In the aftermath of Orlando’s Pulse nightclub mass shooting in 2016, one woman seeks support and healing through her community while she continues to coach fellow survivors at the gym. Jeannette, a new documentary follows Jeannette Feliciano, a competitive bodybuilder, personal trainer and single mother who survived the massacre. The film is directed by Maris Curran.
“When we met, Jeannette and I recognized something of ourselves in each other. We’re both tough, feminine, queer women who have dealt with sexual and physical violence,” the director said in the film’s press materials. “At our core, each of us was formed in response to violence we faced as girls and later, women, and much of our adult lives have been spent trying to articulate the personal impact of violence and yet, not be defined by it.”
In the film, after settling from the shooting, Hurricane María hits Puerto Rico, where she is from, and she is thrown back into crisis mode.
The film explores both Feliciano’s resilience and vulnerabilty.
In her statement, Feliciano stated “I look at this film like I look at life—I want this film to inspire people to keep going; regardless of what they may be going through we are all warriors but it takes the strong mental willingness of never quitting. We all struggle, we are all going through something and I hope this film gives people an example of resilience for their own lives.”
Watch the trailer for Jeannette below:
–Rich Lopez
