HIGHWAY ONE
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Experimental, Satire
Set in rural California at queen bee Anna's New Year's Eve party, the story follows Maria, a young woman approaching thirty who has never left town. When Nina, a long gone friend from high school unexpectedly shows up, she conjures complex feelings in Maria and the inner lives of the partygoers.
HIGHWAY ONE
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Experimental, Satire
4 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $17,845 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
112 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Set in rural California at queen bee Anna's New Year's Eve party, the story follows Maria, a young woman approaching thirty who has never left town. When Nina, a long gone friend from high school unexpectedly shows up, she conjures complex feelings in Maria and the inner lives of the partygoers.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
HIGHWAY ONE is a wild ride - a journey into the psyche of humanity, a satire of our millennial generation. Full of twists, turns, passion, declarations of love & hate - the story is inspired by the work of theatre greats such as Chekhov and Turgenev - the kind of work that is revived again and again, relevant no matter what time or era. With this concept, cast (featuring some of the most exciting young actors working today) and mainly female crew - Highway One has the potential to be a breakout indie piece, that will exist and thrive in our current filmmaking climate.
Shaped around the complex relationship between two women, our team features a female led cast and crew. HIGHWAY ONE is an experimental, improv'ised ensemble feature film with a cast that includes some of the most talented young actors working today.
Director's Note:
There isn't really a film quite like this one. I can say, without a doubt, it is my favorite story I have ever written. It was born out of the struggle and frustration that makes us question our artistic existence. I have refused to give up, to adhere to any kind of conformity as an artist - and continue fighting and making film that I believe in. In that way, this concept feels very free and collaborative. It is a joy to have had so many wonderful artists respond to this script. I feel honored and thrilled to collaborate with them, building performances around their strengths as performers - and creating a new kind of visual identity that isn't often seen in filmmaking.
I was inspired by filmmakers such as Cassevetes, Bergman, Tarkovsky - and more recently the work of Kantemir Balagov (Beanpole, Cannes 2019) Amanda Kramer (Ladyworld, TIFF 2019), Sarah Adina Smith (Buster's Mal Heart, TIFF, 2016), Josephine Decker (Madeleine's Madeleine, Sundance, 2018) and theatre companies such as The Chekhov Project and Toneelgroep. But ultimately, there is no one filmmaker that inspired this project. It represents me, and my constant fascination and observation of the human psyche.
I urge you to support this project. It's unlike anything you've ever experienced.
Thank you for supporting Highway One!
- Jaclyn
Here is a glimpse into the world of Highway One:
Our cast includes Louisa Jacobson, Stella Baker, Greta Bellamacina, Vincent Santvoord, Ivy George, Belle Aykroyd, Aisha Fabienne Ross, Bailey Edwards, Marie Botha, Nhumi Threadgill, Joe Gillette, Sadie Scott, Dan Shaked, Juliana Canfield & Elizabeth Yeoman.
A GLIMPSE INSIDE OUR LOCATION
Also feel free to check out the trailers and information on Jaclyn's latest projects -
INDIGO VALLEY (feature film, coming 2020): https://vimeo.com/331706874
THE REHEARSAL (award winning web series): www.rehearsal-series.com
To read more about Jaclyn's work, check out the following articles:
https://variety.com/2017/film/news/afm-icelandic-wilderness-story-indigo-valley-1202604475/
Read more about Jaclyn & Irene (cinematographer)'s collaboration here:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew
Costs $3,500
We need your help to cover our crew's expenses.
Equipment
Costs $6,000
Our list includes camera, lighting & sound. This still is an example of the lighting style.
Costumes
Costs $1,000
Help us finance our wardrobe dept, and help bring Highway One's looks to life.
Locations
Costs $2,500
Help us pay for the attached house, our dream location where the story will become a reality.
Production Costs
Costs $6,000
Help us pay for food, insurance and all our production expenses!
Art Department
Costs $1,000
Help us finance our art dept, and help bring Highway One's world to life.
Transportation
Costs $2,000
Help us cover our transportation expenses to bring our amazing cast and crew to LA.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Find out more on our amazing cast & team below!
Writer/Director - Jaclyn Bethany
Jaclyn Bethany (Writer/Director) is an actress, writer and filmmaker originally from Jackson, Mississippi.
Called "fast rising" and "one to watch" by Variety magazine, she has worked across the states and in the UK, appearing in films such as Miles (Netflix), I Saw The Light (Sony) Worry Dolls (IFC) and theatre including Anna Karenina (Arcola Theatre), Tony Kushner's A Bright Room Called Day (UK Tour) & A Map of Virtue directed by Pam MacKinnon. As a director, her AFI Thesis film The Delta Girl starring Isabelle Fuhrmann and Caitlin Carver premiered at the Oscar Qualifying Holly Shorts Film Festival and has played numerous festivals since. Her shorts have played festivals worldwide - her short film Sunday Tide starring Sorcha Groundsell premiered in September at leading UK festival Underwire.
