Wasi: Longing for a Home Forgotten, a film fundraiser

Elvira Michelle is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, & curator. We are fundraising for her current project, an original documentary film titled Wasi: Longing for a Home Forgotten.

Growing up in an immigrant household, her definition of “home” has felt as complicated as her mother’s citizenship status. The process of her naturalization has been long and disheartening. She's found herself wondering, what is home? How do you grapple with the grief of a place that may no longer be? In a country that seems not to want you, how do you begin to feel safe and stable? Through intimate conversations with her Bolivian mother, this documentary explores the complex emotions of leaving one’s homeland, the search for belonging in a new country, and evolving meaning of 'home' for those who can never truly return.

Of Bolivian descent and raised in Miami, Florida, Elvira's work explores intergenerational memory & trauma, as they shape the experiences of marginalized communities. She is a co-owner of film studio cooperative, Studio Lalala & is an alumna of the NBCU Creative Impact Lab 2023. She has exhibited work in New Orleans at The Front Gallery, The Parlour Gallery, & The CAC, & nationally at Is it Real? Contemporary Artists for Reproductive Freedom at Lagoon Studios in Dallas, TX..

Thanks to grants from the Alliance of Media Arts + Culture and NBCUniversal development and pre-production of my first feature film has been possible. I am turning to family, friends, and community, near and far, for support. In order to complete our first phase of production we are raising funds to pay for our travel, accomodations, meals, etc.

Timeline

Production Phase 1

Production Phase 2

Team

Elvira Michelle- Director

Madeline Tess Peters- Producer

Jazz Franklin- Cinematographer

Contact

To view our pitch deck and learn more about our team feel free to reach out via email. Hope to hear from you soon!

To follow the progress of our film subscribe to our newsletter.

Special thanks to our community partners that include Baldwin & Co., Burnt Canoe Studios, Puentes New Orleans, L.U.N.A. New Orleans, & Studio Lalala.