Oxana Nabokova

Party goers talk about the Orlando Tragedy

This Thursday we will be celebrating Madonna’s birthday on a Cruise around Manhattan.
It will be our 4th anniversary and not everyone knows but the idea of our Boat Party came up because of the “Like a Prayer” film.

In June, 2016 I began to shoot the “Like a Prayer” Film in NYC. I didn’t know how my film would look like, which story was going to be in it, but I knew that I would need a lot of footage of Madonna fans. So I decided to capture Madonna parties. My bestie Jeannie Buxo, throws these parties in Manhattan for over 20 years in one of the most popular gay bars. And then.. the tragedy in Orlando happened. Of course, all entertainment events were canceled or postponed all over America. A month later, people began to come back to normal life, but everyone still could feel the tragedy. And no one has a real desire to go to go out, they didn’t feel save.

August 16th was coming up and we decided to celebrate Madonna’s Birthday on a Boat. We had fans from Canada, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and all over the U.S.

I interviewed a lot of people. Somehad friends in Orlando. We all talked a lot about the need for tougher gun control laws in America. Fans shared their experience in their own home country. It was a very unique atmosphere. I remember, how amazing it was, when all fans stayed together near the Statue of Liberty and we all sang together “Like a Prayer”.

It’s just to terrifying to write what happened 3 years ago and to understand, that today, nothing has changed since that time.. Madonna recently released her video “God Control”. And we all know why.

During my screening of a “Like a Prayer” a lot of fans asked me to release outtakes from the film. I have a lot of footage, that I didn’t use in the film.
I didn’t include anything about “Gun Controls” in my first part of the “Like a Prayer” film , but I’m planning to do it in the second part. If you know anyone who can be part of this subject, please send me your story to mayaproductions2019@gmail.com

Meanwhile, a Madonna boat party to celebrate her birthday around Manhattan has become a tradition.

Last year we organized a pole performance on the Boat. We invited an amazing pole performer Mona Maria, she was a choreographer for the “Rebel Heart Tour”, she taught Madonna pole skills for here “Holy Water” Performance.

Our 4th annual Madonna Birthday Boat Party will happen this Thursday, August 15th.
Join us and get your tickets here: http://Madonnaboat.eventbrite.com

Official Photo from the Like a Prayer Poster, by Jeannie Buxo

It was my big dream to create a very inspirational project about life. And I’m really happy with “Like a Prayer 1” and all of my upcoming world screenings. Now, I’m already working hard on Part 2. And I’m still looking for inspirational fans stories. I’m especially interested in the story of fans, whose job is directly dependent on saving people’s lives (fireman, surgery doctor, lifeguard, rescue team member, etc.), the story of people who like to unconditionally help others, or a story about someone who has a disability.

I remember, one time I went to see the ”The Backstreet Boys”. I was depressed, because I had a problem in my old job. At the concert, I met a group of people who were deaf. Everyone from that group was dancing and had so much fun, that I would never notice, that they can’t hear the music. If I wouldn’t see that man, who give them sign language. I understood, that all my problems were meaningless and stupid.

Like a Prayer 2 Documentary, currently filming in NYC

Any story can be part of “Like a Prayer 2”. It doesn’t necessarily have to be those kinds of stories above. I will be choosing several stories that will be united by the same idea and most likely will have a continuation from the previous story. If your story doesn’t get picked for the second part, it’s not because it’s not interesting, each story is interesting, there’s a real life behind each story.

So far, I have already gotten so many inspirational stories. There are so many falls and rises in each story. A lot of people wrote the same sentence “Madonna saved my life.” What a powerful statement. How can anyone not believe in the power of music after reading these stories?

I had written before, that I was literally in tears reading many of the stories about the pain and challenges that many people went through, about love, disappointments in their life, and about light that Madonna brought into their life.

I would like to share with you now a small part of some stories. (published with permission)

Jillian Roberts

” I played Medillan for Mom before her passing. She clapped smiling knowing I was excited about new music, she wanted nothing more for me to escape for a moment during her hospice.

Madonna’s music saved my life!!

She reaches parts of you that can’t be touched by human hands, good or bad. Madonna is my savior, the light in my life when I can no longer see. My heart that still beats when I feel numb. I’ve always said, Madonna will never know the magnitude of what she’s done for me. I will spend my life trying to thank her. Maybe this is my chance

Anonymous

“My Fan moment started with Like a Prayer. Mesmerized by her voice and visuals she compelled me.

1990 being the height of the AIDS hysteria, there was this woman putting her career on the line for the gay community at a time when it was scary to be gay in the world. We were all dying and no one wanted to help, when it was career suicide to help us and with a President that didn’t mutter a word of what was going on for 8 years.

