Cannes Short Film Corner - My Mom and The Girl
A true story based on an odd encounter that an East Coast woman with Alzheimer's (Valerie Harper) has one night on the capricious streets of East L.A. An unusual chance meeting that proves to have a profoundly positive effect on three very disparate - desperate - women.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Susie Singer Carter
Watch My Mom and The Girl on PBS, LinkTV and Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
When my mother, Norma, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and, as for so many families in America, our family was thrown into a nightmare of fear, guilt, obligation and confusion. My mother has always been a vibrant, care-giving wife and mother. A wonderful force. And while her decline has been devastating, it has also been filled with unexpected gifts of humor, love, insight and music. One of those gifts happened on a night on the streets of East L.A. - something extraordinary, inconceivably true and absolutely worth sharing.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Disease is an equal opportunity occurrence. At some point in everyone’s life, someone they love is going to be stricken with something. And it can cripple not only the person suffering the disease, but the people who love them including the very foundation of their family. I want to present a different perspective - one that is focused on the positive. On what you CAN do. And not on what you can’t.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Since the script was based on a collage of true events, very few changes occurred during the development phase. I was mostly concerned with keeping the seams invisible and concentrated on the way in which the film moves in and out of each unique story to make it appear as one continuous string of events.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Ahhhhh! The feedback has been incredible. The film seems to have touched a chord in more people than even imagined. The response we receive after screenings is often quite personal and heartwarming and on many occasions has resulted in shared tears. I have also received momentous emails that I will treasure forever.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Not in terms of the film and the themes - but in my overall view of humanity. I am pleasantly surprised and delighted and so very grateful to discover that the world is filled with much more generosity and love than I have been lead to believe. And that’s a beautiful thing. Another surprising response we received over and over is “when can we see the feature???” So, I have finished the outline in preparation...
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I want people to know that My Mom and The Girl is a potent, heartwarming and charming little film that is so much more than a story about Alzheimer’s. I want everyone to witness the unique and powerful impact that three disparate - desperate - women can have on each other. I want to diffuse the fear and change the conversation about our senior citizens and our marginalized communities.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Much like a fine chisel, I would like to see My Mom and The Girl chip away at some of the preconceived notions and inequalities of the world. I hope the film can be seen as a tool to diffuse fear, inspire new conversation, promote empathy and provide healthier perspectives towards universal … and inevitable… issues the revolve around aging, disease, caregiving, care taking, and our marginalized communities. And - very important - elder rights.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
I would ask people to describe how they imagine they will be living their senior years. What does that look like? What kind of time have they have spent with senior citizens and how do they feel about it. More often than not, these questions incite a variety of contemplation and lead to extremely personal and revealing revelations.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I just delivered a documentary that I produced and directed for the Writers Guild of America called “Women Who Wrote The Way” that throws an inspiring spotlight on some of the finest female trailblazers who have helped to shatter the ever-present glass ceiling that persists in Hollywood. In terms of developing, I am out to pitch a mini-series one of the greatest stories never told - The Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome, and would LOVE to meet with international companies here in Cannes to discuss this amazing project!!!
Interview: May 2017
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
My Mom and The Girl
A true story based on an odd encounter that an East Coast woman with Alzheimer's (Valerie Harper) has one night on the capricious streets of East L.A. An unusual chance meeting that proves to have a profoundly positive effect on three very disparate - desperate - women.
Length: 19:33
Director: Susie Singer Carter
Producer: Susie Singer Carter, Don Priess, Romell Foster-Owens, Tony Cacciotti, Mark J. Heller
Writer: Susie Singer Carter
WRITER/PRODUCER/DIRECTOR SUSIE SINGER CARTER
Susie and her partner Don Priess began their television career writing and producing two series, CAKE and DANCE REVOLUTION for CBS's Saturday morning block that resulted in a nomination for an Envi- ronmental Media Award for CAKE. Susie transitioned into features writing and producing BRATZ: THE MOVIE for Lionsgate. Following BRATZ, Susie and Don began creating and producing a variety of projects – including SURVIVING HAWKING, a half-hour animated series for Fox starring Bryan Cranston, Adam Brody and Christine Taylor and FOREVER YOUNG, a half-hour pilot also for Fox. Tak- ing a break from creating, Susie signed on to co-produce SOUL SURFER for Sony and write the ani- mated musical TWINKLE TOES 2 for Skechers. Susie is a member of the WOWGA (Women of WGA) and AWD (Alliance of Women Directors).
