Based on writer/director Lily Gareth's own experience with serious illness, this film is a poignant and realistic tale of desperately clinging to youth while being dragged into adulthood. It's not so much about getting sick as it is about getting better. It's about growing up and coping.
Based on writer/director Lily Gareth's own experience with serious illness, this film is a poignant and realistic tale of desperately clinging to youth while being dragged into adulthood. It's not so much about getting sick as it is about getting better. It's about growing up and coping.
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Story
About The Project
About a year ago, writer/director/film student Lily Gareth started thinking about writing her first feature. She wanted to tell a story about transitioning from youth to adulthood, a phase she and her friends were about to enter. Then, after months of feeling strangely weak and nauseous, Lily was rushed to the hospital and recieved a life changing diagnosis: Acute Renal Failure. Suddenly, both her feature and her life were put in a wholly different context. At dialysis 3 times a week in 4 hour sessions, she began to write her first full-length feature script. Acute Failure follows Phoebe Woe, a fictional character in similar circumstances, as she navigates the world of being sick while being young, unbeknownst to many of her friends.
Phoebe is a 21 year old aspiring actress from a small east coast town now living in Los Angeles. Directionless and fairly unmotivated, Phoebe coasts through her days of attempted partying and auditioning, but her illness hinders her from being able to keep up.
Our story picks up about 2 months after Phoebe has been released from the hospital and is adjusting to her new reality. An insecure, unsure young woman, she tries to live the typical "young adult" life, but finds it just isn't for her, nor she for it.
She is called home for a weekend to be evaluated for a kidney transplant from her mother, so off she trudges to the small town of Ashford, CT (where the majority of the film will be filmed, Lily's own hometown; the main set will be her home which will save immensely budget-wise). There, she finds friends and family much the same as when she left, and learns to let go of the childhood and innocence to which she was subconsciously clinging. It's funny, it's sad, it's awkward...Never melodramatic and bordering on hyperrealistic, Acute Failure is a poignant tale of falling apart and growing up that will ring true with everyone.
The timing of the shooting of this film is paramount. About a month after wrapping filming in CT, Lily will be receiving her kidney transplant in Los Angeles and hopes the editing of the film will be a catharsis for the scariness associated with the surgery.
The cast and crew of this project have worked tirelessly to get the film to this point. With their passion, dedication, and its nature of subject, they are ready to see it through to its completion. We need your support, financial or otherwise, to make this film. Join us in telling this fresh, important story!
Incentives
$10
Sweet!
As a thank-you, you'll receive a personalized email from the cast & crew with special Behind the Scenes pictures and shoutout from our Facebook page!
$25
You're Really Sweet!
A personalized thank you email from the cast & crew with BTS pictures, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a limited first look teaser of the film delivered straight to your inbox, and a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for you!!
$35
You're Sugary Sweet
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a limited first look teaser of the film delivered straight to your inbox, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies just for you, and a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album
$50
You're As Sweet As A Hot Fudge Sundae
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a limited first look teaser of the film delivered straight to your inbox, a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for youplus EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews!
$100
...With A Cherry On Top!
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a limited first look teaser of the film delivered straight to your inbox and a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews emailed straight to your inbox, a personalized postcard from set signed by cast and crew, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies just for you, and a PREVIEW of the film before it's released to the public.
$250
Sweet Craving: Satisfied!
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews emailed straight to your inbox, a personalized postcard from set signed by cast and crew, and PREVIEW of the film before it's released to the public, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for you and a SPECIAL THANK YOU RAP VIDEO from Magurls Movies (they are totally skilled)!!
$500
You're So Sweet You Gave Us Cavities!
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews emailed straight to your inbox, a personalized postcard from set signed by cast and crew, and PREVIEW of the film before it's released to the public, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for you a SPECIAL THANK YOU RAP VIDEO from Magurls Movies (they are totally skilled), Associate Producer IMDB credit, and an INVITATION TO THE PREMIERE of the film (transportation not provided)
$1,000
OMG!! Sugar Coma!!
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews emailed straight to your inbox, a personalized postcard from set signed by cast and crew, and PREVIEW of the film before it's released to the public, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for you a SPECIAL THANK YOU RAP VIDEO from Magurls Movies (they are totally skilled), Associate Producer IMDB credit, an INVITATION TO THE PREMIERE of the film (transportation not provided), an INVITATION TO SET in either LA or CT, your choice (transportation not provided), and a 15 MINUTE SKYPE CHAT ABOUT ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF!
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
Sweet!
As a thank-you, you'll receive a personalized email from the cast & crew with special Behind the Scenes pictures and shoutout from our Facebook page!
$25
You're Really Sweet!
A personalized thank you email from the cast & crew with BTS pictures, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a limited first look teaser of the film delivered straight to your inbox, and a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for you!!
$35
You're Sugary Sweet
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a limited first look teaser of the film delivered straight to your inbox, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies just for you, and a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album
$50
You're As Sweet As A Hot Fudge Sundae
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a limited first look teaser of the film delivered straight to your inbox, a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for youplus EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews!
$100
...With A Cherry On Top!
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a limited first look teaser of the film delivered straight to your inbox and a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews emailed straight to your inbox, a personalized postcard from set signed by cast and crew, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies just for you, and a PREVIEW of the film before it's released to the public.
$250
Sweet Craving: Satisfied!
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews emailed straight to your inbox, a personalized postcard from set signed by cast and crew, and PREVIEW of the film before it's released to the public, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for you and a SPECIAL THANK YOU RAP VIDEO from Magurls Movies (they are totally skilled)!!
$500
You're So Sweet You Gave Us Cavities!
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews emailed straight to your inbox, a personalized postcard from set signed by cast and crew, and PREVIEW of the film before it's released to the public, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for you a SPECIAL THANK YOU RAP VIDEO from Magurls Movies (they are totally skilled), Associate Producer IMDB credit, and an INVITATION TO THE PREMIERE of the film (transportation not provided)
$1,000
OMG!! Sugar Coma!!
A personalized thank you email from cast & crew, a shoutout on our Facebook page, a free download of crew member Marcus Johnson's debut album, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to cast and crew interviews emailed straight to your inbox, a personalized postcard from set signed by cast and crew, and PREVIEW of the film before it's released to the public, a GRATEFUL DANCE VIDEO from all of us at Magurls Movies, just for you a SPECIAL THANK YOU RAP VIDEO from Magurls Movies (they are totally skilled), Associate Producer IMDB credit, an INVITATION TO THE PREMIERE of the film (transportation not provided), an INVITATION TO SET in either LA or CT, your choice (transportation not provided), and a 15 MINUTE SKYPE CHAT ABOUT ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF!
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
After meeting at a party their first week of freshman year at Cal State Northridge, Maggie Manyan and Lily Gareth developed a strong personal and professional relationship. They proceeded to co produce several short films over the next couple of years, with Lily writing and directing and Maggie acting. They dubbed their duo "Magurls Movies" and expanded their circle to include other close friends and collaborators they met at film school.
Lily Gareth- Writer/Co-Director/Actor
Maggie Manyan- Co-Director/Actor
Mary Onyango- Assistant Director 
Robert Ovan- Cinematographer
Marcus Johnson- Assistant Camera
Joshua Holly- Post Production Supervisor 
Diana Danielian- Production Coordinator 
Glenn Miller- Script Supervisor 
Chris Sankey- Sound
Melissa Manukyan- Wardrobe/Make-Up -
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