MANEATERS
New York City, New York | Series
Comedy, Drama
MANEATERS is a bold dark comedy set in near future America, where womanhood is practically criminalized. As real life creeps closer to this dystopia, our story dares to ask: What happens when democracy dies? What happens when the Manosphere takes over? The time to tell this story is now.
MANEATERS
New York City, New York | Series
Comedy, Drama
2 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $10,000 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
13 supporters | followers
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MANEATERS is a bold dark comedy set in near future America, where womanhood is practically criminalized. As real life creeps closer to this dystopia, our story dares to ask: What happens when democracy dies? What happens when the Manosphere takes over? The time to tell this story is now.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
MANEATERS is a dark comedy, a political satire, and a cultural call-to-arms all wrapped into one. It's a shift. A movement. A "Brat Summer" for the girls who are angry, educated, and done playing around.
We're living in a high-velocity, whole-sale abandonment of the progression of our nation’s ideals. Roe v. Wade has been overturned. Project 2025 looms.
Being othered is back. We exist in a country where men hold more constitutional rights than women, and where protecting your own bodily autonomy could land you behind bars. This isn't dystopian fiction. This is a Tuesday in America.
In response, we made MANEATERS.
In a crumbling, near-future New York City, a girl's night spirals into a high stakes odyssey through a fascist hellscape, where friendship is resistance and survival comes with a body count. When Roxy discovers she's pregnant after a one night stand. Her only option is to flea before the government tracks her down. As curfew falls amid a disappeared culture, Roxy's ride-or-die crew (Frankie, Logan, Gwen, and Niko) mobilize for a late-night escape, with a security guard hot off their tail, a brainwashed ex-boyfriend reappearing, and the getaway turning deadly after Niko actually hits one of the pursuers, nothing goes as planned. MANEATERS is about growing up when the world is falling apart and the messy, gorgeous chaos of refusing to go down quietly.
We believe this project is more than entertainment. It's a vehicle for impact. A spark that helps others speak, create, and organize.
We're young women watching our leaders turn their backs on the rights we fought so long and hard to have— and we're not asking for permission to tell this story. Because in a media landscape oversaturated with alt-right propaganda and podcast bros, we're choosing to fight back with unapologetic femininity and unflinching honesty.
Your support brings MANEATERS to life-from production to post-and sends a clear message to the industry: feminist stories matter. Truth matters. Women deserve to own our narratives, our rage, our joy. And most of all, women deserve fundamental freedoms.
So if you've ever screamed into your pillow after watching the news...
If you've ever held your best friend's hand in a time of crisis..
If you believe art can shake the table and spark a movement-
Welcome to MANEATERS.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post-Production
Costs $4,000
Allow us to get top tier post-production team to bring the pilot to completion at a professional level, ready for distribution!
Festival Submissions & Distribution Prep
Costs $1,500
Supporting early distribution efforts so MANEATERS can reach audiences and industry decision-makers!
Crew Compensation
Costs $4,500
Paying the remaining crew members and ensuring that our team is recognized and supported for for their hard work and dedication!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director/Writer: Annika Carlson
Annika Carlson is an up-and-coming filmmaker and playwright whose work focuses on women, families, and the comedy inherent in dramatic circumstances. Most recently, her short film AS WITH DOGS was a featured selection at the New York Latino Film Festival in September 2024, and her play ALL THINGS CONSIDERED was a "must-watch" show at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Carlson holds a B.F.A. from the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television. She also produces the Strangers or Friends live reading series in New York City. Her additional interests include sherry wine, the color red, and putting her own spin on (read: butchering) French bistro cuisine. She resides in Brooklyn, New York with her extensive matchbook collection.
Writer/Actor: McKenna Dersam
Arizona/Texas native McKenna Dersam (she/her) is a writer, director, actor, and stylist based in NYC. She holds a BFA in Theatre: with a specialization in Acting and a BA in Fashion Media from Southern Methodist University. Her work explores themes of identity, politics, pop-culture, and femininity, often through a lens of sharp satire and emotional depth. In 2024, she performed original work at the New York Comedy Festival and executive produced The Club Cabaret: 25 Plays of Litmas, a holiday ensemble sketch comedy she also co-wrote and directed. Her short film Uptown Girl (2024) premiered at the Future of Art Film Festival at the SVA Theatre in NYC captures the struggles of early womanhood. McKenna's work is driven by a fascination with the human experience and our capacity to question and evolve. She is committed to telling bold, resonant stories that challenge assumptions and leave a lasting impact.