Jaclyn's debut feature film Indigo Valley recently completed post-production and is aiming to premiere in 2020. Her award winning NY based web series The Rehearsal is available to watch at www.rehearsalseries.com
She recently wrapped the lead role of Blanche in new indie feature Under the Lantern Lit Sky (inspired by A Streetcar Named Desire), which she also wrote/produced.
She holds an M.F.A. in Directing from the American Film Institute, an M.A. in Screenwriting from the London Film School and a B.A. in Acting from Fordham University. Upcoming projects include a role in indie feature Yellow Fire in An Empty Theater and The soundtrack for her debut feature Indigo Valley which will be released by Sony/The Orchard in December. She is slated to direct Icelandic set Day Zero, a timely environmental thriller written by her frequent collaborator Irene Gomez-Emilsson. Jaclyn is also working on a book of poetry focusing on her Southern roots and new initiatives focusing on women in the arts including new book entitled OBJECT & a female-led arts festival Juliet to launch in London in 2020.
Photograph by Rebecca Reid
THE CAST
Belle Aykroyd (Martha)
Belle graduated from San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater MFA program this past May. Since then she has been featured as a guest star on CBC’s television show Workin’ Moms and has most recently relocated to New York City.
Stella Baker (Natasha)
Stella graduated last spring from Yale Drama, and immediately went to work on the new TNT series Tell me Your Secrets, starring opposite Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater. She wrote and stars in the short film Candace which screened at Mill Valley Film Festival, Outfest, the Rhode Island International Film Festival, the Portland International Film Festival and the American Pavilion Emerging LGBTQ Filmmakers Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival. She also stars in the upcoming short film The Three Men You meet at Night by Nite Shift films.
Greta Bellamacina (Ira)
She was born in London and made her acting debut in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at the age of thirteen. She trained at RADA where she performed a variety of theatre roles, before going on do a B.A. in English at King’s College London. She released her documentary ‘The Safe House A Decline of Ideas’, in 2016 with Curzon Home Cinema. A love letter to the public libraries and an appeal against their closure.
As an actress Greta is represented by Tavistock Wood in London. Her latest film 'Hurt by Paradise' premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2019. It was nominated for the prestigious Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film and Best Performance in a British Feature film. The film is currently in nomination at Raindance Film Festival for Best UK Feature.
As a poet Greta Bellamacina was shortlisted as Young Poet Laureate in 2014. Since then her poetry has been highly praised internationally, she has edited three books of poetry including ‘Smear’ an anthology of contemporary feminist poetry. And has released four collections of her own poetry. She regularly performs her work live and on the radio. Dazed Magazine said Greta "unapologetically confronts self-image, body autonomy and our relationships with each other, celebrating the imperfect, frank woman”.
Last year she was commissioned by the National Poetry Library to write a group of poems for their Odyssey series. Her latest collection of ‘Selected Poems 2015-2017’ published by New River Press has been republished into a bilingual Spanish edition by Valparaíso Ediciones, 2019. Her new collection ‘Tomorrow’s Woman’ will be published in the US and available worldwide with Andrews McMeel, in 2020.
Marié Botha (Anna)
Marié recently graduated from the Yale School of Drama, where she was seen in Mies Julie, Slave Play, Titus Andronicus, Sweat, Blood Wedding, New Domestic Architecture. Originally from South Africa, she had a recurring role on the award-winning television drama Erfsondes. She also played the title role in the shortfilm Zoe, which was an official selection for the 2019 New York Shorts Film Festival. Other credits include: Circling the Drain and Slouch (Yale Cabaret); Alice in Wonderland, Antarctica! Which is to say Nowhere (Yale Summer Cabaret); Cate in Sarah Kane's Blasted (DUO Theater); Grace in Lars Von Trier’s Dogville (Tisch School of the Arts) and Elizabeth I in Mary Stuart (The Meisner Studio, NYU) both directed by Robert O'Hara. She was last seen in Aziza Barnes’ BLKS at MCC Theater, also directed by Robert O’Hara.
Sophia Germaine Dunn-Walker (Thalia)
Bailey Edwards (Dem)
Bailey Edwards is an actor and filmmaker from New York City. He holds a BA from Williams College, where he performed in a production of “Princess Ivona” that was remounted Off-Broadway by the Polish Consulate at NYC’s Theater Row in 2016. He received additional training at RADA and LAMDA, eventually earning an invitation to train with the Suzuki Company of Toga, Japan. His theater credits have since landed him stints at REDCAT, and a run of Too Much Sun at the Odyssey Theater in 2019. Beyond theater, his film credits include My Dead Boyfriend (2016). Netflix’s Bright (2017), and a starring role in upcoming independent thriller M.O.M.
Ivy George (Dori)
Ivy George is a Los Angeles based actress best known for her role as Amabella Klein on HBO's Big Little Lies as well as TV appearances on Twin Peaks and Girl Meets World and roles in films such as 13 Hours and Brimstone. She has been acting since she was six years old and was fortunate enough to have her first role opposite Robin Williams on his last television series before his death. She has two younger siblings, Finnegan and Elsa, who are also actors and enjoys karate, swimming, creating art, and playing guitar.
