurt to the fight for survival and culmination in complete defeat and surrender. The end is revealing because that’s when we see how transformation is truly possible. It’s through a rebirth into self-love, compassion and honesty that we can welcome back the joy and innocence that was our birthright.
(UM): How long did it take for you to complete this project?
(AV): This project spanned the course of two years, from my first idea to final touches in postproduction. Yet, it still doesn’t feel complete, it actually, in some ways feels as though it’s just beginning because it’s just now reaching those it was made for!
(UM): Where do you see yourself in 5 years in the film industry?
(AV): The TV series I wrote is streaming! And I am collaborating with amazing artists in meaningful projects, as an actress and writer. I love my job and there isn’t a day that goes by that I am not grateful to be pursuing my purpose.
(UM): What life lesson would you give to up-and-coming actors who might be struggling in their careers?
(AV): Just keep working on your craft and when the outside world goes crazy, you go deeper inside yourself – that is where the magic is. I would encourage you to remember that the world needs your unique representation. We all have a rare message to share that can’t be reproduced or replaced by anyone else.
by: Trevor Brooks