Looking For Leia Debuts at Dragon Con
Friday afternoon, Dragon Con attendees became the first viewers to see three episodes of Looking For Leia. The brainchild of director Annalise Ophelian, the docu-series explores the contributions and experiences of women and non-binary fans of the Star Wars universe. These fans are often relegated to the background but Looking For Leia brings them boldly into the spotlight. It states that these fans have been here since the beginning and aren’t going anywhere. Ophelian introduced the episodes before launching into a question and answer session with a few members of the docu-series that worked in front of and behind the camera.
Ophelian begins with her history as a Star Wars fan dating back to the original 1977 release. She felt like one of the few women in the fandom, a feeling that many female Star Wars fans are familiar with – after all, the quintessential image of a fan is mostly portrayed as white and male. It was a trip to Star Wars Celebration, the convention celebrating all things Star Wars, in 2015 that opened her eyes to a broader world populated by many female fans. It was that trip that helped birth the idea for Looking For Leia.
The first episode introduces us to two women who have been fans since A New Hope first debuted. Through them we get a peak into the thriving world of Star Wars fanzines. Filled with essays, fiction and art made and distributed mostly by women, these fanzines explored the world created by Star Wars, speculated on its characters and continued the story after the movies and before the later officially licensed books. “We were writing for each other…This was a woman’s world of people who wanted to live in the Star Wars universe,” Maggie Nowakowska, a fanfic writer and artist said. These women developed cosplay from what they imagined characters would wear and attended cons. They are proof that women have always participated in the fandom, making and sharing content for their own enjoyment as well as building communities. It’s emotional validation in a time when female fans are often questioned on whether or not they are “true fans.”
From there we meet two women who have immersed themselves in the world of droid building. They have devoted their time and resources into what is an expensive and fulfilling hobby. In the question and answer period, Christina Cato, one of the builders, talked about how the experience was part of her self-care echoing the experience of many more women and non-binary fans who have found solace in Star Wars. Naila Browne, another droid builder who sat on the panel, spoke about how much the time she spent working on her droids meant to her. Cato also mentioned enjoying the feeling of empowerment and confidence droid building gave her. I’ve experienced those same feelings while cosplaying Star Wars characters and I know I’m not the only one. Our creative endeavors strengthen the love we have for the property.
The final screened episode exemplifies the idea that Star Wars is for everyone. It follows the translators and voice actors that helped translate and dub Star Wars: A New Hope into Navajo. This was the first motion picture to be dubbed in Navajo and it premiered in 2013. It was meant to entertain and to help preserve the Navajo language for current and future generations. They went in a different direction with this production and cast a woman to play C-3PO. The voice actresses spoke about the impact of watching the premiere and hearing their language. They were part of something bigger than themselves. Jennifer Wheeler, one of the translators summed it up succinctly: “Star Wars helped in that way to remind us Navajo people that we are still here, that we are apart of this world and that we have this beautiful language and we will continue to sustain it.” The beautiful art overseen by the art director Alyssa Bradley, who talked about it on the panel, helped bring the audience watching the movie for the first time to life.
In a time when Star Wars fans have become notorious for their toxicity, harassing directors and driving its female stars like Kelly Marie Tran off of social media, Looking For Leia is a light in the darkness. Not only does it show the contributions of women and non-binary fans, it shows a more positive side to the Star Wars fandom. Annalise Ophelian and her crew have created something truly special and the audience at Dragon Con appreciated it, crying, clapping and giving it a stand ovation. As a Star Wars fan, this is something you should definitely be viewing. The entire docu-series will drop this Fall.