Executive Producer/Actor: Michele Bear
Michele Bear is an NYC-based actor and executive producer, and she’s thrilled to be both executive producing and acting in MANEATERS. Michele has been working professionally in TV and film since 2021, with credits including Cold Case Files (A&E), Blacklist, and Scamandra (EOne). She founded the B. Frank Film Festival in July of 2024, showcasing 14 original shorts, 10 of which she executive produced through her company MBear Entertainment. She is currently producing the second annual B. Frank Film Festival, taking place at the SVA Silad Theater on October 5, 2025.
As a performer, Michele starred in the one-woman show All Things Considered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and currently teaches young actors at Lee Strasberg, where she also trained.
As Executive Producer of MANEATERS, Michele is committed to building an empowering, collaborative, and creatively fearless environment both on screen and behind the scenes. She is here to make bold, genre-pushing stories with heart, humor, and teeth.
Learn more at bfrankfilmfestival.com and follow along at @b.frankfilmfest
Director of Photography: Lexa Krebs
Lexa Krebs is the cinematographer of Maneaters. She was born, raised, and still lives in New York, where she is a member of the Local 600 International Cinematographers Guild and works as a freelance filmmaker. She is extremely proud to be a part of the Maneaters team — the cast and crew harnessed such talent, dedication, and positivity to bring this story to life!
Producer: Gabe Galvez
Gabe Galvez is a New York City–based assistant director and upcoming producer, originally from the Inlpand Empire of Southern California. With over 30 credits, including his work as Second Assistant Director on the 2023 psychological horror film Birth/Rebirth, starring Judy Reyes and Marin Ireland, Gabe blends meticulous on-set coordination with a creative’s vision. His work is characterized by a steadfast commitment to compelling storytelling and the capacity to execute ambitious projects with success.
Producer: Ava Bodnar
Ava Bodnar is a multifaceted artist in the entertainment industry. She starred as Iris in If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing (2024), which she also associate produced; the film was recently acquired by Tribeca Films. She also appeared in I Need Your Love (2024), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
As a filmmaker, Ava has produced several short films, most notably Lou & Gem (2022), which she directed and executive produced, and Wilde Flowers, in which she also starred. Based in New York, Ava blends performance and production with ease and continues to shape her as a rising voice in contemporary cinema.
I am a producer of Maneaters, and I am extremely proud of the incredible work done by every single cast and crew member. What drew me to the project was initially the story which tackles urgent social and political issues such as gender oppression, resistance, identity, and power but through a complex and frankly hilarious lens. To be a part of the group of storytellers behind Maneaters is something I am extremely grateful for.
Assistant Director: Naomi Rubin
Naomi Rubin is the Assistant Director of Maneaters and considers herself very lucky to be a part of this team. The script drew her in to the project and the collaborative environment she began to develop with Annika and the team affirmed her love for the entire experience. She hopes that Maneaters sells so she can force Michele to hire her back.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
MANEATERS is a dark comedy, a political satire, and a cultural call-to-arms all wrapped into one. It's a shift. A movement. A "Brat Summer" for the girls who are angry, educated, and done playing around.
We're living in a high-velocity, whole-sale abandonment of the progression of our nation’s ideals. Roe v. Wade has been overturned. Project 2025 looms.
Being othered is back. We exist in a country where men hold more constitutional rights than women, and where protecting your own bodily autonomy could land you behind bars. This isn't dystopian fiction. This is a Tuesday in America.
In response, we made MANEATERS.
In a crumbling, near-future New York City, a girl's night spirals into a high stakes odyssey through a fascist hellscape, where friendship is resistance and survival comes with a body count. When Roxy discovers she's pregnant after a one night stand. Her only option is to flea before the government tracks her down. As curfew falls amid a disappeared culture, Roxy's ride-or-die crew (Frankie, Logan, Gwen, and Niko) mobilize for a late-night escape, with a security guard hot off their tail, a brainwashed ex-boyfriend reappearing, and the getaway turning deadly after Niko actually hits one of the pursuers, nothing goes as planned. MANEATERS is about growing up when the world is falling apart and the messy, gorgeous chaos of refusing to go down quietly.
We believe this project is more than entertainment. It's a vehicle for impact. A spark that helps others speak, create, and organize.
We're young women watching our leaders turn their backs on the rights we fought so long and hard to have— and we're not asking for permission to tell this story. Because in a media landscape oversaturated with alt-right propaganda and podcast bros, we're choosing to fight back with unapologetic femininity and unflinching honesty.
Your support brings MANEATERS to life-from production to post-and sends a clear message to the industry: feminist stories matter. Truth matters. Women deserve to own our narratives, our rage, our joy. And most of all, women deserve fundamental freedoms.
So if you've ever screamed into your pillow after watching the news...
If you've ever held your best friend's hand in a time of crisis..
If you believe art can shake the table and spark a movement-
Welcome to MANEATERS.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Post-Production
Costs $4,000
Allow us to get top tier post-production team to bring the pilot to completion at a professional level, ready for distribution!
