Director Vanessa Beletic Wins New Hampshire Film Festival Jury Award for 'Catching Spirits'
Rattling Stick director Vanessa Beletic has won the Shorts Jury Award, Live Action (Academy-Qualifying) at the New Hampshire Film Festival, which closed October 9, for her short film “Catching Spirits.” The festival showcased over 150 short- and feature-length films in total, to upwards of 10,000 people.
Synopsis: Since childhood, Destiny has been told she has seizures when she dances, an unexplained phenomenon that resulted in deep fear and her refusal to dance--despite being drawn to it. What she doesn’t know, is that she has an ancient ability--a birthright of the Haitian women in her lineage going back for ages. Today, in LA, Destiny is still in the dark about her ancestral power but strange things are happening. Destiny is tormented by voices in her head, calling her to “test the waters” and compelling her to stalk someone. When she’s challenged to face her fear and dance, Destiny makes a decision that could reveal a secret she doesn’t yet understand. Will dancing kill her or unlock something magical?
Vanessa says: “In Catching Spirits I’m exploring the idea that dance for certain people, can become a power - a supernatural, bad-ass, telepathic, visionary ability. One that must be harnessed and used the right way. In many spiritual practices, dance is used as a way to open oneself up to the spirit world--an act of worship to enter an altered state of consciousness. In the Southern Black church, the Holy Ghost can take over during a praise break. In Haitian Vodou, one catches a Lwa. In Balinese culture, it’s believed that some dances are so powerful, that even the audience can come into contact with the spirit world and be possessed by God. I’m looking at what it means to have this gift, yet be afraid of it.
"Loosely based on my own experiences growing up in Haiti, a country with a complex relationship between the deeply religious and those practicing traditional African spirituality--this film is not about Vodou. It is a story with roots in folklore found around the world that is misunderstood and feared. Although I have always questioned why it’s deemed ok to catch a spirit inside the Baptist church and not a Vodou peristil, this is just part of the conversation. I look forward to expanding the short into a feature and exploring all the “isms”. Ultimately, I'm a filmmaker inspired to tell gritty and honest stories, with a fresh perspective.”
Spending her childhood in Haiti, Vanessa moved to the U.S. with her family at 13 years old. There she studied dance and education at New York City’s Hunter College and launched herself into an esteemed career as a professional dancer. It was in Los Angeles working with acclaimed commercial and music video directors that Vanessa decided to pursue her lifelong passion for filmmaking. Vanessa’s background in fashion and dance guides her work and lends it kinetic energy. As a director, she loves producing work that is dynamic and high-impact yet grounded in reality, with characters that defy the odds–by way of magic, perseverance, or straight-up hustle.
