LOGLINE
A rebellious young woman starts volunteering at a hospice and develops a deep friendship with an eccentric patient with terminal lung cancer.
SYNOPSIS
While getting her totaled car fixed, Joy starts volunteering at a hospice where her aunt Mildred works as the head nurse. She develops a friendship with Charlie, a charismatic patient with terminal lung cancer. The pair is constantly at odds, with Mildred who doesn’t approve of their rule breaking.
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
"Write what you know" was one of the first pieces of advice I've received as a writer and it is one that I hold close to my heart as I do my work. Not in the sense that all of my stories come from personal experience but in the way I carefully research and immerse myself in all of the subjects I write about. I do so out of respect; respect for the life experiences of the people that inspire my characters (which are certainly more interesting than those of a guy who'd rather sit in a room writing all day) and respect for one of the oldest art forms and forms of entertainment known to man: Storytelling. However, there is more to a script than that. A small but meaningful gap between a carefully researched and properly structured piece of writing and a full-fledged screenplay. That's where my voice as a writer goes, and that voice is one of brutal emotional honesty. - Jay Villas Boas, Filmmaker
KEY CREW
Jay Villas Boas - Writer/Director
Jay was born and raised in Brazil. Before coming to NYU to pursue a degree in Film/TV, he worked a variety of jobs in professional film sets in Brazil, from PA to Assistant Director. Since 2019 he has also worked professionally for 02 Filmes, a Brazilian production company responsible for films such as City of God and Blindness, in developing and writing a TV show called Cage, which is currently being offered to companies such as Netflix Brazil and Globoplay. His most recent project, The Table, is an experimental/autobiographical short film about grief. It is currently in post-production and expected to be released in early 2024.
Anastasia Mirabelle - Producer
Anastasia Mirabelle is an American actress and producer originally from Miami, FL, currently residing in NYC while pursuing a BFA at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Anastasia has made appearances on NBC's Law and Order as well has starred in movies featured at notable film festivals across Europe and North America. As a producer, Anastasia has successfully produced five student films, all of which are currently in post-production. She has shown a remarkable ability to produce sophisticated cinema on a student budget, including an NYU intermediate film involving green screens and set building. In 2016, Anastasia served as the co-president of the Miami Dade County Chapter of the Pajama Program, a non-profit organization that provides new pajamas and books to children in need. Anastasia is dedicated to telling stories that can transcend the silver screen. With a keen understanding of marketing and the film industry, combined with her passion for community service, Anastasia strives to use film as a medium to spark discussions and bring communities together.
Steven Zambon - Director of Photography
Steven Zambon is a photographer and director of photography based in New York, whose work ranges from short and feature dramas, documentaries, music videos, and commercials. Studying both film and art history at New York University, his cinematographic practice hinges on a deep understanding not only of light, color, space, movement in cinema, but also of the broader context and history of other media. This interdisciplinary and historically-informed approach, although unflinchingly forward-looking, imbues his images with gravitas and timelessness. Harnessing the cinema’s intersection between art and technology, Steven is committed to creating images that affect the audience viscerally.
ACCOLADES
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