When 22 year-old Rae (Madeleine Coghlan), a descendant of Holocaust survivors, is targeted by Neo-Nazis in Billings, Montana, her ancestors' trauma becomes real. Rae’s best friend Chrissy B. (Devery Jacobs) has a new boyfriend, and Rae, newly single, befriends an older man Wolf (Angelo Rizzo) who leads her on a downward spiral of substance abuse. After hitting a low, Rae returns home to her mother Maggie (Casidee Riley) and uncovers the truth about a childhood accident. As antisemitism continues to rise in the community of Billings, we follow Rae on her journey to forgive herself, her mother, and the broken world.
Inspired by true events, this coming-of-age story shows the inherited effects of historical trauma and the strength of survival and healing.
Alana Waksman (she/her) is an Ashkenazi writer, director, and first generation descendant of Holocaust survivors from Poland. She is an alum of the USC School of Cinematic Arts MFA in Film & Television Production, and Connecticut College BA in Theater and English.
WE BURN LIKE THIS, Alana's debut feature, stars Madeleine Coghlan (THE ROOKIE) and Devery Jacobs (RESERVATION DOGS) and is executive produced by Neda Armian (RACHEL GETTING MARRIED). The film premiered at the 2021 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, internationally at Deauville American Film Festival, and has played at 31 festivals and garnered 10 awards. The film was released in theaters and on VOD in June 2022, and internationally in 2023.
She is currently in production for her debut nonfiction short, VARIOUS WAYS TO CRY AND YELL, and in development for her sophomore fiction feature, SHE FALLS LIKE WATER, which was a semi-finalist at the 2022 Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition.
