Baby Fever is a horror short set during the golden era of 1972. It unapologetically tackles the issues of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy through a warped teenage lens. While it takes place 50 years ago, it still speaks to the current generation’s struggle for safe and accessible abortions.
Baby Fever is a horror short set during the golden era of 1972. It unapologetically tackles the issues of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy through a warped teenage lens. While it takes place 50 years ago, it still speaks to the current generation’s struggle for safe and accessible abortions.
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Story
Mission Statement
Our queer-feminist horror collective, Monstrous Femme Films, creates progressive, provocative, and political genre films- telling under-told stories and reclaiming the horror subgenres we know and love from a highly stylized, feminist lens.About The Project
A popular teen’s dream to be crowned Prom Queen is threatened when she gets pregnant with something even worse than her dumb jock boyfriend’s offspring!
Baby Fever is a political, highly stylized, retro-horror feminist flick with entirely practical effects, mesmerizing visuals, a synth-heavy score, and authentically vintage wardrobe and production design to send you back in time to 1972. Inspired by prom horror films from the ‘70s and ‘80s, such as Carrie (1976) and Hello Mary Lou Prom Night 2 (1987), as well as classic pregnancy and womb horror films like Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and The Brood (1979), Baby Fever takes our favorite horror subgenres for a modern spin.
Revisiting the topic of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy is as important to us as ever under our current socio-political climate. Looking at this topic through the lens of the horror genre makes it easy to incorporate strong political overtones in a digestible way. 
"I grew up on the horror genre, but for a long time, I felt incredibly out of place because of my love of the gruesome and grotesque. I felt exiled by the feminist community for my love of exploitation cinema, and at the same time, I felt exiled from the horror community for my strong political beliefs and female perspective. We are taught that horror is exploitative, that it disrespects women and other marginalized communities, that it’s offensive, that it's tasteless…but while the horror genre has a problematic history, it is also rich with empowered female characters and progressive parables, tackling socio-political issues that other film genres dared not touch at the time."
- Hannah May Cumming (Director/Co-Writer)
Baby Fever is what you might call a “sick chick flick”. Campy and witty like Jennifer’s Body, Heathers, or Scream Queens...but with dark and disturbing body horror elements in the same vein as Cronenberg’s The Fly and Lynch’s Eraserhead.
Exploring progressive politics through the horror medium is important to us at MFF, and doing so through a creative, stylized lens gives us the opportunity to reinvent and reclaim the subgenres that have exploited us in the past in a unique, refreshing way.Get immersed into the world of this '70s teen fever dream, with atmospheric, retro color palettes and strong visual cues. Each character will have their own unique color story, inspired by a mix of heightened '70s design and horror tropes! Think That 70s Show and The Brady Bunch but done by John Waters... for the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.
Meet the characters that'll make your blood curdle...
Say hello to the queen bee herself, Donna Hartman!
17 year old high school senior and certified bombshell, Donna, is a popular, high school dream queen who embodies the mean girl energy we hate to love. She doesn’t have the patience for those in her way and won’t hesitate to get what she wants. She is part Mary Lou Maloney, part Marcia Brady.
Meet miss second-in-command, Brenda "Brendy" Myer!
16 year old high school junior, Brendy, is Donna’s best friend and right hand gal. She is Donna’s overachieving shadow, always there to take the credit whenever possible. Brendy is unwieldy with the capacity to be sweet to you one moment, then snap at you the next. While she is competitive, she’s still very supportive of her bestie Donna… well, when it benefits her.
Guess who just got out of football practice? It's Trip Baker!
Star quarterback and high school heartthrob, Trip Baker (17) is the quintessential ‘70s jock. Confident and cocky, he is the king of the hallways. His lush hair and good looks distract from his airhead qualities. His new relationship with Donna is young and fierce, but is as shallow as can be.
Help! Our water broke!