Joe Gillette (Alexander)
Joe received his BA in Acting from Cal State Fullerton. TV/Film credits include: Mad About You, Why Women Kill, and Silicon Valley- as well as the award-winning short film Reception, which he wrote and directed. Also an accomplished singer-songwriter, his two self-titled EP's can be found on iTunes and Spotify.
Aisha Fabienne Ross (Maria)
Aisha Fabienne Ross trained at LAMDA where she received a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree. Aisha is a British citizen, was born in Scotland but grew up mainly in Brunei and Australia. She moved to London to attend LAMDA. Her film credits include; The Danish Girl (Tom Hooper), Alleycats (Ian Bonhote), The Last Photograph (Danny Huston) and Drama (Sophie Matheson). Aisha was nominated for an Off West End theatre award for her performance in Dryland at the Jermyn Street Theatre, London. Other Theatre credits include Punk Rock, Romeo & Juliet, Anna Karenina and Some Explicit Polaroids.
Vincent Santvoord (Nick)
Vincent Santvoord is an actor, writer, and producer. He is co-founder of Brooklyn-based theater company Built for Collapse, and Motel Room Studios. Upcoming productions include InvulNos "The Broken Heart," and Harry Shiffman's "Brother's Keeper." When not performing he can be found on the Yeastie Boys Bagels truck.
Sadie Scott (Paulie)
Sadie Scott is a graduate of Laguardia High School of Performing Arts and the New School. Her Off-Broadway credits include “Downtown Race Riot” starring Chloe Sevigny at the New Group and recently Jack Thorne’s “Sunday” at the Atlantic Theater Company. Sadie plays Rosalyn in “Sweetbitter” on STARZ and Fiona in Emily Cohn’s “CRSHD” which premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.
Dan Shaked (Andrei)
Film: Under The Lantern Lit Sky (2020) written by Jaclyn Bethany, How To Follow Strangers (w/ Ilana Glazer) Jobs (w/ Ashton Kutcher), The Nearest Human Being (w/ Natalia Dyer), Mistrust ( Showtime w/ Jane Seymour), Swiped (2015 Santa Barbara FF), Storm Up The Sky (2011 Tribeca FF as Richard Masur's son), February (Best Short 2015 ITV Fest) A Day In Eden (2011 Austin FiF) Sweetheart (2019 Portland FF) TV: Mysteries of Laura, Body of Proof, ABC pilot Gilded Lilys w/ Blythe Danner, Age Of The Living Dead (w/ Estella Warren), The Onion News Network Webseries: Sorry Ari, Dating Myself + upcoming The Inevitable Guide To Average Adulting. B.F.A. NYU Tisch School of the Arts, studied at RADA London.
Nhumi Threadgill (Antonia)
Nhumi Threadgill, a New York native, began acting at LaGuardia High School in the drama department. The last two years she's been in the conservatory program at The Barrow Group. Nhumi has done some small theater productions, short films, guest star appearances on television, and numerous commercials - Law and Order: SVU, The Thing That Never Happened, and multiple original pieces at The Wooster Group, to name a few.
Elizabeth Yeoman (Sasha)
Elizabeth Yeoman is a London based actress and model, born in Cheltenham and raised in the Cotswolds. From a young age, Elizabeth Yeoman has had a love of performing and during childhood attended Stagecoach Performing Arts School which enabled her to participate in a number of national theatre productions. As a model, opportunities arose for Elizabeth to perform in moving image shorts including Sophie Littman’s Village Orchestraand Marie Schuller’s 1-800-vision-starwhich ignited a passion to transition into screen acting. Wishing to achieve formal qualifications to support her endeavours, Elizabeth completed an immersive acting course at RADA and studied drama two years part time in London whilst also completing her academic studies at The University of Warwick. Elizabeth’s most recent film credits include: Things Unsaid, set to premier at the Miami Fashion Film Festival 2020; Dorny Sunday’s Judith! starring Gemma-Leah Devereux, and Helen Flanagan’s Gestures of Collapseboth of which are set to premier in the coming film festival circuit; and currently in post-production, a musical drama titled The Longest Ride in which Elizabeth performs vocally in the lead role.
Supporting Cast
Van Cummingford
Van Cummerford is an actor and drummer from Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated from the School of Dramatic Arts at USC in 2018 with a BA in Theater. While attending college, he performed a principle role in the play The Waiting Room in 2016. His experience with USC theater led him to perform in a few staged readings around the LA area, including They Call Her Froggy (2016) through The Center Theater Group. Additionally, his music experience has landed him featured drumming roles in The Goldbergs (2017), the official 2018 Rose Bowl Promo with Will Ferrell as Cord Hosenbeck, and Seth Rogen's Hilarity for Charity (2018). Since graduating, he has continued his performance in the independent short film Buckets (2018) and through classes with Susie Landau Finch.
Coco McDermott
Colette McDermott recently made the move back to her hometown Los Angeles, California after spending five years in New York City. She studied at Barnard College of Columbia University, The Neighborhood Playhouse, The British American Drama Academy in London as well as with Larry Moss and Karl Bury. Colette has worked in both theatre and film and believes storytelling is at the heart of connection. She is thrilled to commit her life to this craft.
