Cascadeuses / Stuntwomen
*Winner Focus Competition 2022*
They are hit by cars, have to dive 70 meters into the depths and absorb many a hard blow. For professional stuntwomen Virginie, Petra and Estelle, this is all in a day's work. In order to perform physically demanding scenes for film and television, they undergo rigorous daily training. But in the male-dominated film industry, stereotypical portrayals of vulnerable women on screen are still common, and even stuntwomen often find themselves in the roles of female victims, while male colleagues embody perpetrators or heroes. In her debut feature, filmmaker Elena Avdija sheds light on an exciting and hard-hitting business in which female actors all too often remain in the shadows.
About the director(s)
Born in 1987, filmmaker Elena Avdija graduated with a degree in sociology from EHESS in Paris before working for several years on documentary film projects as an assistant director, mainly for the Paris-based production company Point du Jour, and developing screenplays for ARTE's historical documentary series. Avdija directed two short documentary films: D'ICI OU DE LÀ-BAS? (2013) and OPTION: THÉÂTRE! (2017). Her debut feature-length documentary CASCADEUSES world premieres at ZFF.
Filmography (selection): Cascadeuses (doc, 2022) | Option: Théâtre! (short film, doc, 2017) | D'ici ou de là-bas? (short film, doc, 2013)
- Genre: DOC: Portrait
- Country, Year: Switzerland, France, 2022
- Runtime: 85 Min
- Languages: French, English, Swiss German
- Subtitles: English, German
- Director: Elena Avdija
- Cast: Virginie Arnaud, Petra Sprecher, Estelle Piget
- Cinematography: Augustin Losserand
- Editor: Myriam Rachmuth
- Sound: Nicolas Joly, Elton Rabineau, Theresa Radka
- Music: Marzella – Ella Malherbe & Marzia Celii
- Producers: Agnieszka Ramu, Marie-Lou Pahud, Ursula Meier, Cécile Lestrade, Élise Hug
- Production Companies: Bande à part Films, Alter Ego Production, RTS Radio Télévision Suisse, ARTE France
- World Sales: Andana Films
- Swiss Distribution: Bande à part Films
