Genre
Synopsis
BREAKING BOUNDARIES is a documentary about a teenager who is a trailblazing voice for the next generation of rhythmic gymnasts.
Black Californian teenager, Nastasya Generalova, was raised by her single white Russian mother, Olga. She has met her African-American father once. Olga enrolled Nastasya in rhythmic gymnasts when she was 4 years old as a way for her to connect to the homeland.
Ranked in the top 3 in the USA, Nastasya’s dream is to become the first African-American to compete in this sport at the Tokyo Olympics. By shouldering the responsibility of being the first, Nastasya forges a path for other women of color in this sport. For 15 years, Nastasya worked hard to train and compete in this sport that she loves. It’s also a sport that tells her she doesn’t belong.
This film explores the emotional, physical and financial challenges Nastasya faces for being the first woman of color in a sport historically dominated by Russia and Eastern Europe. Without sponsorship, finances and a wide support system, Nastasya only has her mother to lean on. The film spotlights their mother-daughter relationship and how their dynamic impacts their decision, their identities, and their excitement for what lays ahead.
Bio
After working in banking for 10 years, I took a leap of faith and enrolled in UCLA’s Professional Producers Program. Since that I also completed the MFA Production Program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and found my passion in documentary filmmaking
I am inspired by passionate strong independent women making their dreams come true in their chosen fields. My first feature documentary JOY WOMACK: THE WHITE SWAN (2021) follows a young Texan ballerina’s journey to becoming the first American dancer to sign and dance with the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia. The film was released theatrically in the UK (101 Films), the United States (Film Movement), as well as in Russia (Capella Film). It received great reviews, including New York Times.
After that I created my second documentary feature BREAKING BOUNDARIES to capture Nastasya, a young African-American woman who competed at an international level in the predominantly white sport of rhythmic gymnastics and her history-making journey of tireless efforts in overcoming the emotional, physical and financial challenges along the way.
Screening History
Premiere - African Diaspora International Film Festival 2024
Credits
Self - Nastasya Generalova
Executive Producer - Joe Tsai
Executive Producer - Paul H. Barry
