About
A Film by Michèle Ohayon • 39 min • Documentary
Completed 2016
An intimate journey of a 37-year-old Cristina, as fate brings to her life both a new love and an unbeatable challenge.
Determined to pass on a message of hope and a 'live in the now' mentality, Cristina's second cancer takes a toll on her diminishing body, however her love for Bruce only grows. Bruce stands by her side while juggling work and financial strains.
The film follows Cristina's journey into her deep AMOUR, one that supports and lifts her up. If she had to choose between finding this deep and pure love and having cancer, or being cancer free but never experiencing true love... what would she choose? Her shocking answers are captured by veteran filmmaker Michèle Ohayon on camera.
This is the story of a persistent love and a persistent disease that has taken yet another victim. Cristina provides deep insight into the life of an amazing woman, a symbol of love and the will to live-- a role model for all of us.
Screenings
Coming soon to Netflix
2017
Photos & Videos
Take a look and enjoy!
"Cristina" Trailer
Cristina the Movie
An intimate journey of a 37- year- old Cristina, as fate brings to her life both a new love and an unbeatable challenge.
Photographed by Glen MacPherson, Artwork by Jessie Buchanan
Cristina's journey
Cristina and husband Bruce at the hospital on the eve of Shabbat
Cristina and Bruce waiting for the doctor
Cristina and Bruce at the hospital
The Filmmakers
Michèle Ohayon
Michèle Ohayon is an Academy Award nominated director and producer. Her critically acclaimed feature documentaries include: It was a Wonderful Life (1987, PBS, narrated by Jodie Foster) Colors Straight Up (1997, PBS) Nominated for an Academy Award, Directors Guild of America Award, and a Spirit award as well as 13 National awards, Cowboy del Amor (2005, ShowTime) winner SXSW jury and audience award, Steal a Pencil for Me (2007) Produced with Netflix, Winner of the Jerusalem Film Festival, and Audience award Sonoma Film Festival, S.O.S/State of Security (2010) Berlin film festival, and Solar Roadways (2012), Tribeca film festival.
Michèle oversaw production of CNN’s Believer episode 3, with host/ EP Reza Aslan (2016).
Michèle directed the Academy of Motion Pictures tribute films for Angelina Jolie’s Governors Award (2013), narrated by Morgan Freeman, and for Jean-Claude Carriere (2014) narrated by Jeremy Irons, with Natalie Portman, Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche and Isabelle Huppert.
Michèle is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures where she serves on the International, foreign film, and the educational/grants committee. She is also a member of the WGA, DGA and IDA. Michèle is the CEO and co-founder of Kavana Entertainment, with a mission to bridge Hollywood and the rest of the world.
Kate Amend, ACE
Editor
Kate Amend, ACE is the editor of two Academy Award Winning Documentary features - Into the Arms of Strangers and The Long Way Home, and is the recipient of the International Documentary Association’s inaugural award for Outstanding Achievement in Editing. Amend also received the 2001 American Cinema Editors’ Eddie award for Into the Arms of Strangers. She was nominated for an Emmy for her recent film, The Case Against 8, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Other credits include The Sound of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story, First Position (Toronto International Film Festival, 2011); Steal a Pencil for Me (PBS 2007) which screened at the United Nations, South by Southwest, Berlin and Kagali Film Festivals; Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains (2007) a triple- award winner at the 2007 Venice Film Festival; and Cowboy Del Amor which received both the Audience and Jury Awards at the 2005 South by Southwest Festival.
Kate is a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences and is on the faculty at the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. She has been an advisor at the Sundance Documentary Edit and Storytelling Lab since June 2004.
Miriam Cutler
Composer
Emmy nominated Composer, Miriam Cutler is passionate about scoring documentaries, among them Emmy winning, Sundance, and Oscar nominated films: Ethel, Los in LA Mancha, Thin, Poster Girl, Kings Point, Ghosts of Abu Ghraib, American Promise, Vito, Desert of Forbidden Art, Scouts Honor, License to Kill, and The Hunting Ground. Miriam Co-Produced and scored One Lucky Elephant and has served as Lab Advisor for the Sundance Institute Documentary Composers Lab, on documentary juries including Sundance, Independent Spirit Awards, IDA Awards. She has co-produced two Grammy-nominated live jazz albums on PolyGram/Verve for Joe Williams, and albums for Nina Simone, Shirley Horn, and Marlena Shaw plus albums of her own music. Miriam is an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Documentary Branch member, a long time board member of The Society of Composers and Lyricists, and a film expert for the USC/US State Department’s American Film Showcase.
For more information please visit www.miriamcutler.com
Sebastian Heinrich
Production Company
Sebastian Heinrich is the COO and Co-Founder of Kavana Entertainment. A German citizen, Sebastian now has 8 years of experience in the Film/Television industry, maintaining a fresh perspective in the Hollywood scene. Sebastian received a Bachelor of Arts in Film/Cinema/Video Studies at MHMK, and a Certificate of Directing and the Certificate of the Business and Management of Entertainment at UCLA Extension.
