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Thief of the Moon

A version of the ancient Greek myth of Selene, the goddess of the moon, and her human lover Endymion. An original story that goes beyond mythology, the choreographers evoke the effervescent and universal relationships of lovers and familial relationships as dance establishes a dialogue between fashion and
movement.

A girl (GALAVOTTI), heartbroken, grieves an unreciprocated love for the Moon (CHEN). Driven by her passions, she calls on the Thief (FERRANTE), Daughter of the Night, to steal the crown of her sister the Moon. Motivated by her own interests to spoil the Moon’s throne, Thief schemes to sneak into the High Isle.

Translating tragedy into gesture, follow the expressionist dance and classical ballet traditions with original choreography by Trista Auclair and Madison Farmer, and an original music composition by Dan R. Howard.

  • Rianna Jakson
    Director
  • Rianna Jakson
    Writer
  • Isargy De La Cruz
    Producer
  • Trista Auclair
    Choreographer
  • Madison Farmer
    Choreographer
  • Aika Chen
    Key Cast
    "Moon"
  • Alec Galavotti
    Key Cast
    "Girl"
  • Madeline Ferrante
    Key Cast
    "Thief"
  • Darwin Our
    Styling
    Oasis
  • Bex Deck
    Scenic
  • Dan R Howard
    Music Composer
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Music Video, Short, Student, Other
  • Genres:
    Dance, Experimental
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 28 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 28, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Massachusetts-Amherst
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Michael S. Roif Award
    Amherst, MA
    United States
    May 15, 2024
    North American Premiere
    Best Music Video
  • The Great Film Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    December 22, 2024
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Rianna Jakson

Rianna Jade Jakson earned dual degrees in film studies and communication through the bachelor’s degree with individual concentration (BDIC) program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Jakson’s love of dance and film drew her to the UMass Fashion Organization (UFO), where she was cinematographer for two fashion shows and the director of photography for 12 short films. She designed a more than 275-page “look book” for the spring 2023 fashion show and acted as editor-in-chief of two editions of UFO’s magazine, sourcing literary work from artists across the Five Colleges for the spring/summer 2024 issue. Her desire for other creatives to realize their potential led her to launch a Creator’s Grant for students.

Jakson is a recipient of the media literacy certificate. After graduation, she will study Commercial Theater Development at Boston University and hopes to work in fashion or dance filmmaking.

Her film heroes are Maya Deren and Raúl Ruiz.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

THIEF OF THE MOON was born out of a desire to expand on classical mythology and the lesser deities. I aspired to design a film built on subjective, alternative, and contradictory perspectives of three characters with witty language to support their respective version of events.

Through the language reminiscent of Shakespeare, it is an adaptation of my original poem formatted in loose trochaic hexameter. Drawing influence from the imaginative characters illustrated by Lord Alfred Tennyson and the classics of Ovid, THIEF OF THE MOON is a story that brings to light lesser known deities of classical antiquities. THIEF OF THE MOON introduces a backstory to Apate, the Spirit of Deceit, and her relation to Pandora's box myth, as well as a new queer approach for Selene, the personification of the moon.

I am a great lover of poetry, and hope to participate in the workshops as well as connect with an alumni mentor that may help me develop my ballad, THIEF OF THE MOON. In an experimental approach, I lean towards dancers rather than trained models or actors to interpret my narrative poem.