The Fargo Film Festival is proud to announce the F-M premiere of the award-winning feature “We Burn Like This,” with special guest Alana Waksman, on Friday, March 18th at 7 p.m. at the Fargo Theatre. Writer/director Waksman will appear live on stage for a Q&A immediately following the film. Tickets are $12 and go on sale at 12:00 p.m. on February 22.
“We Burn Like This” was filmed on location in Montana. In 2021 it premiered at the prestigious Santa Barbara International Film Festival and has since been touring the global festival circuit. “We Burn Like This” was named Best Narrative Feature of the 2022 Fargo Film Festival.
About We Burn Like This:
When 22 year-old Rae, a descendant of Holocaust survivors, is targeted by Neo-Nazis in Billings, Montana, her ancestors’ trauma becomes real. As antisemitism continues to rise in the community, we follow Rae on her journey to forgive herself, her mother, and the broken world.
Inspired by true events, this coming-of-age story shows the inherited effects of historical trauma and the strength of survival and healing. Visit the film’s website: https://www.weburnlikethis.com/
About the filmmaker:
Alana Waksman is an Ashkenazi writer, director, producer, and first generation descendant of Holocaust survivors from Poland. She is an alum of the USC School of Cinematic Arts MFA in Film & Television Production. As an actor, she trained at Shakespeare & Company, Berkshire Theater Festival, St. Petersburg Dramatic Arts Academy in Russia, and The O’Neill National Theater Institute where she studied under Colman Domingo.
While at USC, Alana was chosen as one of ten top directors to co-direct USC’s first feature film, DON QUIXOTE: THE INGENIOUS GENTLEMAN OF LA MANCHA (Palm Springs International Film Festival) with the guidance of James Franco. Her short film BLACKOUT, written by David Haskell, received the Audience Award at the LA Shorts Fest, and Best Actor and Best Cinematography at the Women’s Independent Film Festival.
WE BURN LIKE THIS, Alana’s debut feature, stars Madeleine Coghlan (THE ROOKIE) and Devery Jacobs (RESERVATION DOGS) and is executive produced by Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer Neda Armian (RACHEL GETTING MARRIED). The film premiered at Santa Barbara International Film Festival in April 2021, internationally at Deauville American Film Festival in competition in September, and is currently in the festival circuit.
Alana is in development for her second narrative feature, and a personal documentary about her father’s relationship to Jewish identity, also executive produced by Neda Armian. Learn more about Alana on her website: www.alanawaksman.com