Luciana Marcos Laberge

Resisting through Games: Women and the Art of Jiu-Jitsu

A portrait of Mirella, a Lebanese Jiu-Jitsu black belt, who uses her practice as a means for happiness. Having lived past horrific events, wars and instabilities, Mirella found a revelation into the practice of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. At this time of her life, she gives herself the mission to help women in traumatic situations and use violence as a healing method and liberation. With her unique approach, we discover how emotions play an important role in the art of a martial execution and ultimately can give women a new sense of self and belonging.

Q&A

Fellowship Cohort: Spring 2023

Why did you choose this project?
Through my 10 years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practice, I met Mirella and got to learn more about her impressive personal story. Having been able to heal myself from past traumas through my martial arts practice, I felt particularly amazed by Mirella's initiative to use her knowledge to help other people in needs. I wish to mix her personal life story with her current practice in order to reinterpret a sense of resilience and resistance in a world that is oftentimes out of our control.

How was this fellowship meaningful or impactful to you?
A crucial step to this project has been made possible because of this grant without which the project was on hold. Partly due to multi factor life events, this video research made in Lebanon was completely funded by this fellowship.

What future plans do you have related to this work, if any?
The material gathered during this video research in Lebanon will constitute a base to establish the main film production plan and its funding.

Luciana Marcos Laberge is a Canadian filmmaker and multi-media artist. She completed an MFA in film production from Concordia University in Montreal in 2018. She wrote and directed "The Nature Of" (2013) and "PAS DE TROIS" (2015) among others and collaborated with artists with performances and video installations. She works as a staff at the Latin American Studies program while training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitstu, a martial art linked to her next film to be shot in Beyrouth, Lebanon.