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Emerging From Ice Into Fire

A severely depressed, schizophrenic, 40-something woman struggles alone in her apartment after leaving a cult, her desperation to heal escalates when she finds out she’s pregnant. Emerging From Ice Into Fire is the story of her remarkable journey to accomplish what the experts all agree is impossible.
This short film is told in poetry, with original artwork and live footage, evoking the four elements as her transformation and healing journey takes place.

  • Anja Sagan
    Director
  • Anja Sagan
    Writer
  • Anja Sagan
    Producer
  • Anja Sagan
    Key Cast
  • Michael Sagan
    Key Cast
  • Michelle Van Looy
    Cinematographer
  • Susan Bartlett
    Crew & Lighting
  • Paul Hirst
    Crew & Lighting
  • Mauricio Belli
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 53 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 4, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Rendezvous With Madness Film Festival / Workman Arts Shorts Program
    Toronto
    Canada
    November 6, 2016
    North American Premiere
Director Biography - Anja Sagan

Anja Sagan Anja is a filmmaker, student, Shamanic Healer/Coach, author, artist and storyteller who is very passionate about her work. She holds her Bachelor Of Arts in Fine Art (Studio) as well as a diploma in graphic design. She is currently studying at George Brown College in Toronto.

Her first short film "From Ice Into Fire" was shown at the Rendezvous With Madness Film Festival (Workman Arts Shorts Program) in November, 2016.
After recovering from many years of severe mental illness, she is a believer that anything is possible and creates her work to inspire others that no matter what, there is hope – even in the darkest places.

She is a mother, loves nature and world travel and is a deeply spiritual person, inspired by the philosophy of legendary comparative mythologist, Joseph Campbell and his belief in the unity of human consciousness & experience.

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Director Statement

The story behind this film is a deeply personal one, it is my own journey through severe mental illness after leaving a cult back in 2005. The film is told in poetic narrative.

The short film begins in the dark, with the protagonist lying helpless on the floor after leaving the cult as she falls into severe mental illness. The voices begin in her head and things seem hopeless and sinister.

Then, over time, the story continues into the time she finds a healer to help her recover. It takes time, but she slowly rebuilds her psyche and emerges from the dark waters of the unconscious into the light of day again and begins to see her journey as something she had to go through.

She dances in celebration of her liberation and finding her true gifts through the adversity she went through in the end and then, at the end after the credits finish rolling, she is seen holding her son and happy.

I created this film with the desire to show that adversity can be overcome and even be seen as a catalyst for change and that indeed the things others may say are impossible, are not necessarily so.