Director / Writer Dana Ziyasheva Talks About 'Defenders of Life'
Director Dana Ziyasheva made her directorial debut, 'Defenders of Life' which focuses on the Ngäbe community, and the hardships Ngäbe girls faced in Costa Rica.

Stephanie is a beautiful, sweet, and pampered bride who's so in-love with her rich beau Harold. Harold is Stephanie's first boyfriend and true love. Despite their constant petting, she is reserving herself for their honeymoon. During their wedding day, a total eclipse occurs triggering the high magnetic field on the road going to the beach resort. As the guests and the bride travel to the venue, a freak car accident happens causing a major soul swap.
Director Dana Ziyasheva made her directorial debut, 'Defenders of Life' which focuses on the Ngäbe community, and the hardships Ngäbe girls faced in Costa Rica.
This 2024 musical film is based on the Broadway show and the 2004 film of the same name with major differences.
There’s been a longstanding criticism of sci-fi films about its lack of Black characters. For the past few years, Anthony Mackie has been successfully representing Black masculinity in the otherwise homogenous genre and I am here for it.
'Yuri!!! on Ice' turned queerbaiting on its head and gave me hope when I needed it the most.
An aspect of She-Ra that I find refreshing is even though a large portion of the cast is on the LGBTQ+ Spectrum, being gay is never mentioned. While this might initially sound like a negative thing, in the show’s land of Etheria being on the gay spectrum is shown to be so common and normalized that straight isn’t the default. As much as there is to appreciate about narratives revolving around the obstacles that may come from being non-heteronormative, it’s nice to get immersed in a world where no one bats an eye at all to any sort of differing identity.
Can a homeless yet optimistic teenage girl learn to accept a helping hand?