Christine Gerity
Amanda James Dill
Cuban-American filmmaker Anna Margarita Albelo has put a lot of herself into her new feature film, Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf? The main character not only has her name, but her identity as well. “Through the script-writing process, I’ve had many breakthroughs about my life,” says Albelo. “ I love filmmaking for that; it’s one of the best tools I’ve found to understand who I am and what I’m made of.”
The film is the story of a Cuban-American lesbian who hid from relationships behind her film career. On Anna’s 40th birthday, she decides to carpe diem and make her life-changing film—and, get the girl. An all-female version of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Albelo’s cast includes Guinevere Turner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, Whitney Mixter, Bridget McManus, and Joel Michaely .
Tammy Lynn Michaels, who plays Chloe, a friend to the group of girls in the film, says she relates to her character in much the same way Albelo relates to the film’s Anna. Her character owns an art gallery, “which is exactly like my life,” says Michaels. “ I have paintings and drawings and crayola colorings scotch-taped to my walls all over my house.”
Albelo and actress Guinevere Turner have been friends since Turner appeared in Albelo’s documentary A Lez in Wonderland, where they discovered a love for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? “What actor could possibly say no to the chance to play someone playing Elizabeth Taylor in that film?” says Turner. “The role of Penelope Greengrass was written for me.”
The film is being produced by Steakhaus Productions with screenwriter Michael Urban (Saved!) and cinematographer Alison Kelley. This amazing cast and crew has made over twenty award-winning films over the last decade.
The cast and crew have been hard at work raising money to fund the project via crowdfunding. Albelo describes it as “a way for people who don’t see themselves represented in the mainstream to stand up and be counted. In a big way, that’s why “likes” on Facebook and friend counts have become so important. The unfortunate side is that more independent voices need to break through to the mainstream.”
Donations are accepted online and incentives are offered for those who are generous, including signed film posters, DVDs, t-shirts, personal digital video thank-you from the cast, tickets to private screenings, script notes by Michael Urban, or coffee with Anna Albelo. If you’re feeling generous, or if you’d like more information about the film, cast, and crew, visit their Indiegogo site.
