This summer, female-directed and written crowdfunding projects are making sense of the real world by telling stories infused with the surreal. By blending common narratives and current events with fantastical elements, these artists are finding new ways of telling familiar stories.
The web series “Keep Me Posted” takes place in a heightened, extreme version of our world and is about three friends who are in constant communication with each other, but are incapable of really hearing or saying anything. Similarly, Wanjiru Njendu’s “Double Bubble” film campaign — “Reghost” and “Black Licorice” — examines universal experiences through a skewed lens. “Reghost” tells the story of two friends in a zombie apocalypse, but also explores what it’s like when one friend changes, while the other stays the same. “Black Licorice” traces the desperation people feel when their careers aren’t working out and the lengths they are willing to go to for their ambition. Plus, it’s set in Los Angeles, where things are already a bit weird and other-worldly.
Unlike the surrealism of “Keep Me Posted” and “Reghost”/”Black Licorice,” the eccentricities of “Supermarket” seem to be a product of the protagonist’s subconscious. This short film is about a woman’s boring errand morphing into a dream world where she directly confronts her insecurities, anxieties, and self-doubt about her newly-discovered pregnancy. Jasmine’s imagination helps her recognize her own instincts about impending motherhood and reconcile them with society’s expectations.
Finally, “The Language of Laughter” focuses on the unfortunately all-too-real Syrian refugee crisis. Director Reilly Dowd doesn’t shy away from the hells of a refugee camp, but doesn’t mire her audience in bathos, either. Her documentary follows refugee Hanadi and Timea, a clown who performs for the camp. As a rule, we don’t associate clowns, laughter, or humor with Syria or its refugees, but this film takes the image of a clown in a war zone and portrays it as natural and essential.
“Keep Me Posted” (Web Series) — Written by Hillary Nussbaum
This web series depicts the “millennials-are-always-texting” cliché with more melancholy than superiority. It follows the evolving relationship between three female friends who can’t quite seem to connect on any emotional level, despite their physical proximity and constant correspondence. Writer Hillary Nussbaum’s real experiences inspired the series: she found herself “using text messages as armor to protect [her]self” when she was unhappy and didn’t know how to express it. “It wasn’t a conscious decision, but it had real consequences: strained friendships and missed opportunities for connection and support,” she says. Nussbaum and her team explore well-trodden themes — growing up, career struggles, romance, the many ways we can be unhappy — while specifically focusing on how technology and social media affect them. You can contribute to and support “Keep Me Posted” by visiting its Seed&Spark page.
“The Language of Laughter” (Documentary) — Directed by Reilly Dowd
“Can there be happiness — or hope — for those who much of the world has forgotten? And are clowns just a momentary distraction, or can they open doors to something more meaningful — maybe even lasting?” These were the questions director Reilly Dowd asked herself as she traveled with a clown troupe to the Zaatari Refugee Camp. The answers to those questions are at the heart of “The Language of Laughter,” Dowd’s documentary that follows two women: Syrian refugee Hanadi and European clown Timea. Timea and her fellow entertainers try to bring joy and laughter to the camp’s inhabitants, while Hanadi attempts to stay strong for her daughters as she copes with bereavement and the suspicion that she will never be happy again. Go to the documentary’s Seed&Spark page to learn more and contribute to the project.
“Reghost” and “Black Licorice” — Directed by Wanjiru Njendu
Who doesn’t love a bargain? Wanjiru Njendu’s “Double Bubble for your Trouble” campaign is raising money for two films shot as one production. “Reghost” depicts a friendship threatened by the zombie apocalypse. Best friends Johnny and Andrew are all each other has after surviving the catastrophe. But that changes when Johnny is bitten and Andrew is the only one who can find a cure. The L.A.-set comedy “Black Licorice” also follows friends in dire, albeit more common, circumstances. Jordan is an actress moonlighting as a bank teller while she waits for her big break. Eric, a writer, wants to make a film but can’t get the money together. After his crowdfunding campaign fails, he and his buddy Matt resort to an “unorthodox method” to fund the project.
Support the “Reghost”/“Black Licorice” Double Bubble campaign by visiting its Seed&Spark page. Note: Your contribution will go towards both films.
“Supermarket” — Written and Directed by Rhonda Mitrani
Jasmine is one of those women who seems to have her shit together. She’s a poised, successful career woman who just wants to celebrate her promotion with her boyfriend. But when Jasmine stops by the grocery store before said celebration, she eats an olive, instantly realizes she’s pregnant, and finds herself in an alternative world. Every person she runs into in this Wonderland-like reality has a strong opinion on what she needs to do during her pregnancy and subsequent motherhood. “Supermarket” and its fantastical plot are a microcosm of the “culture of anxiety among expectant mothers,” explains writer/director Rhonda Mitrani. Jasmine’s simple errand turns into a warped daydream that brings her fears and personal preferences into direct conflict with others’ standards. Check out the “Supermarket” Kickstarter page to contribute to its post-production costs.
