Annalise Ophelian is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, psychotherapist, and consultant based in San Francisco.
​I saw Star Wars in the theater ten times in the summer of 1978, and was Princess Leia for Halloween that year, wearing a dress and cape my mother made for me from our old curtains. In the years between each of the original trilogy films, I busied myself with action figures, read along to storybooks on cassette, and played the soundtrack albums on my parents' record player. In the late 1980s and 1990s I watched and re-watched the original films on worn out VHS tapes and TV. I have the same feelings most people of my generation have about the Specialized Editions and the prequels (but sat through them all, on opening day, diligently). I felt proud that I saw The Force Awakens 11 times in the theater, four times opening weekend, beating my 1978 record, but still falling far short of many, many others.
I became a filmmaker in large part because of the magic I felt watching Star Wars. I became a documentarian in large part because I could not find my own stories or the stories of those I loved accurately portrayed on screen.
My work focuses on themes of representation and self-determination, particularly for marginalized communities and those who live at the intersection of multiple sorts of "otherness." I center participants as key collaborators in the storytelling process, before during and after filming. For many of us, Star Wars was the first time we saw a female character holding her own on screen, and the first time we had permission to geek out on a genre previously reserved for boys. And the most recent Star Wars films, comics, books, and animated series have had unparalleled numbers of female protagonists and women in central story roles. On screen and behind the scenes, women are driving Star Wars like never before.
Other good things to know about me? I'm queer-identified and live in San Francisco with my partner of 12 years and our three Chihuahuas. I'm a trained psychotherapist with Masters and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology and work in private practice with individuals, couples, and multi-partner relationships on issues of sexuality, gender, and intimacy.
​I don't often cosplay, but when I do it's as Han Solo.
Kayla Martin (Social Media Coordinator) is a freelance writer and SEO content creator with a lifelong passion for Star Wars. Her daily inspiration and first love is forever Carrie Fisher. A pansexual cis woman, Kayla's personal mission is supporting LGBTQIA+ communities through her work as a patient advocate. During her off time you'll find her bringing smiles to kids while doing charity work as a Leia costumer in the Rebel Legion.
Alice Doye (B-Camera) is a U.K. based camera woman and motion graphics artist; she recently graduated from the University of Winchester with a BA (Hons) in Film Production and is currently working towards completing a Masters degree in Digital Media Design. A Rey cosplayer, and lover of Star Wars, Shakespeare, and coffee.
Dakota Billops-Breaux (2nd Unit Location Sound) is an Anthropology student and long-time Star Wars fan. She accredits her extracurricular interest in film and photography to her mom, an indie filmmaker and her partner in crime on the set of most projects in Dakota's film experience, including Looking for Leia. A Bay Area native, she grew up in the Mission District of San Francisco and the Dimond District of Oakland, and is currently working on finishing her degree in Boston, Massachusetts.
Looking for Leia is not licensed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with Lucasfilm Ltd. or the Walt Disney Company in any way. 'Star Wars' and related properties are trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. This is a project about the phenomenology of fandom, media representation, and the cinematic history of science fiction and fantasy films.