Los
Angeles, CA (1/15/03) – Filmmaker Laurel Almerinda is on her way
to the Sundance Film Festival today, the proud writer,
director, DP and editor of her short film “firepussy.”
Her piece is an official selection at this year’s festival in the
Shorts category. It will screen six times throughout the
festival (see screening schedule below) which runs from
January 16th – 26th.
“firepussy” is the electrically charged journey of Maria, a
volatile Latina poet/pyromaniac haunted by her past. Even
though it was a long time ago that one of her fire games
burned out of control and killed her baby sister, Maria is so
bound by the guilt and so crippled by the horror of her fire
memories that she can’t take it anymore. She flees the dark,
dirty corners of the urban American ghostfield and seeks her
catharsis in the lush, mysterious and erotically dangerous
jungles of Yucatan, Mexico.
Almerinda describes her film as "non linear with fractured
narrative, driven by visceral imagery and sound design.” It is
a mixed media piece, including 16 & 35mm film, digital video
and graphic animation.
Laurel started off
on the right foot, attending Catholic school and confessing
her sins once a week. She continued to flower at Tufts
University, earning a BA in Art History and Archaeology with
cum laude honors, receiving numerous awards for her
scholarship and a grant to take part in an Archaeological
expedition to Masada, Israel. Then, things went horribly awry.
She immersed herself in the world of dance choreography,
becoming the Artistic Director of The Dance Collective
and shamelessly performing in varying states of undress
throughout New England. Laurel continued her relentless fall
from grace by moving to Los Angeles. Although she earned a
Master of Fine Arts in Film Production from the University of
Southern California, finished at the top of her class and was
awarded the Samuel and Lorenza Gary Grant for her thesis
script, she insists on making films such as firepussy.
Despite its lurid sensuality and glorification of pyromania,
firepussy somehow managed to be an official selection of
the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. Laurel has evolved into a
risk-taking young filmmaker, music video director, obsessive
Martha Stewart devotee and biker chick.
“firepussy” Screenings at Sundance:
