Maggie's marrying the love of her life but will her family's disapproval deter the union?

Interview with Writer/Producer Stephanie Iscovitz, Producer Kerri Kenny and
Director Jaclyn Gramigna

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

We were really inspired as actors by the notion of creating your own work and telling female driven narratives. “Sleeping With Earrings On” originated as a one-act play that went on to win the grand prize at the New York New Works Theater Festival in 2014. We knew our journey with this story didn’t end there and wanting to immortalize our work we decided to adapt the script into a short film to reach a wider audience.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

The film is important because it sheds light on the question, does love really conquer all? And what is more important, the love/acceptance of the family you are born with or the one that you choose?

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

When you are making a film about love, it is always deeply personal to some capacity. And love itself is extremely universal, as is the notion of family (blood vs the family you choose). The strength of love, loss, significance of family, death and religious views are all forms of human condition that anyone can relate to. We wanted our audience to experience this very personal story of love and loss but through a universal lens, which is why we purposely withhold some information from them until late in the piece. We didn’t want anyone's political views to get in their way of feeling connected to our characters from the start…. to show that a personal experience (even if it’s not your own) can jive on a more universal level.

Director, Jaclyn Gramigna and shot of production.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?

Whew – it’s really been quite the journey. It started as a google document between the co-writers. After we decided to adapt it from stage to screen we were really challenged with what needed to be cut and rewritten. We had fallen in love with certain lines and moments throughout the play version and learned a hard lesson in having to kill your darlings, which we may even have killed more of if we were going to do it over. Then you have this script full of blood, sweat and tears which you shoot and hope it comes together in post. For example, when we finished our first rough cut it was clear that the angle of the story which we planned to tackle in the film (a little different from the play) wasn’t working, we didn’t have everything we needed to fully develop it (and definitely not enough funds to reshoot). That’s when the magic of post production and collaborating with fresh eyes came in because we were able to simplify the story back to its roots and make it work. We love the process of collaborating, it may be the most fun thing about filmmaking – you have this great idea and work with people who have even better ideas than yours and it becomes a byproduct of this passionate team of artists.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We filmed in CT with a team of 22 women strong. Audiences have really been inspired by the fact that we had an all female cast and crew on set. It’s also a generational story, a lot of people have told us they’ve been moved by the grandmother’s love, that it touches them and reminds them of their own family dynamic.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

It’s been humbling. The future is female and we would like to see more diversity all on sides of the camera. Overall the feedback has been more positive than we expected and thus far no one has really challenged the issues we presented. However, we would definitely be interested in showing this to an audience where it might be received more controversially.

Production Assistant, Barbara Barton, (wo)manning the slate.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Having our film more visible on wearemovingstories.com would allow us to reach a larger audience and for this project to grow beyond just us and our local supporters. As filmmakers we set out to make a film for our audience, the more people who see it (whether it speaks to them or not) the better.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Big Apple Film Festival was the last stop on our film festival journey. We would love to continue sharing our message with an even wider audience so anyone who could assist us in spreading that love. We are planning to submit to a few local screening series in NYC as we gear up for our official online release. At this point we would love to be connected with journalists/bloggers who may assist us in drumming up interest for said internet release.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

That love is love and love wins, always.

Cast and crew of Sleeping With Earrings On.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What is our moral responsibility? What is the "right" choice when everything is not so black and white? What if you had to decide between the love of your blood family vs the love of the family you choose?

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Jaclyn Gramigna - plans to shoot her first feature film in 2017 and is also working with Stephanie on a VR film.

Stephanie Iscovitz – just started the film festival run of her next short with Kerri - The Man With The Western Hat - and working with Jaclyn on a VR film that is set to shoot in January.

Kerri Kenny - recently starred in the short film The Man With The Western Hat, which just hit the festival circuit and she regularly performs with the indie improv team Sweet Babies.

Jennifer Sciarra - is getting her MFA in Film with a concentration in creative producing at Columbia University.

Interview: November 2016

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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Sleeping With Earrings On

Maggie's marrying the love of her life but will her family's disapproval deter the union?

Length: 9 min 40 sec

Director: Jaclyn Gramigna

Producer: Jaclyn Gramigna, Stephanie Iscovitz, Kerri Kenny, Jennifer Sciarra

Writer: Screenplay by Stephanie Iscovitz based on the play by Stephanie Iscovitz and Kerri Kenny

About the writer, director and producer:

Director/Producer - Jaclyn Gramigna is a filmmaker who likes to use humor to test the limits of her audience’s comfort zone. She strives to create visceral films that touch on social issues and linger after watching. She's also an avid home cook and sometimes musician who lets her freak flag fly.

Writer/Producer/Actor - Stephanie Iscovitz - As a filmmaker, Stephanie is dedicated to advocating for a stronger female presence in all aspects of film and driving social change through storytelling. She is especially passionate about telling stories with underrepresented female characters, emphasizing triumph over adversity.

Writer/Producer/Actor - Kerri Kenny is an actress, improviser and writer who focuses on highlighting honest and truthful characters, whether it be through comedy or drama. You can find her under an umbrella when on a beach.

Producer - Jennifer Sciarra is a creative producer at Different Duck Films and FoxDog Films. She has produced and coordinated two feature films, three original series', and eight short films.

Key cast: Amy Rutledge, Stephanie Iscovitz, Kerri Kenny, Sue Caro, Noelle LuSane

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): journalists/bloggers

Funders: Crowdfunding through Seed&Spark

Made in association with: SAG/AFTRA and Seed & Spark, presented by Foxdog Films, Whippersnapper Films, Nacho Average Productions

Where can I see it in the next month? Local film festival screenings