PRODUCER/EDITOR DON PRIESS
Before teaming up with the highly energetic and talented Susie Singer Carter as part of Go Girl Media, for over two decades, Don has shunned sleep in order to become a highly sought-after, award winning writer, producer, director and editor. In 1984 he co-founded Modern Media, now one of the top market- ing and infomercial production companies in the world. After six years and hundreds of TV and radio commercials, Don decided to spread his wings and since, his credits include projects for CBS/Dic En- tertainment, Nickelodeon, Buena Vista, American Movie Classics, Lifetime, Hanna-Barbera,and more.
PRODUCER TONY CACCIOTTI
Tony is an accomplished actor and producer with a diverse list of credits: Off-Broadway include Neil’s Garden, All Under Heaven, Short of Breath (which he also directed) and the National Tour of Golda’s Balcony (2006 winner, Touring Broadway Award). Tony co-executive produced the NBC series “Valerie (“The Hogan Family”), the CBS series “City” as well as the NBC movie “Farrell for the People.” Author of the Random House Fitness book The Cacciotti Method. 2006 inductee into the American Fitness Hall of Fame. He began his career as a performer on Broadway in The Royal Hunt of the Sun, Jesus Christ Superstar, and West Side Story. Tony is married to Valerie Harper and the proud father of five.
PRODUCED BY ROMELL FOSTER-OWENS
Romell Foster-Owens is an Emmy Award winning Producer, and award winning filmmaker who has been in the business of Writing, Producing and Directing television series, and independent feature films for more than 20 years. A proud graduate of the prestigious American Film Institute (Directing) and San Diego State University (Theatre) Romell is an Alumnus of the Producers Guild of America’s Diversity Workshop and Robert De Niro’s, Tribeca All Access Program. Other awards earned are the NAACP Image Award, the Black Filmmaker’s Hall of Fame Award for Best Independent Film and the National Council ofChristians and Jews Humanitarian Award, the Platinum Aurora Award for Excel- lence, and has won several Gold Aurora, Telly and Addy Awards, and received the Women In Film Spotlight Award for Outstanding Achievement as a film Producer.
Key cast:
Valerie Harper (Norma/Nanny) - Valerie is best known for her roles as Rhoda Morgenstern in the 1970s tele- vision series The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off, Rhoda, and later as Valerie Hogan in Valerie. She is a four-time Primetime Emmy Award win- ner. Her notable film roles include Freebie and the Bean (1974), and Chap- ter Two (1979), both of which garnered her Golden Globe Award nomina- tions. Valerie has also appeared in several Broadway productions. In 2010, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her per- formance as Talullah Bankhead in the play Looped. Recently, Valerie has been seen in Dancing With The Stars, Melissa and Joey and 2 Broke Girls.
Liz Torres (Irlanda) - Liz is an actress, singer, and comedienne. Torres is best known for her role as Mahalia Sanchez in the NBC comedy series, The John Larroquette Show (1993-1996), for which she received two Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Awards nominations. She also known for her role as Patricia "Miss Patty" LaCosta in The WB family drama series, Gilmore Girls. Most recently, Liz has guest starred in Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives, Private Prac- tice, Scandal and Devious Maids.
Harmony Santana (The Girl) - Harmony is a film actress most noted for her appearance in the 2011 film Gun Hill Road, for which she garnered an In- dependent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Ac- tress, and became the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for a major acting award in the United States. Harmony was discovered by director Rashaad Ernesto Green at the Queens Pride parade after he had difficulty finding the right performer for the role. In addition to Gun Hill Road, Santana has also had supporting roles in Eating Out 4: Drama Camp and Eating Out 5: The Open Weekend and TRANSPARENT.
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): All - for Vestal Virgins and feature version of My Mom and The Girl.
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyMomAndTheGirl/
Twitter: @mymomandthegirl
Instagram: @mymomandthegirl
Funders: Self-funded through Indie Go-Go
Made in association with: Jowharah Films
Where can I see it in the next month? I wish I could say, but we are not allowed to announce until June 9th!