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.

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.
“I’m always interested in exploring female fantasy, and the sexy witch is a loaded archetype that is simultaneously about men’s fears and fantasies about women, and women’s feelings of empowerment and agency. So whereas we are used to seeing the sexy witch or the femme fatale from the outside, I wanted to explore her from the inside.” - Anna Biller, on why she made The Love Witch
These openly gay Hollywood figures risked so much by being honest about their sexuality: judgment, loss of employment, hate – even violence and death.
At Coopers Chase, murder isn’t just tragedy—it’s Thursday’s entertainment. Chris Columbus’ The Thursday Murder Club transforms Richard Osman’s bestselling series into a cozy, clever whodunit where Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie prove that life’s sharpest twists don’t stop with age. With llamas on the lawn, cakes at the ready, and secrets around every corner, this star-powered mystery balances charm, humor, and heartache, reminding us that friendship, resilience, and reinvention might just be the ultimate clues.
For a young girl who wishes to keep her current traditions, this holiday will end up with a surprise twist.