The Heiress Film & Television Series
New York City, New York | Film Short
Biography, Drama
This is the true, tragic story of Christina Onassis, who successfully took over her father's international shipping conglomerate when she was only 24. She struggled fiercely with her own self-confidence and search for love, as the world treated her like nothing more than a tabloid headline.
The Heiress Film & Television Series
New York City, New York | Film Short
Biography, Drama
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $26,308 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
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This is the true, tragic story of Christina Onassis, who successfully took over her father's international shipping conglomerate when she was only 24. She struggled fiercely with her own self-confidence and search for love, as the world treated her like nothing more than a tabloid headline.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
You can watch our thirty-second teaser right here...
I first heard the name Christina Onassis when singer/songwriter Patty Griffin talked about her on her live album, KISS IN TIME.
She talked about a girl who could never find love because she never knew if a person really liked her, or only liked her for her family's money. It sounded like a bizarre fairytale so I went off to the library (remember those?) to learn more.
As I read about Christina's short life, I learned she was much more than a "poor little rich girl." She was the leader of her family's legacy, and inherited her father's international shipping and aviation conglomerate in her mid-twenties.
Despite her successful efforts running the company and many endeavors to find love, she died tragically at the age of 37 from complications from substance abuse.
After the death of my own father in 2005, and then my mother in 2015, I connected to Christina's heartbreak in losing her entire family in under three years' time. I realized that instead of her receiving support and compassion from the world, her achievements in business were ignored, and she was slut-shamed, fat-shamed, and generally ridiculed for most of her life.
Her real sin was being born a woman. And not playing by the rules.
I wrote a short script about Christina that placed in several competitions and got the attention of a major Hollywood producer. He told me, this is great idea, go make something with it.
I thought about making a short film, but never thought I could find the right actress. But when I connected to Lilli Kay through nothing short of Greek fate, I started to get excited.
Lilli has been seen on TV riding horses with Kevin Costner in YELLOWSTONE, and running through New Orleans with Bryan Cranston in YOUR HONOR. She is an outstanding talent and lovely human, and was immediately drawn to Christina's story.
With film and TV projects about real historical figures, it's important to have some underlying book rights. So, after a bunch of more research and emails and phone calls to Greece, I was thrilled to secure an agreement with Ms. Kiki Moutsatsos, for her memoir ONASSIS WOMEN. Kiki is an unbelievable resource; as the former secretary to Aristotle Onassis, she knew Christina and her entire family personally.
Even with all this success, I didn't think I could afford to make a short film.
Then I got a phone call. My brother in law, who lived near us and was a close friend, was dead. At the age of 42.
I was devastated. But what was worse was watching so many hearts break around me in our tight knit community. And just like Christina, what took his life was a long-running issue with substance abuse.
I looked at my script again, and it took on new meaning. I knew I had to make the film. I had no idea how, but I was going to find a way.
Fast forward to today, and the film is nearly ready. But we need your help.
We are doing this fundraiser to move forward with this project on a strong foundation.
With your help, we can pay everyone who has helped us along the way.
With your help, we can afford to finish the film and make sure it's perfect.
With your help, we can submit to and attend film festivals around the world,
With your help, we can share this story with viewers globally.
With your help, we can inspire more people to show up and stand up for themselves.
Our incredible designers for the film, including
Joyce Lai Production Design,
Andrea Lauer Costume Design,
and Lauren Citera Hair & Makeup Design, 
have dreamed up some rockin looks for our film,
set in the mid 1970s New York City.
Check it Out!
In addition to Lilli Kay playing Christina Onassis, we have Matilda Szydagis playing Anna, Christina's dutiful assistant, and Spencer Belko playing Christina's attentive butler Bruno. As Mr. Lombardi, who sells Christina the oil tanker, we have the one and only Ken Howard.
You will recognize Lilli Kay from shows such as YELLOWSTONE, YOUR HONOR, and the Oscar-nominated film RUSTIN. Matilda Szydagis is world famous for her portrayal of Zelda the housekeeper on Emmy-Award Winning THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, and has also been featured in THE SOPRANOS. Spencer Belko will be seen this fall on FOX in Rescue: HI-Surf, and Ken Howard is making his screen debut, but will be known to my many opera friends as a photographer for The Metropolitan Opera, and whose images are often featured in The New York Times and publications around the world.
What's next? News is rolling in every day about this project...Studio heads have seen our teaser and are waiting for us to finish the final cut. We have meetings scheduled in the near future in Rome and London to discuss European distribution. We have already had early invitations from film festivals in Toronto, Canada and Monte Carlo, Monaco, but we need your financial support to finish the film, get it around the world, meet new potential partners, and share this story on a global platform.
