Who is Mandy Zelinka?

Mz. Zelinka is an award-winning documentarian and author based in California. Still, she's best known for tobogganing down the Great Wall of China as a United States Diplomat and First Lady of a City.

In her spare time, she works on her memoir.

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How many years have you been making movies and how did you end up making movies? Let's talk about your project. How long did it take from the initial idea to have it ready to be released?

In the fall of 2019, I moved to Tiger Mountain Family Nudist Park in Issaquah, WA, about forty-five minutes from downtown Seattle. Branded as a 'family-friendly nudist park,' I quickly realized it was an ill-managed old skool nudist colony and started documenting.

 

Can you tell us a bit about the process you've had with Escape from Tiger Mountain?
Is it self-financed or were you able to get financing?

I literally just used the iPhone I had on me - it was old, but it worked! So for the documentary, I spent money on the music...and a hat. About $85.

No spoilers, but what will the public find in Escape from Tiger Mountain?

You’ll leave stunned, especially if you are an environmentalist.

 

Have you been inspired by any other film of the same genre?

I absolutely love documentaries. I can't stop watching them! I love the Andy Warhol series; the one on Bill Cunningham and Vivian Maier really spoke to me.

 

There are many creators who seek inspiration from other artists, literature, music,
painting, etc. To create this work have you used references from other arts? If so,
what are they?

Wes Anderson is so talented. While editing it I listened to my Wes Anderson playlists on repeat for inspiration.

 

There are great classics of cinema considered masterpieces, but for us cinema is
subjective and we also love films that critics may consider bad. Do you have movies
that are not considered masterpieces but that you could watch over and over again
without stopping? Which are?

I've recently fallen in love with I Love Dick. Just a fantastic book and series.

 

Your favorite black and white movie?

Truth or Dare. What a time capsule.

 

A very personal question, but… What are your strong points and weak points?

Not giving a fuck.

 

Do you have any other project in mind? Can you advance us something?

I just finished my trailer!

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9zj5PCB5nE&list=PLUbuHN4ppHgrWbrqRM3jXwagaC48fuljR&index=1&t=47s

 

Would you like to add something else?

Just do it.