Sebastian is an editor and director, known for Kiss (2011), Angst (2010) and Inflagranti (2012). Sebastian was Chief Editor at Diamond Lane Films, Advertising Monitor at Defend Music Inc., Video Editor at Aligned Signs, and Assistant at Magnet Media Group. Sebastian offers a strong understanding of the production process and holds a strong foothold in the European Film and Television Industry.
Kavana Entertainment LLC
Production
Kavana is a media resources company that specializes in exchanging film and television services between the US and the world, and facilitates the development of high caliber media projects. It serves global clients both in consulting and production.
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Director's Statement
When my friend Cristina was diagnosed with cancer for the second time, she asked me to film her. Although she was a script supervisor and knew film, I reminded her what it meant to have a camera in her face and a constant presence through this difficult journey. But she was adamant. Cristina wanted to send a message to the world, in her own words: Live Now. I told her I would do it if she promised me a happy ending.
Armed with my little HDcam and as much strength as I could muster, I began to film what turned out to be the most intimate and difficult film I’ve ever made.
The doctors gave Cristina two to five years to live. I thought I had more time than what ended up being a short journey.
In the seven years that Cristina was married to my best friend Bruce, she was in and out of hospitals for four years. It was hard to grapple with the unfairness of this all, with a disease that affects many families and destroys one's body, cell by cell.
Five months after I started filming, with only 20 hours of footage of this remarkable woman’s fight, my camera had to shut off.
I was not emotionally able to view the footage for three years.
As harrowing as the experience was, and without a happy ending, I am committed to living my life to its fullest each and every moment. Cristina was the brave soul and beautiful spirit that reminded me of that through her love and appreciation for life. That's what I am here to share with you, with all of us.
Synopsis
A Film by Michèle Ohayon • 39 min • Documentary • Completed 2016
An intimate journey of a 37-year-old Cristina, as fate brings to her life both a new love and an unbeatable challenge.
Determined to pass on a message of hope and a 'live in the now' mentality, Cristina's second cancer takes a toll on her diminishing body, however her love for Bruce only grows. Bruce stands by her side while juggling work and financial strains.
The film follows Cristina's journey into her deep AMOUR, one that supports and lifts her up. If she had to choose between finding this deep and pure love and having cancer, or being cancer free but never experiencing true love... what would she choose? Her shocking answers are captured by veteran filmmaker Michèle Ohayon on camera.
This is the story of a persistent love and a persistent disease that has taken yet another victim. Cristina provides deep insight into the life of an amazing woman, a symbol of love and the will to live-- a role model for all of us.
Michèle Ohayon, Director
Filmography & Awards
‘It was a Wonderful Life’ (1987), narrated by Jodie Foster with music by Melissa Etheridge, aired on PBS and OXYGEN, won the Gold Award at the Houston Film Festival and an IDA nomination.
‘Colors Straight Up’ (1997), received nominations for the 1997 Academy Award® for Best Documentary Feature, the DGA’s Outstanding Directorial Achievement, the IFP Spirit Award, and the Golden Spire Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival, as well as 11 national awards. ‘Colors Straight Up’ also aired on PBS and all over the world.
‘Cowboy del Amor’ (2005), was WGA and IDA nominated and won both Jury and Audience Awards at the SXSW festival, as well as Best Documentary at Santa Fe, Durango and Cinefest. It aired on Showtime.
‘Steal a Pencil for Me’ (2007), a production collaboration with NETFLIX, opened at the Berlinale in 2008, screened at the United Nations, garnered the Audience Award at Sonoma Film Festival and the Yad Vashem Chairman Award at the Jerusalem Film Festival. The film was honored at the Spirit of Anne Frank Awards and nominated for the IDA ABC/Video Source Award 2007. It aired on PBS’ Independent Lens.
‘S.O.S/State of Security’ (2011), opened at the Berlin Film Festival, showed at the Moma and Georgetown, and is utilized as an educational tool for National Security awareness and for policy makers. It was chosen to be part of the IDA Academy qualifier theatrical showcase at the Laemmle theaters 2012.
‘Solar Roadways’ (2012), a short environmental documentary that Michèle produced and directed in 2012 as part of the FOCUS FORWARD series, opened at the Tribeca Film festival, Big Eddy, Madeira. Warsaw and Anchorage film festival. It was chosen to participate in the GOOGLE X talks and continues to travel.
‘Cristina’ (2016), Directed by Michèle Ohayon. An intimate journey of a 37 year old Cristina, as fate brings to her life both a new love and an unbeatable challenge. Will be shown on Netflix.
‘Power’ (2016), in Post production, Co-Director. A documentary feature connecting the dots of energy- from a small village in Uganda, to the super powers of the west. www.powerthemovie.com
© 2016