Maeve Whalen
Maeve Whalen is an actor hailing from Chicago, Illinois where she grew up with the wonderful chaos of her large Irish extended family. Maeve attended Lake Forest College where she received a BA in theater and spent a semester abroad studying at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. Upon her return, she starred in an award wining indie feature called “Bernadette.” She moved to Los Angeles after graduation to pursue acting full-time and quickly rose through the Groundlings Performance Track thanks to the foundation laid by the many Second City classes she took growing up. Maeve has starred in an award winning short “Maggie” by Tim Curcio which won best Comedy Short at the Hollywood Film Festival this past spring and in Snapchat’s Streamy-nominated series “Two Sides” which begins filming season two this winter.
Producer - Rebecca Morandi
Rebecca is a Los Angeles based, Italian producer. Early on, she started working on film sets and learning the craft hands-on. She then starting producing commercials and documentaries in Italy. Rebecca has a background in fashion commercials, working for brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Ermanno Scervino, and documentaries that took her all around the world. She then transitioned to narrative work since moving to Los Angeles. She collaborated with Jaclyn Bethany for the first time on her AFI thesis film The Delta Girl, as well as her first feature Indigo Valley.
Co-Producer/Art Director: Anna Sagatov
Anna Sagatov is an award-winning writer/director based in Brooklyn, New York. Her short narrative films and documentaries have screened at numerous festivals around the US. Her work focuses on the interconnections between art and science. As an art director, she has worked on large-scale studio shoots, features, and short films. Anna has an MFA in Science and Natural History Filmmaking from Montana State University.
Director of Photography: Irene Gomez-Emilsson
Irene is a London based, Mexican-Icelandic cinematographer. A London Film School graduate her work has been featured in prestigious festivals and markets such as Underwire Film Festival and Berlinale/EFM. Last year she shot her first feature Indigo Valley, directed by Jaclyn Bethany. She is currently a PhD candidate in Film by Practice (University of Exeter/LFS). Her research looks at the relationship between cinematography and landscape.
Production Designer: Lisa Garcia
Lisa Garcia is a Production Designer based in Los Angeles. She got her start in Interior Design, but over time her focus shifted from the practical to the imaginary as her interests brought her into Set Design and ultimately to Production Design. While Lisa’s work spans across commercial, editorial and film projects her driving vision for her work leans towards romanticized and surreal environments that heighten the perspectives of the day-day world.
Costume Designer: Daisy Stackpole
Daisy Stackpole a multi-disciplinary artist, writer, and filmmaker based in New Orleans and Los Angeles. Her life has been surrounded by art since birth; raised in beautiful Charleston, SC by an artist mother. Daisy has had the pleasure to work on a vast array of projects from teaching a feminist film seminar for high school girls, curating contemporary art shows, writing articles that contain two of her great loves, astrology, and film, and being the editorial director for Women and Film. When it comes to filmmaking, Daisy is passionate about the art department, as these roles give films a sense of time and place and establish the visual world. She is passionate about costumes, as an avid follower and historian of style. Daisy is drawn towards projects helmed by womyn, people of color, and queer people, as well as a strong narrative and visual landscape. Daisy recently designed Under the Lantern Lit Sky, written by Jaclyn.
Composer: Dalal Bruchmann
Dalal is an Austrian born and raised recording artist, film composer and songwriter.
In 2011/12, when she began her musical career in the United States, she topped the Billboard breakout charts in the US and the UK pop and dance charts. After her move from New York to Los Angeles, Dalal teamed up with Producer Nate "Impact" Jolley and they formed Dalal & The Impact Band. Dalal also started composing for motion picture productions and art projects.
Her debut post-classical EP “THE QUIET HEART” celebrated its release on Sep. 29th 2017 with The Orchard.
The piece EOS was featured on the recently released album “Pulsations” by Violinist Angele Dubeau & La Pieta alongside works by Max Richter, Yann Tiersen and Johann Johannsson.
Dalal is currently a solo artist for Warner Classics playing beautiful compositions by composer Ludovico Einaudi. An Album holding 50 signature pieces for solo piano was released in October 2018. A piano single with Ameritz Music Group/ Mellotron Records followed in January 2019. A second studio album titled “The Einaudi Sound by Dalal” with Warner Music Group/ Warner Classics celebrated its release in February 2019.
Dalal scored Jaclyn's film Indigo Valley alongside Maesa Pullman, as well as short film The Last Birthday.
Composer: Maesa Pullman
MAESA (Maesa Pullman) is a mountain-siren soul-folk americana-rocknroll singer-songwriter music-maker/multi-disciplinary creator-performer based in Los Angeles, California. She often plays with her country-funk family band, the Whole Damn Fam as well as writes and sings for Norway-based band, The Last Hurrah!! She has independently released singles, Bells, Again Again, and Woah Honey as well as a six song EP called Whippoorwill and anticipates the release of a debut full-length album. She co-founded and leads The Band of Singers, a 26-person interdisciplinary community choir. Maesa has experience composing for independent films, most recently Indigo Valley, the soundtrack for which was composed with Dalal Bruchmann and will come out on The Orchard in December 2019. Maesa records and produces music with her partner Jason Hiller at Electrosound Studios in Beverly Hills, CA. She is wildly inspired to be a part of the Highway One experience.
