An alumna of the IDFA academy and former participant in the Chicken and Egg Accelerator Lab, Elizabeth D. Costa has over eight years of experience working on media projects as producer, director, assistant producer, editor, and cameraperson.Costa has worked for BBC Media Action, NOS Television, VICE News UK, Spanish TV, and Bloomberg TV. Costa worked as assistant producer with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy on “A Journey of Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers.” She was the Communications Advisor for the United Nations Development Program, which works to eradicate of poverty, and reduce inequalities and exclusion in nearly 170 countries.
“Bangla Surf Girls” was scheduled to screen at the 2020 Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival. A digital version of the fest has been organized due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hot Docs Festival Online launched May 28. “Bangla Surf Girls” has opted not to screen in the digital fest.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
EC: “Bangla Surf Girls” is an observational documentary about three teenage girls in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh who get a rare sense of agency over their lives after joining a surf club. I followed Suma, Ayesha and Shobe and documented their journey over the course of three years as they fought insurmountable challenges to achieve their dreams.
The documentary highlights raw emotions, family dynamics, and the complex pressures of poverty.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
EC: I used to watch these girls running with surf boards in the beach at Cox’s Bazar. It’s an unusual sight and I was immediately drawn to them. I began to realize that this story needed to be told to a wider audience, so I contacted the surf club’s organizer and he agreed to have me follow them.
Once I got to know the girls, there was no going back. I still have a very strong connection with all of them.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
EC: I would like people to know that a small local program can make such a big difference in the lives of these girls. They have an opportunity to change their destiny, and it’s a powerful message for girls in similar situations in any part of the world. Don’t give up and accept your fate. You have the power to change your future.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
EC: There were many challenges, most of which had to do with funding. My first challenge, in terms of production, was to get the confidence of the girls. These girls are so used to disappointments in their lives. People come and make promises to them and then disappear.
I spent a lot of time with them before I picked up the camera. I even stayed with one of the girls to demonstrate my commitment and I got a sense of their daily routine. It’s only after they started confiding in me that I picked up the camera. I involved them by showing them some videos. As I expected, once they were comfortable, they forgot about the camera and spoke to me in a natural way.
I walked a fine line between getting too close and maintaining a distance and an objective lens. It was hard not to get involved when Suma had her accident or when Shobe had her accident. After I finished filming, I’ve stayed in touch with them and I’d like nothing better than to create something sustainable for their futures.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
EC: My producer Lalita Krishna is based in Toronto, Canada. She raised funds for development, which we used to create a character reel and managed to convince some funders to come on board. I was fortunate to get into the Chicken & Egg Accelerator Lab and that gave the project a much needed boost. Lalita was able to raise some private foundation funds and invested her own funds to complete the film. We realized, though, that this model does not fit into the right boxes for the traditional funds.
Lalita can raise funds in Canada but the director has to be Canadian. American funding agencies want the director to be American. Europeans do not want to work with a Canadian production company. We realized that we could either spend time and wait till we got production funds, or get on with the story and take a risk. We chose the latter route.
W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
EC: I believe the film has the power to give a voice to the voiceless — that’s what inspires me the most. With my skills in storytelling and observational skills, I can be that channel between the voiceless and the audience. Being a storyteller is a chance to do something for society and the community for a greater good.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
EC: The best advice I received was to follow my intuition — to go ahead with my own feelings. With the style of documentary that I was making, I needed to observe and not limit myself to footage hours.
We got early feedback from people who had seen our character reel that said just immerse yourself in the community — don’t worry about footage hours. That’s when my confidence got a boost and I knew what I needed to do.
Worst advice was just the opposite of that. A cameraman told me that I might be filming too much. I asked, “What is too much and what is too little?” I didn’t get any response in return and I realized that they had no idea what they were talking about.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
EC: Keep bringing out unique and beautiful stories. Believe in your story. My mentor always tells me that when someone doubts your abilities because you are a female director, do not waste your energy answering back.
Go ahead and keep working. Your work should be your answer. Fight back with your work and your story.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
EC: “Tareque and Catherine Masud’s “Runaway.” I have learned so much from Catherine about on-the-ground filmmaking by working with her in her films. It is rare to get to learn and work in a professional environment in Bangladesh.
I’ve also a big fan of Kim Longinotto since my producer introduced me to her work. Kim’s documentaries are my inspiration. I was able to find my own style and curate my story better after watching her films and getting to know her filmmaking process through a fellowship program.
“Monsoon Wedding,” directed by Mira Nair, is a very nice feel-good film which has never a dull moment. I really love the handheld camerawork throughout in this film. She has a very unique way of telling stories.
W&H: How are you adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you keeping creative, and if so, how?
EC: It’s really ironic that we completed “Bangla Surf Girls” in time to enter it into all the film festivals this year and we are unable to truly celebrate our big achievement in getting selected to premiere at Hot Docs Documentary Festival. I was to attend the Film Independent Lab from March 15 and that was cancelled days before the event. The program ran virtually and it was an amazing experience. It certainly kept me and my producer very busy. We had many rich and inspiring sessions and receives lots of advice from amazing mentors.
Since the Hot Docs lineup of films were announced, we’ve also been busy scheduling meetings with sales agents talking about next steps. My producer and I have regular meetings so we’re trying to get as much done as possible. I try not to think of how wonderful it would have been to be in Toronto right now to share our film with a live audience.
I am keeping busy helping the Documentary Lab for the Bangladesh Liberation War Museum. I am also working on my next documentary, which deals with illegal adoption how it affects human lives, impacts families, a generation of adopted kids who are now adults.
I live in a household full of people and I’ve never felt so connected to my family! Hopefully our premiere will happen sometime soon in the future.
