Our writer/director, director of photography, producer and lead actor are all women! This is a film about a young woman grappling with her sense of self after entering into an affair with a married man. It's an empathetic view of the "other woman."

About a year ago, I was listening to the TED radio hour when Monica Lewinksy's voice hit me like a ton of bricks:

 

"I was branded as a tramp, tart, slut, whore, bimbo, and of course That Woman. It was easy to forget that That Woman was dimensional, had a soul, and was once unbroken."

 

 As a child of the nineties, I'd heard the name Monica Lewinsky many times, usually as part of a punchline. But I had never heard her perspective, her story, or her voice for that matter - until nearly 20 years later. 

 

 

 Monica's incredible story inspired me to tell a version of the "other woman" narrative -  but rather than make her a conniving seductress or a helpless victim, my protagonist would simply be human. Thus "Monica & Me" was conceived.

 

The film begins with the protagonist, Charlotte, learning that her lover's wife has found out about their illicit affair - and she intends to meet Charlotte, face-to-face. What follows is Charlotte's emotional and ideological battle with herself as she prepares for the nightmarish confrontation with her worst mistake. Equal parts funny, cringe-worthy, and heartfelt, Monica & Me is a story about finding empathy amidst the maelstrom of young adulthood. 

 

 I wanted the format to give a uniquely personal view into the endearingly neurotic psyche of the main character, Charlotte. I figured what better narrative device to utilize...than my own?

 

 

Yes, that's right. Starting at the age of 19, I began recording video diaries, on my computer, strictly for my own viewing reference. Apparently, this is not something that most people do, but it fits perfectly with the tone I wanted to achieve for the film: self-conscious, solipsistic, and, let's face it: goofy as heck.

 

Throughout the film, Charlotte chats compulsively into her electronic devices, as though willing the answers to her problems to emerge. 

 

Needless to say, Monica & Me is a project close to my heart. As someone who has made my share of mistakes, suffered tremendous guilt, stressed constantly about "living up to my potential",  and generally struggled to figure out what being an adult is all about, it is my sincere hope that this film will make someone - or several someones - feel less alone.