Exciting news: The short film made of my script, July and Half of August has been accepted into its first film festival, the Albuquerque Film and Music Experience.
We filmed it just a little over a year ago. The scene we shot (11 minutes long) is one part of a much larger piece, a full-length script, but it stands alone (I originally wrote just that scene as a potential one-act, and it went over so well with its first audience that I went back and filled in the blanks, really for my own satisfaction, and yet that script has – so far – traveled quite far!) If you’ve been around here for a while, you know the journey with this script. It started in March of 2009. That’s when I wrote the little one-act. I wrote it in 3 hours. It has changed very little from that moment. Sometimes (rarely) you get lucky that way. What was filmed last year is what I wrote one crazy night in March 2009. 2010 was the year of writing the full-length, surrounding that one scene with three other scenes. 2011 was the year of the LA workshop (unbelievably fruitful), and the reading in Chicago at Theatre Wit. 2012 was the year of the New York reading at The Vineyard, which got me an agent, plus “meetings,” and all the rest.
And then last year, in a flurry of preparation that came from out of nowhere, the short film came about. There was a director, actors, a crew, a location … I was Skyped into the first rehearsal, but other than that, I didn’t have much to do with it. Well, I wrote the thing, but that happened a long time ago. It all felt a little bit like a dream. It was such intense and focused activity over such a short period of time that when I flew home after shooting I almost felt like, “Did that really happen?”
So it’s very exciting to think that our little film is moving on out into the world. It will be amazing to see it on a big screen with an audience around us. Many of us are planning on going.
Director: Brandeaux Tourville
Neve: Annika Marks
Jack: Robert Baker
Cinematographer: Peter Mosiman
The film festival takes place April 18-24 in Albuquerque. Here is the schedule of films, including ours.
Oh wow, WHAT an announcement. Congratulations and here’s to many more screenings!
Thanks, Helena!
I’m going to Ebertfest and then straight down to Albuquerque, so April will be insane. But I’m very happy – and I feel almost nauseous at the thought of watching my movie in a dark theatre.
Happy/Nauseous. Both.
Make sure you wear a big fawn raincoat to the theatre, that’s how they do it in the movies!
Ha!! Good idea! Plus gigantic sunglasses.
and a floppy hat!
Wow, this is such exciting news, congratulations! Having followed the making of it (well, the last part), I feel invested and a little proud. Long live July and Half of August!
Thank you so much Lyrie!!
Outstanding!
Thanks, Steve!
Congratulations, Sheila!!!!
Thanks!
Congratulations, Sheila! I hope to see it one day!
Thanks! I can’t wait to see it myself – I’ve only seen a rough cut!!
Awesome! This is so great!
Say hi to Bugs for me in Albuquerque!
Thanks, Todd!
This is the first thing that ever made me want to go to Albuquerque…but in case my body doesn’t make it I’m sure I’ll join many who are with you in spirit. Big Congrats!
Thanks, NJ! A bunch of us on the team are planning to go, so it’s going to be an adventure. I’ve only been to film festivals as a critic – so it’ll be really fun to go on the other side of things.
Congratulations, Sheila. That is so cool.
Thank you, Carolyn!
Congrats Sheila! That’s so exciting. Can’t wait to hear how it all goes in April!
Paula – thanks!!
Congratulations! Good for you!
Thanks! I’ve known for a while, but Albuquerque just filled in their website today.
Oh, Sheila, this is wonderful news! Congratulations!
Thanks so much, Barb! It’s been such a long journey with this script – I’m basically just following it around at this point. Very excited to see it on the big screen!
Congratulations, Sheila: So very well-deserved for you, and so very interesting to have followed the process along the way — this thing has legs!
Thanks rae!
This is wonderful. Congratulations!
I’ll be that dork who replies to herself just to tell you that Mark & I are making a weekend of this, him being originally from Albuquerque and NM being next door to TX and all, so I will actually get to see this, God willing. SO excited!
I will keep an eye peeled for the floppy hat!
Ahhhh!!!! So we’re gonna get to meet, finally??
Let’s exchange information closer to the time.
Oh, and Jeez Louise, thank you, Ilyka … thank you for coming – I hope it’s fun!
I will be hiding in the back of the theatre, clutching the director’s arm as the lights go down. I hope he’s ready for it.
I have never been to a film festival in my entire blessed life so just from that standpoint it’s exciting; that it also features something I’m dying to see is so much bonus I don’t even know how to process. And, selfishly–I feel bad it’s in Albuquerque in terms of how hectic that’s going to make everything for you, but it’s a piece of luck for me because there’s always so much going on in NYC or LA that I can’t get to (and/or would be majorly intimidated by even if I could get to it, let’s be honest), but I can deal with Albuquerque. God, I hope I am not sounding like one of those asshats with a chip on their shoulders about living in flyover country . . . I am just saying, I kinda shrieked when I saw this.
Ilyka – I totally get it!! A good friend of mine lives in Albuquerque – and I haven’t seen him since 2007 when I flew in and then we drove up to Taos to crash Dean Stockwell’s art gallery opening – so there’s a bonus there too. An excuse to see my friend!
I’m sure there will be other fun films to see – to be honest, I haven’t even looked at the rest of the schedule yet!!
As of now, me, the director, and the wonderful actress (Annika Marks) are planning on going – although I’m not sure when we’ll all be arriving. It’d be fun to have a day or two to hang out and see a bunch of films, but we’ll see!!
Thank you again for coming – the film is, like, 12 minutes long … so if you blink you’ll miss it. So you guys rock.
Wow! Congrats – that’s so exciting!
Thanks!
Congratulations! The $3 Ukrainian bootleg DVD on Canal Street is just a couple of weeks away!
Ha!
Here’s hoping we get into more festivals.
This is excellent news! Congratulations!
Thanks Phil!
Sheila, this is such great news! I’d saved all your entries about this piece, and just went back and read them all. What a fucking journey. And with all you went through in the past year. I am so happy for you. Please keep us all updated! And have a safe journey.
Thanks!
Should be a fun adventure!