PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Eileen Hofer, director of the film Horizons, from the 16th Transilvania International Film Festival.
Director Eileen Hofer talks about her documentary feature Horizons, presented at the 16th Transilvania Film Festival. The film has traveled to numerous festivals all over the world for a while and had captured the hearts of many. It is truly an inspiring story, which tells the tale of three generations of Cuban ballerinas, one of which is that of the legendary prima ballerina Alicia Alonso. Horizons is also enriched by the use of archive documentary. Nonetheless, the film was not made without challenges, and Hofer tells us some of them. Among its merits, Horizons has that of disproving the validity of the common expression “it ain’t ballet”; indeed, the documentary shows the blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice that this particular world entails. Though she admits that she had no personal connection with ballet, the fact remains that Hofer’s Horizons is an inspiring movie that also feels like a work of love. Besides Horizons, we find time to talk about her latest short, that has already been screened elsewhere – it’s called Russian Salad.
Horizons: through three different generations of Cuban ballet dancers, Eileen Hofer explores love and passion for dance. Three strong women who completely dedicated their lives for ballet – the legend Alicia Alonso, prima ballerina assoluta, now 93; Viengsay Valdes, at the beginning of her international career; and young Amanda, who is dreaming about entering the ballet school. Together, their stories give an enchanting glimpse of the ballet world.