We believe in this project so much that we are investing in it ourselves! But we need your help. We are looking to raise $8K with a stretch goal of $10K for this project from the community, of which we the filmmakers will personally match, resorting in a $16K-$20K budget to complete the film.
In addition to achieving the ambitious practical effects, costumes, locations, etc. that we are aiming for, we value creating a safe, collaborative, and comfortable environment in front of and behind the camera. Reaching our campaign goal will make it so we can feed our hardworking cast and crew and keep our team safe during COVID-19 with testing, PPE, and sanitization stations on set.
We're looking forward to taking our work with Monstrous Femme Films to the next level with this project, and we would greatly appreciate your support along the way! If you liked (and we hope you did!) the highly-stylized retro worlds of our previous works, FANATICO, made for under $1K, and Camp Calypso, made for under $3K, then imagine what we could do with a bigger budget! Baby Fever will be the first film we are producing for our upcoming feminist horror anthology full of unique, highly-stylized, feminist horror featurettes by a collection of diverse filmmakers- the biggest project we plan to pull off to (due) date!
It's time to pop the big question... will you be our date to prom '72?
Incentives
$10
Germinal
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For helping us make this far out dream come true we will personally shout you out on our social media!
$25
Embryonic
Congratulations! It's twins! You get a random scene from the script and a personalized digital pregnancy announcement! We will also thank you in the credits!
$50
Pre-Natal
Morning sickness getting to you? Try this! You get everything from the “Embryonic” level, plus a MFF sticker pack (including a Baby Fever sticker, MFF sticker, Fanatico sticker, and Camp Calypso sticker), a digital copy of the film, and an exclusive “Vote for Donna!” 1972 prom campaign pin and prom flyer!
$100
1st Trimester
Craving something strange? You get everything from the “Pre-Natal” level, plus a hardcopy of the script (watermarked with your name!), a digital process pack -- containing our pitch deck, shot list, various moodboards and storyboards, and access to a virtual production meeting or table read (whichever you prefer) via Zoom!
$250
2nd Trimester
Finally you're showing! You get everything from the “1st Trimester” level, plus an exclusive Monstrous Femme Films prom sash, a Monstrous Femme Films sweatshirt, and an invite to the prom! -- I mean Premiere
$500
3rd Trimester
There's no turning back now! You get everything from the “2nd Trimester” level, plus a Baby Fever poster print, a creature replica from the film, and our exclusive “It’s a Parasite!” Baby Shower gift bag!
$1,000
After-Birth
After a tough labor, you should treat yourself with something special. You get everything from the “3rd Trimester” level, plus an Associate Producer credit, a prop from the film, and an exclusive collector's edition DVD copy of Monstrous Femme’s first entire trilogy-- including FANATICO, Camp Calypso, and Baby Fever!
$5,000
Sperm Donor
Help bear this child with us! You get everything from the “3rd Trimester” level, plus an Executive Producer credit, a prop of your choice, script feedback from the Monstrous Femme Films development team, and an exclusive collector's edition DVD copy of Monstrous Femme’s first entire trilogy-- including FANATICO, Camp Calypso, and Baby Fever!
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
Germinal
For helping us make this far out dream come true we will personally shout you out on our social media!
$25
Embryonic
Congratulations! It's twins! You get a random scene from the script and a personalized digital pregnancy announcement! We will also thank you in the credits!
$50
Pre-Natal
Morning sickness getting to you? Try this! You get everything from the “Embryonic” level, plus a MFF sticker pack (including a Baby Fever sticker, MFF sticker, Fanatico sticker, and Camp Calypso sticker), a digital copy of the film, and an exclusive “Vote for Donna!” 1972 prom campaign pin and prom flyer!
$100
1st Trimester
Craving something strange? You get everything from the “Pre-Natal” level, plus a hardcopy of the script (watermarked with your name!), a digital process pack -- containing our pitch deck, shot list, various moodboards and storyboards, and access to a virtual production meeting or table read (whichever you prefer) via Zoom!