I know it does! But together we can do this!
Please contribute what you can, share this page with your friends and family and people who believe in art to make a difference in the world.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Artists & Personnel
Costs $7,500
The costs for the cast and crew to do all the preparation and come together over three days to shoot the film is huge. We appreciate you!
Post-Production
Costs $11,250
Production puts the film files "in the can," but post-production turns the files into a watchable film. Help us finish the film!
Marketing & Fundraising
Costs $7,500
Help us reach out to potential buyers about this project, have business cards at the ready, and have an excellent support team in place.
Film Festival Fees & Travel
Costs $3,750
Help us bring the filmmakers to festivals and international film markets to meet more funders, showrunners and producers in person.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer and Director Heidi Lauren Duke is thrilled to be pairing up with SUCCESSION Associate Producer Naomi Ranz-Schleifer and Producer and Actress Lilli Kay to bring this incredible story to life.
Some of you may know Heidi Lauren as a theatre and opera director for many years. After taking time to write during the pandemic, we are proud to present her first short film and proof of concept for the television series THE HEIRESS, which will use as its source material the book ONASSIS WOMEN by Kiki Feroudi Moutsatsos.
Special thanks to the incredible work of People's Television, the cast and crew, and all the talented designers, photographers and community members who are making this project possible.
Full credits for the short film will be listed as follows:
Written and directed by Heidi Lauren Duke
Produced by Heidi Lauren Duke and Naomi Ranz-Schleifer
CAST:
Christina Onassis … Lilli Kay
Anna ... Matilda Szydagis
Bruno ... Spencer Belko
Mr. Lombardi … Ken Howard
Photographers
Ken Howard
Christopher Jeyes
Trey McIntyre
Naomi Ranz-Schleifer
Executive Producers Nicholas Bruckman and Breanne Hiser
Producer Adam Simon
Director of Photography Zach Stoltzfus
Editor Kevin Birou
Costume Design Andrea Lauer
Production Design Joyce Lai
Hair and Makeup Design Lauren Citera
Colorist - Rita Ushakova
Sound Mixing - Ryan Haslett
Original Music - Stephen Krecklo
"Come and Get It, Girl" Original song written and performed by Heidi Lauren Duke
with Kyle Woolard, Ron Kelley, Geoff Goodhue, and Howie Cantor
Arranged by Ron Kelley and Heidi Lauren Duke
Recorded and Mixed by Glorious Leader at Analog Studios, West Glover, Vermont
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
You can watch our thirty-second teaser right here...
I first heard the name Christina Onassis when singer/songwriter Patty Griffin talked about her on her live album, KISS IN TIME.
She talked about a girl who could never find love because she never knew if a person really liked her, or only liked her for her family's money. It sounded like a bizarre fairytale so I went off to the library (remember those?) to learn more.
As I read about Christina's short life, I learned she was much more than a "poor little rich girl." She was the leader of her family's legacy, and inherited her father's international shipping and aviation conglomerate in her mid-twenties.
Despite her successful efforts running the company and many endeavors to find love, she died tragically at the age of 37 from complications from substance abuse.
After the death of my own father in 2005, and then my mother in 2015, I connected to Christina's heartbreak in losing her entire family in under three years' time. I realized that instead of her receiving support and compassion from the world, her achievements in business were ignored, and she was slut-shamed, fat-shamed, and generally ridiculed for most of her life.
Her real sin was being born a woman. And not playing by the rules.
I wrote a short script about Christina that placed in several competitions and got the attention of a major Hollywood producer. He told me, this is great idea, go make something with it.
I thought about making a short film, but never thought I could find the right actress. But when I connected to Lilli Kay through nothing short of Greek fate, I started to get excited.
Lilli has been seen on TV riding horses with Kevin Costner in YELLOWSTONE, and running through New Orleans with Bryan Cranston in YOUR HONOR. She is an outstanding talent and lovely human, and was immediately drawn to Christina's story.
With film and TV projects about real historical figures, it's important to have some underlying book rights. So, after a bunch of more research and emails and phone calls to Greece, I was thrilled to secure an agreement with Ms. Kiki Moutsatsos, for her memoir ONASSIS WOMEN. Kiki is an unbelievable resource; as the former secretary to Aristotle Onassis, she knew Christina and her entire family personally.
Even with all this success, I didn't think I could afford to make a short film.
Then I got a phone call. My brother in law, who lived near us and was a close friend, was dead. At the age of 42.