Maesa scored Jaclyn's AFI thesis The Delta Girl, and composed the score for Indigo Valley along with Dalal Bruchmann.
Below photo: Dalal and Maesa recording Indigo Valley
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
HIGHWAY ONE is a wild ride - a journey into the psyche of humanity, a satire of our millennial generation. Full of twists, turns, passion, declarations of love & hate - the story is inspired by the work of theatre greats such as Chekhov and Turgenev - the kind of work that is revived again and again, relevant no matter what time or era. With this concept, cast (featuring some of the most exciting young actors working today) and mainly female crew - Highway One has the potential to be a breakout indie piece, that will exist and thrive in our current filmmaking climate.
Shaped around the complex relationship between two women, our team features a female led cast and crew. HIGHWAY ONE is an experimental, improv'ised ensemble feature film with a cast that includes some of the most talented young actors working today.
Director's Note:
There isn't really a film quite like this one. I can say, without a doubt, it is my favorite story I have ever written. It was born out of the struggle and frustration that makes us question our artistic existence. I have refused to give up, to adhere to any kind of conformity as an artist - and continue fighting and making film that I believe in. In that way, this concept feels very free and collaborative. It is a joy to have had so many wonderful artists respond to this script. I feel honored and thrilled to collaborate with them, building performances around their strengths as performers - and creating a new kind of visual identity that isn't often seen in filmmaking.
I was inspired by filmmakers such as Cassevetes, Bergman, Tarkovsky - and more recently the work of Kantemir Balagov (Beanpole, Cannes 2019) Amanda Kramer (Ladyworld, TIFF 2019), Sarah Adina Smith (Buster's Mal Heart, TIFF, 2016), Josephine Decker (Madeleine's Madeleine, Sundance, 2018) and theatre companies such as The Chekhov Project and Toneelgroep. But ultimately, there is no one filmmaker that inspired this project. It represents me, and my constant fascination and observation of the human psyche.
I urge you to support this project. It's unlike anything you've ever experienced.
Thank you for supporting Highway One!
- Jaclyn
Here is a glimpse into the world of Highway One:
Our cast includes Louisa Jacobson, Stella Baker, Greta Bellamacina, Vincent Santvoord, Ivy George, Belle Aykroyd, Aisha Fabienne Ross, Bailey Edwards, Marie Botha, Nhumi Threadgill, Joe Gillette, Sadie Scott, Dan Shaked, Juliana Canfield & Elizabeth Yeoman.
A GLIMPSE INSIDE OUR LOCATION
Also feel free to check out the trailers and information on Jaclyn's latest projects -
INDIGO VALLEY (feature film, coming 2020): https://vimeo.com/331706874
THE REHEARSAL (award winning web series): www.rehearsal-series.com
To read more about Jaclyn's work, check out the following articles:
https://variety.com/2017/film/news/afm-icelandic-wilderness-story-indigo-valley-1202604475/
Read more about Jaclyn & Irene (cinematographer)'s collaboration here:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew
Costs $3,500
We need your help to cover our crew's expenses.
Equipment
Costs $6,000
Our list includes camera, lighting & sound. This still is an example of the lighting style.
Costumes
Costs $1,000
Help us finance our wardrobe dept, and help bring Highway One's looks to life.
Locations
Costs $2,500
Help us pay for the attached house, our dream location where the story will become a reality.
Production Costs
Costs $6,000
Help us pay for food, insurance and all our production expenses!
Art Department
Costs $1,000
Help us finance our art dept, and help bring Highway One's world to life.
Transportation
Costs $2,000
Help us cover our transportation expenses to bring our amazing cast and crew to LA.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Find out more on our amazing cast & team below!
Writer/Director - Jaclyn Bethany
Jaclyn Bethany (Writer/Director) is an actress, writer and filmmaker originally from Jackson, Mississippi.
Called "fast rising" and "one to watch" by Variety magazine, she has worked across the states and in the UK, appearing in films such as Miles (Netflix), I Saw The Light (Sony) Worry Dolls (IFC) and theatre including Anna Karenina (Arcola Theatre), Tony Kushner's A Bright Room Called Day (UK Tour) & A Map of Virtue directed by Pam MacKinnon. As a director, her AFI Thesis film The Delta Girl starring Isabelle Fuhrmann and Caitlin Carver premiered at the Oscar Qualifying Holly Shorts Film Festival and has played numerous festivals since. Her shorts have played festivals worldwide - her short film Sunday Tide starring Sorcha Groundsell premiered in September at leading UK festival Underwire.
Jaclyn's debut feature film Indigo Valley recently completed post-production and is aiming to premiere in 2020. Her award winning NY based web series The Rehearsal is available to watch at www.rehearsalseries.com
She recently wrapped the lead role of Blanche in new indie feature Under the Lantern Lit Sky (inspired by A Streetcar Named Desire), which she also wrote/produced.
