It has almost been a year since I met Elena and I feel lucky to have become her friend. An Italian, honorary American and expat in Paris, Elena impresses with more than just her linguistic skills. Her two big projects, No Country for Young Women and The Illusionists deal with issues primarily centered around women – body image, the beauty myth, marketing manipulation and gender discrimination. I was honored to have been interviewed for her No Country project which now counts a long list of text and video interviews from women of all ages, backgrounds and professions. A perfect candidate for the project is Elena, herself but alas, she prefers to stay behind the camera. Fortunately, she was more than happy to answer a few questions for me.
You completed both your undergraduate and graduate degrees in the United States. What pulled you toward an American education? How do you think it has benefited you professionally?
I grew up in a small town of 5,000 souls in Lombardy, Northern Italy. And for as long as I can remember, as a child I had an innate fascination with the United States. At 10, for my final oral exam in elementary school, I chose…