$250
2nd Trimester
Finally you're showing! You get everything from the “1st Trimester” level, plus an exclusive Monstrous Femme Films prom sash, a Monstrous Femme Films sweatshirt, and an invite to the prom! -- I mean Premiere
$500
3rd Trimester
There's no turning back now! You get everything from the “2nd Trimester” level, plus a Baby Fever poster print, a creature replica from the film, and our exclusive “It’s a Parasite!” Baby Shower gift bag!
$1,000
After-Birth
After a tough labor, you should treat yourself with something special. You get everything from the “3rd Trimester” level, plus an Associate Producer credit, a prop from the film, and an exclusive collector's edition DVD copy of Monstrous Femme’s first entire trilogy-- including FANATICO, Camp Calypso, and Baby Fever!
$5,000
Sperm Donor
Help bear this child with us! You get everything from the “3rd Trimester” level, plus an Executive Producer credit, a prop of your choice, script feedback from the Monstrous Femme Films development team, and an exclusive collector's edition DVD copy of Monstrous Femme’s first entire trilogy-- including FANATICO, Camp Calypso, and Baby Fever!
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Who is Monstrous Femme Films?
Our queer-feminist film collective, Monstrous Femme Films, spearheaded by horror filmmakers Hannah May Cumming and Emma Cogan (pictured below), was born with the first installment of our feminist horror featurettes- the sex-positive neo-giallo FANATICO in 2018, which made a splash in the festival scene, taking home countless awards including the “Abby Normal Award” from the Portland Horror Film Festival. The film was released by ALTER in 2020. Since then, we have also completed our ‘70s summer camp creature featurette, Camp Calypso, in March of 2020.
On top of filmmaking, we’ve branched out to horror curation and virtual genre-based content focused on uplifting the voices of underrepresented filmmakers, creators, and topics. With 2 progressive, stylish horror films under our belt, production begins this year on our biggest venture yet-- a feminist horror anthology collection, including the third installment to Hannah May Cumming's trilogy, the upcoming Baby Fever, a '70s prom pro-choice body horror featurette, and Emma Cogan's directorial debut Penny & The Poppies, a queer, retro-surrealist psychological horror set in the '60s. As a collective, we are focused on producing progressive, political horror flicks and carving out a place for young women, non-binary, and queer folks in the horror genre- both in front of and behind the scenes.
Check out what we've birthed already!
FANATICO (2019)
When students moonlighting as sex workers begin being murdered at a Catholic boarding school, the new girl with strange visions must try to uncover the truth.
Watch the full short on ALTER here.
CAMP CALYPSO (2020)
A '70s summer camp with a history of misogyny is hunted by a vengeful, man-eating siren that lives in the lake.
Watch the trailer here.
Meet the Baby Fever team!
We are so grateful to be working with such fantastic, kind collaborators. Get to know this lovely group of ghouls below!
Hannah May Cumming
Writer/Director
Hannah May Cumming is a British-South African filmmaker with a focus in the horror genre. Growing up on half hour horror anthologies like Goosebumps, she was inspired to craft her shorts around that same type of 20 minute, three act plot structure - but with more adult subject matter. Her work is an amalgamation of campy horror, socio-political commentary, and her love of retro design and fashion. Hannah’s debut short FANATICO has been distributed by ALTER, amassing almost 100k views in a few months. She also recently won the Best Director award from Oregon Scream Week for her second film, Camp Calypso.
Alex Hartwig
Writer/Producer
Alex Hartwig is an ambitious filmmaker with a passion for expression and collaboration. Hailing from the suburbs of Washington D.C. Alex is a writer and producer with a busy mind. His first dip into film was writing and directing tech horror I Love My Computer in 2018, before connecting with MFF, producing Camp Calypso, and graduating from PSU with a BFA. Alex is currently co-writing and producing Baby Fever, Monstrous Femme’s upcoming 2022 film. Alex aspires to challenge himself creatively in every project he is apart of while supporting each other every step of the way.