She holds an M.F.A. in Directing from the American Film Institute, an M.A. in Screenwriting from the London Film School and a B.A. in Acting from Fordham University. Upcoming projects include a role in indie feature Yellow Fire in An Empty Theater and The soundtrack for her debut feature Indigo Valley which will be released by Sony/The Orchard in December. She is slated to direct Icelandic set Day Zero, a timely environmental thriller written by her frequent collaborator Irene Gomez-Emilsson. Jaclyn is also working on a book of poetry focusing on her Southern roots and new initiatives focusing on women in the arts including new book entitled OBJECT & a female-led arts festival Juliet to launch in London in 2020.
Photograph by Rebecca Reid
THE CAST
Belle Aykroyd (Martha)
Belle graduated from San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater MFA program this past May. Since then she has been featured as a guest star on CBC’s television show Workin’ Moms and has most recently relocated to New York City.
Stella Baker (Natasha)
Stella graduated last spring from Yale Drama, and immediately went to work on the new TNT series Tell me Your Secrets, starring opposite Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater. She wrote and stars in the short film Candace which screened at Mill Valley Film Festival, Outfest, the Rhode Island International Film Festival, the Portland International Film Festival and the American Pavilion Emerging LGBTQ Filmmakers Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival. She also stars in the upcoming short film The Three Men You meet at Night by Nite Shift films.
Greta Bellamacina (Ira)
She was born in London and made her acting debut in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at the age of thirteen. She trained at RADA where she performed a variety of theatre roles, before going on do a B.A. in English at King’s College London. She released her documentary ‘The Safe House A Decline of Ideas’, in 2016 with Curzon Home Cinema. A love letter to the public libraries and an appeal against their closure.
As an actress Greta is represented by Tavistock Wood in London. Her latest film 'Hurt by Paradise' premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2019. It was nominated for the prestigious Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film and Best Performance in a British Feature film. The film is currently in nomination at Raindance Film Festival for Best UK Feature.
As a poet Greta Bellamacina was shortlisted as Young Poet Laureate in 2014. Since then her poetry has been highly praised internationally, she has edited three books of poetry including ‘Smear’ an anthology of contemporary feminist poetry. And has released four collections of her own poetry. She regularly performs her work live and on the radio. Dazed Magazine said Greta "unapologetically confronts self-image, body autonomy and our relationships with each other, celebrating the imperfect, frank woman”.
Last year she was commissioned by the National Poetry Library to write a group of poems for their Odyssey series. Her latest collection of ‘Selected Poems 2015-2017’ published by New River Press has been republished into a bilingual Spanish edition by Valparaíso Ediciones, 2019. Her new collection ‘Tomorrow’s Woman’ will be published in the US and available worldwide with Andrews McMeel, in 2020.
Marié Botha (Anna)
Marié recently graduated from the Yale School of Drama, where she was seen in Mies Julie, Slave Play, Titus Andronicus, Sweat, Blood Wedding, New Domestic Architecture. Originally from South Africa, she had a recurring role on the award-winning television drama Erfsondes. She also played the title role in the shortfilm Zoe, which was an official selection for the 2019 New York Shorts Film Festival. Other credits include: Circling the Drain and Slouch (Yale Cabaret); Alice in Wonderland, Antarctica! Which is to say Nowhere (Yale Summer Cabaret); Cate in Sarah Kane's Blasted (DUO Theater); Grace in Lars Von Trier’s Dogville (Tisch School of the Arts) and Elizabeth I in Mary Stuart (The Meisner Studio, NYU) both directed by Robert O'Hara. She was last seen in Aziza Barnes’ BLKS at MCC Theater, also directed by Robert O’Hara.
Sophia Germaine Dunn-Walker (Thalia)
Bailey Edwards (Dem)
Bailey Edwards is an actor and filmmaker from New York City. He holds a BA from Williams College, where he performed in a production of “Princess Ivona” that was remounted Off-Broadway by the Polish Consulate at NYC’s Theater Row in 2016. He received additional training at RADA and LAMDA, eventually earning an invitation to train with the Suzuki Company of Toga, Japan. His theater credits have since landed him stints at REDCAT, and a run of Too Much Sun at the Odyssey Theater in 2019. Beyond theater, his film credits include My Dead Boyfriend (2016). Netflix’s Bright (2017), and a starring role in upcoming independent thriller M.O.M.
Ivy George (Dori)
Ivy George is a Los Angeles based actress best known for her role as Amabella Klein on HBO's Big Little Lies as well as TV appearances on Twin Peaks and Girl Meets World and roles in films such as 13 Hours and Brimstone. She has been acting since she was six years old and was fortunate enough to have her first role opposite Robin Williams on his last television series before his death. She has two younger siblings, Finnegan and Elsa, who are also actors and enjoys karate, swimming, creating art, and playing guitar.
Joe Gillette (Alexander)
Joe received his BA in Acting from Cal State Fullerton. TV/Film credits include: Mad About You, Why Women Kill, and Silicon Valley- as well as the award-winning short film Reception, which he wrote and directed. Also an accomplished singer-songwriter, his two self-titled EP's can be found on iTunes and Spotify.
