CASCADIA Film Festival to host Black History Month film with director

The CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival is hosting a screening of “Breaking Boundaries,” a film highlighting the life of Black Olympic gymnast Nastasya Generalova, at FireHouse Arts & Events Center, 1314 Harris Street in Fairhaven, on Saturday, February 15.

Tickets are $12 and include access to the 76-minute screening and a Q&A with the director, Dina Burlis. The film, produced by Melissa Azizi, will be shown in observance of Black History Month as Generalova was one of the few Black women on Team USA when she competed in rhythmic gymnastics eight times.

“It’s a great inspirational story for a young audience to see,” Azizi wrote in an email. “She has a great, unique story for a teenager.”

The film will look at Generalova’s journey in the stressful lead up to the Tokyo Olympics qualification as well as the personal backstory to Generalova’s road to becoming a gymnast when she was raised by her single white Russian mother Olga.

Generalova was enrolled in rhythmic gymnastics at the age of four. It was initially a way for her to connect with Olga’s homeland but grew into something much more.

“Even though we as the filmmakers have watched it so many times, we still get shivers on our skin at some points when we feel happy for Nastasya, or when we feel intrigued or sad,” Azizi said.

The event in part is made possible by a grant from the Washington State Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

“Nastasya’s story is historic and in fact she made history in her sport,” Azizi said. “It feels fitting that her story is shown in Black History month.”