The one thing I had to hold on to was Madonna on TV on every interview telling us not to give up and we were perfect the way we were. I prayed every day to not be gay and not die of AIDS..

While listening to The Power of Goodbye I mustered the strength to go to my clinic. By now we’re in 2009 and came backnPositive. I had it. The first thing I thought was “Who’s gonna want me now? And I can’t die yet” the thoughts of old were plaguing me. Took some time to determine that I wanted to live band that we’re not living in the age of AIDS anymore. I realized that all this time Madonna was put in my life to prepare me for this moment with her message and interviews and learn to be a difference, for now I pay it forward in an animal clinic that need so much care and love. Though Story telling is my talent, Animals have been my passion.

I’m forever grateful for this woman and always be in her debt.

Love and Light”

Thomas Evans

“I was at your screening in NYC on July 1st. I absolutely loved the film and I would love to be in part 2.

.. I have been a fan since I was 9 years old, I am 44 now. Madonna was like a goddess to me in all forms

..When I got to my late teens and early 20s, I was so ashamed of my sexuality that I turned to drugs. Madonna released Ray of Light. The song “Power of goodbye” was my song to drugs. I knew I had to let them go in order to have a real life. It took me until I was 26 to put the drugs down and recover. I am clean 18 years on August 16th. Thats right my clean date is Madonnas birthday. That is how I know I have a spiritual connection to her. People ask me all the time, Did I plan it? I did not. That is the universe sending me messages. Madonna is a spiritual compass for me in my life. I know that she is just a vessel, just like all of us in this world. As wired as it sounds God speaks to me through Madonna”.

Ryan Dean

“When I was in my 20s, it was becoming more and more difficult to ignore the truth: I was gay. I felt completely alone. I felt like I was in a town that would hate me, a family that would reject me, and surrounded by friends who could never understand..

…The song “Jump” started playing, and the world around me stopped. All of a sudden, it felt like this song was the miracle for which I had been praying. This was my sign.

I was a guy in his 20s who had never had a real relationship, and felt like I had never even had a true first kiss (because all of my girl kisses didn’t count, lol). I felt lost again, and still felt like I couldn’t talk to anybody I knew…. And Madonna announced her Confessions Tour. I needed new inspiration. Seeing her perform “Jump” live and her looking into my eyes made me feel empowered. Thanks to that experience, I found the courage to start coming out to my close friends. I found the courage to allow myself to start going on dates.

So I owe everything to Madonna. All these years later, I am now engaged to the man of my dreams and we are getting married in October. Our Bachelor Party will Be On Madonna’s birthday”

Andrea Guart

”A year ago, when I was 14, I discovered Rebel Heart and it changed my life. That time wasn’t the best time because I felt so lonely. My best friend for 9 years started saying things that hurt me and doing things to make me feel bad. Also I wasn’t doing anything to stop it because I felt inferior to her. Rebel Heart helped me to get over it and I’m so grateful to Madonna because she made me stronger with the lyrics that she wrote. My favorite song from the album is Rebel Heart because it talks about being different to other people. She taught me how to be a powerful woman and not to allow myself to be put down.

Thank you Madonna!”

Ronnie Calderon

”I have opened the doors on my own in this country. I started at very tough jobs. One day I remember this clearly, the manager humiliated me because I didn’t speak English. I remember I grabbed my time card and punched out and the manager told me to come back I looked at him and said one day I will speak better English and I will have a better job. He laughed at me and said go away. I had a CD walkman on me and the most recent Madonna album at that moment 1992 I started walking out and I played so loud why it’s so hard from Madonna (Erotica album) and I cried, cried so much. I made it home Mom was at the house and I ran to her arms. And she said to me. You are better than this and you are going to be where you want to be I know you son.

…I promised my self to speak English and to find me a Decent job and I did.

…I am happy to be who I am, I have found strength, empowerment and Happiness in any Madonna’s Lyrics and poetry.

That’s why I always love to scream to the whole world”

Gino Gebhart

“I was born with a learning disability..I been a hairstylist right after high school it was the best thing for a young man that was creative and can’t spell . I doing hair part time and love doing my clients in the salon one day a week whent it’s just the owner I love her she smart. I had a dream to go work for Disneyland and got in the wig department .After 100 days they let me go because I was not a fit.I took my traing and did the wigs for my nieces school play marry poplins . I did amazing job on the wigs .She loves Madonna she 15 she on my youtube page when I was giving her Madonna tickets . I’m kind of a torched creative person stuck in stupid with dyslexia . It’s has stoped me from marking Changes in my life fear .

I’m a really thought full person .

I cut homeless people hair .

I feel Madonna gave me tools to live out the rest my live the way god wants me to ..”