Aisha Fabienne Ross (Maria)
Aisha Fabienne Ross trained at LAMDA where she received a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree. Aisha is a British citizen, was born in Scotland but grew up mainly in Brunei and Australia. She moved to London to attend LAMDA. Her film credits include; The Danish Girl (Tom Hooper), Alleycats (Ian Bonhote), The Last Photograph (Danny Huston) and Drama (Sophie Matheson). Aisha was nominated for an Off West End theatre award for her performance in Dryland at the Jermyn Street Theatre, London. Other Theatre credits include Punk Rock, Romeo & Juliet, Anna Karenina and Some Explicit Polaroids.
Vincent Santvoord (Nick)
Vincent Santvoord is an actor, writer, and producer. He is co-founder of Brooklyn-based theater company Built for Collapse, and Motel Room Studios. Upcoming productions include InvulNos "The Broken Heart," and Harry Shiffman's "Brother's Keeper." When not performing he can be found on the Yeastie Boys Bagels truck.
Sadie Scott (Paulie)
Sadie Scott is a graduate of Laguardia High School of Performing Arts and the New School. Her Off-Broadway credits include “Downtown Race Riot” starring Chloe Sevigny at the New Group and recently Jack Thorne’s “Sunday” at the Atlantic Theater Company. Sadie plays Rosalyn in “Sweetbitter” on STARZ and Fiona in Emily Cohn’s “CRSHD” which premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.
Dan Shaked (Andrei)
Film: Under The Lantern Lit Sky (2020) written by Jaclyn Bethany, How To Follow Strangers (w/ Ilana Glazer) Jobs (w/ Ashton Kutcher), The Nearest Human Being (w/ Natalia Dyer), Mistrust ( Showtime w/ Jane Seymour), Swiped (2015 Santa Barbara FF), Storm Up The Sky (2011 Tribeca FF as Richard Masur's son), February (Best Short 2015 ITV Fest) A Day In Eden (2011 Austin FiF) Sweetheart (2019 Portland FF) TV: Mysteries of Laura, Body of Proof, ABC pilot Gilded Lilys w/ Blythe Danner, Age Of The Living Dead (w/ Estella Warren), The Onion News Network Webseries: Sorry Ari, Dating Myself + upcoming The Inevitable Guide To Average Adulting. B.F.A. NYU Tisch School of the Arts, studied at RADA London.
Nhumi Threadgill (Antonia)
Nhumi Threadgill, a New York native, began acting at LaGuardia High School in the drama department. The last two years she's been in the conservatory program at The Barrow Group. Nhumi has done some small theater productions, short films, guest star appearances on television, and numerous commercials - Law and Order: SVU, The Thing That Never Happened, and multiple original pieces at The Wooster Group, to name a few.
Elizabeth Yeoman (Sasha)
Elizabeth Yeoman is a London based actress and model, born in Cheltenham and raised in the Cotswolds. From a young age, Elizabeth Yeoman has had a love of performing and during childhood attended Stagecoach Performing Arts School which enabled her to participate in a number of national theatre productions. As a model, opportunities arose for Elizabeth to perform in moving image shorts including Sophie Littman’s Village Orchestraand Marie Schuller’s 1-800-vision-starwhich ignited a passion to transition into screen acting. Wishing to achieve formal qualifications to support her endeavours, Elizabeth completed an immersive acting course at RADA and studied drama two years part time in London whilst also completing her academic studies at The University of Warwick. Elizabeth’s most recent film credits include: Things Unsaid, set to premier at the Miami Fashion Film Festival 2020; Dorny Sunday’s Judith! starring Gemma-Leah Devereux, and Helen Flanagan’s Gestures of Collapseboth of which are set to premier in the coming film festival circuit; and currently in post-production, a musical drama titled The Longest Ride in which Elizabeth performs vocally in the lead role.
Supporting Cast
Van Cummingford
Van Cummerford is an actor and drummer from Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated from the School of Dramatic Arts at USC in 2018 with a BA in Theater. While attending college, he performed a principle role in the play The Waiting Room in 2016. His experience with USC theater led him to perform in a few staged readings around the LA area, including They Call Her Froggy (2016) through The Center Theater Group. Additionally, his music experience has landed him featured drumming roles in The Goldbergs (2017), the official 2018 Rose Bowl Promo with Will Ferrell as Cord Hosenbeck, and Seth Rogen's Hilarity for Charity (2018). Since graduating, he has continued his performance in the independent short film Buckets (2018) and through classes with Susie Landau Finch.
Coco McDermott
Colette McDermott recently made the move back to her hometown Los Angeles, California after spending five years in New York City. She studied at Barnard College of Columbia University, The Neighborhood Playhouse, The British American Drama Academy in London as well as with Larry Moss and Karl Bury. Colette has worked in both theatre and film and believes storytelling is at the heart of connection. She is thrilled to commit her life to this craft.
Maeve Whalen
Maeve Whalen is an actor hailing from Chicago, Illinois where she grew up with the wonderful chaos of her large Irish extended family. Maeve attended Lake Forest College where she received a BA in theater and spent a semester abroad studying at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. Upon her return, she starred in an award wining indie feature called “Bernadette.” She moved to Los Angeles after graduation to pursue acting full-time and quickly rose through the Groundlings Performance Track thanks to the foundation laid by the many Second City classes she took growing up. Maeve has starred in an award winning short “Maggie” by Tim Curcio which won best Comedy Short at the Hollywood Film Festival this past spring and in Snapchat’s Streamy-nominated series “Two Sides” which begins filming season two this winter.