I was devastated. But what was worse was watching so many hearts break around me in our tight knit community. And just like Christina, what took his life was a long-running issue with substance abuse.
I looked at my script again, and it took on new meaning. I knew I had to make the film. I had no idea how, but I was going to find a way.
Fast forward to today, and the film is nearly ready. But we need your help.
We are doing this fundraiser to move forward with this project on a strong foundation.
With your help, we can pay everyone who has helped us along the way.
With your help, we can afford to finish the film and make sure it's perfect.
With your help, we can submit to and attend film festivals around the world,
With your help, we can share this story with viewers globally.
With your help, we can inspire more people to show up and stand up for themselves.
Our incredible designers for the film, including
Joyce Lai Production Design,
Andrea Lauer Costume Design,
and Lauren Citera Hair & Makeup Design,
have dreamed up some rockin looks for our film,
set in the mid 1970s New York City.
Check it Out!
In addition to Lilli Kay playing Christina Onassis, we have Matilda Szydagis playing Anna, Christina's dutiful assistant, and Spencer Belko playing Christina's attentive butler Bruno. As Mr. Lombardi, who sells Christina the oil tanker, we have the one and only Ken Howard.
You will recognize Lilli Kay from shows such as YELLOWSTONE, YOUR HONOR, and the Oscar-nominated film RUSTIN. Matilda Szydagis is world famous for her portrayal of Zelda the housekeeper on Emmy-Award Winning THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, and has also been featured in THE SOPRANOS. Spencer Belko will be seen this fall on FOX in Rescue: HI-Surf, and Ken Howard is making his screen debut, but will be known to my many opera friends as a photographer for The Metropolitan Opera, and whose images are often featured in The New York Times and publications around the world.
What's next? News is rolling in every day about this project...Studio heads have seen our teaser and are waiting for us to finish the final cut. We have meetings scheduled in the near future in Rome and London to discuss European distribution. We have already had early invitations from film festivals in Toronto, Canada and Monte Carlo, Monaco, but we need your financial support to finish the film, get it around the world, meet new potential partners, and share this story on a global platform.
I know it does! But together we can do this!
Please contribute what you can, share this page with your friends and family and people who believe in art to make a difference in the world.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Artists & Personnel
Costs $7,500
The costs for the cast and crew to do all the preparation and come together over three days to shoot the film is huge. We appreciate you!
Post-Production
Costs $11,250
Production puts the film files "in the can," but post-production turns the files into a watchable film. Help us finish the film!
Marketing & Fundraising
Costs $7,500
Help us reach out to potential buyers about this project, have business cards at the ready, and have an excellent support team in place.
Film Festival Fees & Travel
Costs $3,750
Help us bring the filmmakers to festivals and international film markets to meet more funders, showrunners and producers in person.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer and Director Heidi Lauren Duke is thrilled to be pairing up with SUCCESSION Associate Producer Naomi Ranz-Schleifer and Producer and Actress Lilli Kay to bring this incredible story to life.
Some of you may know Heidi Lauren as a theatre and opera director for many years. After taking time to write during the pandemic, we are proud to present her first short film and proof of concept for the television series THE HEIRESS, which will use as its source material the book ONASSIS WOMEN by Kiki Feroudi Moutsatsos.
Special thanks to the incredible work of People's Television, the cast and crew, and all the talented designers, photographers and community members who are making this project possible.
Full credits for the short film will be listed as follows:
Written and directed by Heidi Lauren Duke
Produced by Heidi Lauren Duke and Naomi Ranz-Schleifer
CAST:
Christina Onassis … Lilli Kay
Anna ... Matilda Szydagis
Bruno ... Spencer Belko
Mr. Lombardi … Ken Howard
Photographers
Ken Howard
Christopher Jeyes
Trey McIntyre
Naomi Ranz-Schleifer
Executive Producers Nicholas Bruckman and Breanne Hiser
Producer Adam Simon
Director of Photography Zach Stoltzfus
Editor Kevin Birou
Costume Design Andrea Lauer
Production Design Joyce Lai
Hair and Makeup Design Lauren Citera
Colorist - Rita Ushakova
Sound Mixing - Ryan Haslett
Original Music - Stephen Krecklo
"Come and Get It, Girl" Original song written and performed by Heidi Lauren Duke
with Kyle Woolard, Ron Kelley, Geoff Goodhue, and Howie Cantor
Arranged by Ron Kelley and Heidi Lauren Duke
Recorded and Mixed by Glorious Leader at Analog Studios, West Glover, Vermont