Festival Submissions & Distribution Prep
Costs $1,500
Supporting early distribution efforts so MANEATERS can reach audiences and industry decision-makers!
Crew Compensation
Costs $4,500
Paying the remaining crew members and ensuring that our team is recognized and supported for for their hard work and dedication!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director/Writer: Annika Carlson
Annika Carlson is an up-and-coming filmmaker and playwright whose work focuses on women, families, and the comedy inherent in dramatic circumstances. Most recently, her short film AS WITH DOGS was a featured selection at the New York Latino Film Festival in September 2024, and her play ALL THINGS CONSIDERED was a "must-watch" show at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Carlson holds a B.F.A. from the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television. She also produces the Strangers or Friends live reading series in New York City. Her additional interests include sherry wine, the color red, and putting her own spin on (read: butchering) French bistro cuisine. She resides in Brooklyn, New York with her extensive matchbook collection.
Writer/Actor: McKenna Dersam
Arizona/Texas native McKenna Dersam (she/her) is a writer, director, actor, and stylist based in NYC. She holds a BFA in Theatre: with a specialization in Acting and a BA in Fashion Media from Southern Methodist University. Her work explores themes of identity, politics, pop-culture, and femininity, often through a lens of sharp satire and emotional depth. In 2024, she performed original work at the New York Comedy Festival and executive produced The Club Cabaret: 25 Plays of Litmas, a holiday ensemble sketch comedy she also co-wrote and directed. Her short film Uptown Girl (2024) premiered at the Future of Art Film Festival at the SVA Theatre in NYC captures the struggles of early womanhood. McKenna's work is driven by a fascination with the human experience and our capacity to question and evolve. She is committed to telling bold, resonant stories that challenge assumptions and leave a lasting impact.
Executive Producer/Actor: Michele Bear
Michele Bear is an NYC-based actor and executive producer, and she’s thrilled to be both executive producing and acting in MANEATERS. Michele has been working professionally in TV and film since 2021, with credits including Cold Case Files (A&E), Blacklist, and Scamandra (EOne). She founded the B. Frank Film Festival in July of 2024, showcasing 14 original shorts, 10 of which she executive produced through her company MBear Entertainment. She is currently producing the second annual B. Frank Film Festival, taking place at the SVA Silad Theater on October 5, 2025.
As a performer, Michele starred in the one-woman show All Things Considered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and currently teaches young actors at Lee Strasberg, where she also trained.
As Executive Producer of MANEATERS, Michele is committed to building an empowering, collaborative, and creatively fearless environment both on screen and behind the scenes. She is here to make bold, genre-pushing stories with heart, humor, and teeth.
Learn more at bfrankfilmfestival.com and follow along at @b.frankfilmfest
Director of Photography: Lexa Krebs
Lexa Krebs is the cinematographer of Maneaters. She was born, raised, and still lives in New York, where she is a member of the Local 600 International Cinematographers Guild and works as a freelance filmmaker. She is extremely proud to be a part of the Maneaters team — the cast and crew harnessed such talent, dedication, and positivity to bring this story to life!
Producer: Gabe Galvez
Gabe Galvez is a New York City–based assistant director and upcoming producer, originally from the Inlpand Empire of Southern California. With over 30 credits, including his work as Second Assistant Director on the 2023 psychological horror film Birth/Rebirth, starring Judy Reyes and Marin Ireland, Gabe blends meticulous on-set coordination with a creative’s vision. His work is characterized by a steadfast commitment to compelling storytelling and the capacity to execute ambitious projects with success.
Producer: Ava Bodnar
Ava Bodnar is a multifaceted artist in the entertainment industry. She starred as Iris in If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing (2024), which she also associate produced; the film was recently acquired by Tribeca Films. She also appeared in I Need Your Love (2024), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
As a filmmaker, Ava has produced several short films, most notably Lou & Gem (2022), which she directed and executive produced, and Wilde Flowers, in which she also starred. Based in New York, Ava blends performance and production with ease and continues to shape her as a rising voice in contemporary cinema.
I am a producer of Maneaters, and I am extremely proud of the incredible work done by every single cast and crew member. What drew me to the project was initially the story which tackles urgent social and political issues such as gender oppression, resistance, identity, and power but through a complex and frankly hilarious lens. To be a part of the group of storytellers behind Maneaters is something I am extremely grateful for.
Assistant Director: Naomi Rubin
Naomi Rubin is the Assistant Director of Maneaters and considers herself very lucky to be a part of this team. The script drew her in to the project and the collaborative environment she began to develop with Annika and the team affirmed her love for the entire experience. She hopes that Maneaters sells so she can force Michele to hire her back.