Violeta Ayala: Structure and Editing (2010)

Violeta Ayala | Masterclass | 2010

Violeta Ayala worked as director, writer, and co-producer on the controversial documentary Stolen (2009) about slavery in the Moroccan controlled Western Sahara. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival (2009), and screened at 80 festivals worldwide.

Initially, the filmmakers concentrate on the story of Fetim and her family who live in the refugee camps run by the Polisario Liberation Front. The more the family tells about everyday life, the more painfully clear it becomes that the camp is in the grip of a great taboo: slavery. In this masterclass Ayala discloses her experience of when a family reunion turns into a dangerous political game; of when the filmmakers had to flee and hide the tapes they have recorded in the desert. Ayala gives an insider account into how- when reality changes- to adapt the structural narrative of the film without fear. She tells of funding, casting and structuring the film, how to keep editing a painless experience, working creatively with sound, and how to distribute.

This class is made up of 4 parts ALL viewable at the top of this page in the embedded playlist:

Part 1: The Origins of ‘Stolen’: Funding, Casting, and Collaboration
Part 2: What the Film Became: Challenges, Structure, and Editing
Part 3: Music, Composer & Sound Edit
Part 4: Real-life Filmmaking: Ethics & Dilemmas