PHOTO CREDIT: Shawn Goldberg
It hasn’t been released to the public yet – but it’s already garnering global industry interest and media attention.
New Yorker Anna Fishbeyn first became known to most locals as the celebrated playwright /performer behind the critically acclaimed play, “Sex In Mommyville,” which rocked the city – critics called Anna “a comic genius,” compared the play to Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House,” and NYC Parent-Blogs enthusiastically recommended the play. Others know her as the brilliant author of “The Matrimonial Flirtations of Emma Kaulfield,” praised for her flamboyant style, “inventive and ornate language,” drawing comparisons to Nabokov, and once described as “How Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw might have sounded if she’d been born with a Russian Jewish mother.”
Last week, during a whirlwind trip to Toronto for TIFF – The Toronto International Film Festival, Anna was invited to talk about her latest project, “Galaxy 360: A Woman’s Playground,” on
one of North America’s most prominent media markets, CP24’s Breakfast Television, watched by millions in Toronto. The host, George Lagogianes, trying to find words to describe Fishbeyn’s impressive directorial debut, called the New York filmmaker “a cross between Fellini, Woody Allen, and Saturday Night Live.”
However you want to describe Fishbeyn’s comedic talent, it’s clear that she’s making a real impact with “Galaxy 360: A Woman’s Playground” – a boundary-breaking feminist sci-fi comedy where women rule the world and men dream of getting married. Critics have called the film “a timely, fun, feminist comedy that packs a surprisingly serious punch.” The film – and the filmmaker – made a massive impression with industry insiders at the iconic Cannes Film Festival in May. Even in a city full of beautiful celebrities decked out in their finest, Anna, truly striking, was impossible to miss. She landed on the cover of a magazine, was interviewed on French TV, featured in several international publications, and photographed by well-known entertainment photographers.
The reviewers called Galaxy 360 “a cult classic in the making” after the industry screening during the Cannes Film Festival, which couldn’t have been more prescient. But, it turns out, despite the excitement that surrounded the film among attendees, Cannes was only the beginning.
After the TIFF screening sold out in 24 hours, Anna and her team decided that they should show the film again to the public and those who couldn’t get tickets to the first screening. So the iconic Royal Cinema in Toronto hosted what turned out to be much more than a movie showing. In the Eventbrite invitation, one critical addition: “Glittery disco outfits are encouraged.”
Fishbeyn told New York Weekly: “the screening at the Royal Cinema during TIFF was the miracle I have been waiting for!”
“I’ve always envisioned Galaxy 360 as a communal experience, a shared moment where women could feel empowered and men could experience women’s lives, and humor would be the spark that would make it all come to life,” she said. “When I heard from a woman in a bar that women in Toronto were looking for ‘Glittery disco outfits’ for this film event, I screamed with joy. That woman said to me: ‘women are dressing up for you! For your film.’”
And dress up, they did! It wasn’t just women – men came out in glitter, too – to support the film. The audience was an enthusiastic sea of glittery jumpsuits, go-go boots, and sequined jackets. From the moment the doors opened, there was a party atmosphere.
Fishbeyn’s star power was evident when she stepped onto the stage, stunning in a gleaming red dress and looking like a Hollywood icon – a modern Marilyn Monroe with a feminist edge. She took the mic, full of emotion, and encouraged the audience to be part of the film.
“I made this movie for all of you! This film is about a pageant competition – and you are the audience. So don’t be afraid to participate – you can whistle, applaud, boo, and loudly support your favorite contestants. Remember the Rocky Horror Picture Show? That’s our vibe – the audience is a big part of this – so get into it, don’t be shy, and have a blast!”
She didn’t have to ask twice.
The crowd responded with excitement. Throughout the film, people screamed and whistled and – most vitally – laughed at the film’s jokes. No surprise – anyone lucky enough to get a sneak peek at Galaxy 360 will tell you that it’s hilarious.
“For me, that was a super proud moment – to have all these women and men in the audience engage and feel that they are part of the movie,” Fishbeyn said, the moment’s emotion still apparent in her voice.
By the end of the night, strangers had become friends – and a group of attendees, not wanting the moment to end, piled into the closest cafe to continue the conversation, sharing personal stories that Galaxy 360 had unexpectedly sparked, and social media posts kept pouring throughout the night in response to the film.
Naomi Poley, a retired nurse, described Galaxy 360 as “epic…a provocative movie which needs to be seen by all genders!”
Sistah Lois, well known for her long history in the Toronto performance art scene, attended the Royal Cinema event and said: “Galaxy 360 contained a relevant timeliness… compelling work…every woman ought to see it!”
One woman, who wants to remain anonymous for this article, said, “I quietly removed my bra during the film…it felt liberating!” (You’ll have to see the film to understand why!)
Mary’s Teas Founder Virginia Vidal said: “This movie will be a hit!” She added, “I love how Anna made her points with humor, not anger. I think this is a movie that men and women can watch together.”
Toronto actress and children’s book author Sarah Jillian said, “Anna was brilliant in combining humor with one of the most challenging problems that women face today, creating a film that will be timeless..”
“It’s A MUST SEE!” agreed Blue Sky’s Beauty founder Kristina Shea.
“It was cathartic – I laughed and cried – Anna is so, so, so funny – she’s hilarious!” said musician Spencer Kaufman Angelski.
“Wowsa!! [The piece is] an awe-inspiring comic relief that takes you out of this world and to the edge of your seat! A back to the future feature when goddesses rule the Universe alongside the men folk who worked in admiration for the women who nurtured them,” enthused Joanne Camilleri, filmmaker and choreographer.
The men in the audience responded, too :
“I haven’t laughed so hard during a movie in a long time!” Exclaimed TV and film producer Shawn Angelski.
Count Klassy, recording artist, said : “A masterpiece with a powerful message.”
“I was impressed with Anna’s performance, especially the final monologue! Knocked me on my ASS,” said Joseph O’Toole, a Toronto actor.
Dave Parkinson, the co-founder of a communications firm, agreed: “Now THAT was a mic drop moment!”
Fishbeyn has created a compelling and hilarious character out of Illumina, the hostess of the pageant, with numerous layers of complexity – she’s a charmer and a menace, oozing with sex appeal, and she’s a comedienne to boot. In her giant purple feathers and superhuman-high-heeled boots, Fishbeyn perfectly embodies Illumina’s flamboyant persona – it’s no wonder FABUK called Anna Fishbeyn’s fashion in the film “bold and empowering.” Entertainment Monthly News called Galaxy 360 “Iconic..as a Comedy and Powerful Message.” We won’t give the ending away here, but there’s a reason MovieMarker Magazine said, “Fishbeyn hopes to start a revolution.”
“I envision this as a world tour – it was meant to be seen in theaters, with men and women in the audience experiencing the humor, the jokes, the gender reversal together. And Toronto is where it all began,” Fishbeyn said with her electric smile.
After seeing the incredible reaction of the live Toronto audience to the film, she would like to take the Galaxy 360 Tour around the world. “In city after city – I hope this film will touch women’s lives, help them feel empowered, and ultimately feel liberated. And I hope men will laugh and empathize with women and support us. That is why I created Galaxy 360, and with it, I hope to launch MOVEMENT 360.”
The revolution has begun.