Producer - Rebecca Morandi
Rebecca is a Los Angeles based, Italian producer. Early on, she started working on film sets and learning the craft hands-on. She then starting producing commercials and documentaries in Italy. Rebecca has a background in fashion commercials, working for brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Ermanno Scervino, and documentaries that took her all around the world. She then transitioned to narrative work since moving to Los Angeles. She collaborated with Jaclyn Bethany for the first time on her AFI thesis film The Delta Girl, as well as her first feature Indigo Valley.
Co-Producer/Art Director: Anna Sagatov
Anna Sagatov is an award-winning writer/director based in Brooklyn, New York. Her short narrative films and documentaries have screened at numerous festivals around the US. Her work focuses on the interconnections between art and science. As an art director, she has worked on large-scale studio shoots, features, and short films. Anna has an MFA in Science and Natural History Filmmaking from Montana State University.
Director of Photography: Irene Gomez-Emilsson
Irene is a London based, Mexican-Icelandic cinematographer. A London Film School graduate her work has been featured in prestigious festivals and markets such as Underwire Film Festival and Berlinale/EFM. Last year she shot her first feature Indigo Valley, directed by Jaclyn Bethany. She is currently a PhD candidate in Film by Practice (University of Exeter/LFS). Her research looks at the relationship between cinematography and landscape.
Production Designer: Lisa Garcia
Lisa Garcia is a Production Designer based in Los Angeles. She got her start in Interior Design, but over time her focus shifted from the practical to the imaginary as her interests brought her into Set Design and ultimately to Production Design. While Lisa’s work spans across commercial, editorial and film projects her driving vision for her work leans towards romanticized and surreal environments that heighten the perspectives of the day-day world.
Costume Designer: Daisy Stackpole
Daisy Stackpole a multi-disciplinary artist, writer, and filmmaker based in New Orleans and Los Angeles. Her life has been surrounded by art since birth; raised in beautiful Charleston, SC by an artist mother. Daisy has had the pleasure to work on a vast array of projects from teaching a feminist film seminar for high school girls, curating contemporary art shows, writing articles that contain two of her great loves, astrology, and film, and being the editorial director for Women and Film. When it comes to filmmaking, Daisy is passionate about the art department, as these roles give films a sense of time and place and establish the visual world. She is passionate about costumes, as an avid follower and historian of style. Daisy is drawn towards projects helmed by womyn, people of color, and queer people, as well as a strong narrative and visual landscape. Daisy recently designed Under the Lantern Lit Sky, written by Jaclyn.
Composer: Dalal Bruchmann
Dalal is an Austrian born and raised recording artist, film composer and songwriter.
In 2011/12, when she began her musical career in the United States, she topped the Billboard breakout charts in the US and the UK pop and dance charts. After her move from New York to Los Angeles, Dalal teamed up with Producer Nate "Impact" Jolley and they formed Dalal & The Impact Band. Dalal also started composing for motion picture productions and art projects.
Her debut post-classical EP “THE QUIET HEART” celebrated its release on Sep. 29th 2017 with The Orchard.
The piece EOS was featured on the recently released album “Pulsations” by Violinist Angele Dubeau & La Pieta alongside works by Max Richter, Yann Tiersen and Johann Johannsson.
Dalal is currently a solo artist for Warner Classics playing beautiful compositions by composer Ludovico Einaudi. An Album holding 50 signature pieces for solo piano was released in October 2018. A piano single with Ameritz Music Group/ Mellotron Records followed in January 2019. A second studio album titled “The Einaudi Sound by Dalal” with Warner Music Group/ Warner Classics celebrated its release in February 2019.
Dalal scored Jaclyn's film Indigo Valley alongside Maesa Pullman, as well as short film The Last Birthday.
Composer: Maesa Pullman
MAESA (Maesa Pullman) is a mountain-siren soul-folk americana-rocknroll singer-songwriter music-maker/multi-disciplinary creator-performer based in Los Angeles, California. She often plays with her country-funk family band, the Whole Damn Fam as well as writes and sings for Norway-based band, The Last Hurrah!! She has independently released singles, Bells, Again Again, and Woah Honey as well as a six song EP called Whippoorwill and anticipates the release of a debut full-length album. She co-founded and leads The Band of Singers, a 26-person interdisciplinary community choir. Maesa has experience composing for independent films, most recently Indigo Valley, the soundtrack for which was composed with Dalal Bruchmann and will come out on The Orchard in December 2019. Maesa records and produces music with her partner Jason Hiller at Electrosound Studios in Beverly Hills, CA. She is wildly inspired to be a part of the Highway One experience.
Maesa scored Jaclyn's AFI thesis The Delta Girl, and composed the score for Indigo Valley along with Dalal Bruchmann.
Below photo: Dalal and Maesa recording Indigo Valley