Emma Cogan
Producer/Costume Designer/Art Director
Emma Cogan is a horror-focused filmmaker and queer, Jewish vampire-cowgirl hailing from Portland, Oregon. Taking notes from ‘70s horror cinema and the mid-century new wave scene, Emma’s work explores the twisted side of the human condition through a feminist lens; juxtaposed with surreal, technicolor, and campy visuals inspired by the likes of Ken Russell, Jaques Demy, and John Waters. Emma has brought her retro horror expertise to MFF’s FANATICO and Camp Calypso as a producer and costume designer. In addition to Baby Fever, Emma is currently writing her directorial debut- Penny & The Poppies, a queer, retro-surrealist psychological horror set in the swinging ‘60s, slated for release in late 2022.
Charlotte Newsom
Co-Producer
Charlotte is a driven and detail-oriented filmmaker inspired by the business side of the entertainment industry. She was raised on 80s horror, which greatly influences her palette as both a movie maker and a movie lover. Charlotte has produced several short films, including the short horror "Remedy", which received an award for Best Produced Screenplay at HorrorHaus Film Festival 2019. Charlotte has also worked as a production coordinator, production secretary and producer's assistant on a variety of television shows and movies.
Owen Demetre
Line Producer
Owen grew up in Oregon and has been working in the Film industry for 8 years. He is finishing up his degree at PSU in Finance, International Business and Psychology. He has a wide range of experience from producing and directing, to marketing and finance. He started his own production company, Pinakes Productions, as a way to create an inclusive community of artists and to build a more socially centered company.
Jade Harris
Production Designer
Jade Harris is a Production Designer residing in Portland, OR. Jade approaches every project with an obsessive love of color, design, and visual storytelling. This is obvious in the layered, detailed sets she creates. Jade is excited to combine this love with her extensive knowledge of past decades to help bring Baby Fever to life.
Mike Marchlewski
Director of Photography
Mike is a DP from London now living and working in Portland OR. Mike approaches each project with a new set of principles and vision. He believes each project needs to be examined through the use of space, light and movement. He loves working with directors to explore and discover the language of the film.
(More team bios coming soon!)
Blake Hawes
1st AD
Blake Hawes snuck in through the back door. Failed attempt to go to college left him floating in the oddjob nether. Working Craigslist jobs on random productions around town, he eventually snaked his way into an internship on a Nicolas Cage film, and has been working professionally as a production assistant / production staff on numerous productions . Having worked on productions for TBS, Hulu, Sony, Neon, and most recently, A24 and HBO. Blake has had a crash course in seeing how different productions at different sizes operate. He is extremely excited to do something with his friends and scale up together. An avid lover of just about everything, he hopes he bring the team of Baby Fever whatever they need to see it through to the end.
Meet the leads!
Helena Berens as DONNA HARTMAN
Helena Berens is a Portland based actor who will be playing the role of Donna Hartman in Baby Fever. She has been acting since age 5, and is so incredibly excited to play the mean girl you secretly love. Baby Fever originally piqued her interest because while it’s campy, funny, and practically oozing nostalgia, it’s still raising awareness about teen pregnancy and abortion laws and stigmas, some subjects she feels are especially prevalent right now. Helena always loves an opportunity to act, but is particularly proud to part of a production that centers around such an important topic while still entertaining the audience.
Georgia Thomas as BRENDA "BRENDY" MYER
Georgia Thomas, an actor native to Portland, received theater training from Santa Clara University and University of Oregon and has performed in various plays, improv groups, and A capella groups. Her most notable stage roles have been the titular character in Peter Pan, The Woman in Florian Zeller’s The Father and Madge in William Inge’s Picnic, for which she was nominated for an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. Georgia is incredibly excited to be making her film debut as Brendy in Baby Fever. She began her transition from stage to camera not long before the pandemic began but patience during this time has been well worth it and she is thrilled to make her return to acting in this vibrant, evocative, and socially relevant film.
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