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and that’s something we needed to get through as well.” Smolanoff credits McDonald for encouraging him to complete the short film. The duo tried several times to start production but could not find the right cast. The story, which took two to three years to write, captures Mel while she is deciding whether to keep pursing comedy. In many ways, the story mirrors the struggle McDonald and Smolanoff experienced. “I need to give credit to Emilie here because I was almost ready to give up on it after the first two times and say this is not going to work,” Smolanoff said. “Emilie just kept pushing through saying ‘no, lets get back to it.’ That’s really why it actually got made, because the first two or three rounds were just too difficult.” After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the short film was completed and screened at festivals across the country and in Europe. It was the runner-up at the Hammer to Nail Short Film Contest in 2015 and won best narrative short at the Indie Memphis Film Festival. On March 17, the film will screen as part of the Queens World Film Festival. The screening will begin at 6 p.m. at The Secret Theatre in Long Island City. Since the short film was well received, Photos courtesy of Sean Price Williams the writing partners are now working on a full-length version. The film was a “labor of love,” according to Smolanoff and the cast and crew worked for little compensation – another aspect they share with the lead character. “Mel doesn’t have a lot of resources and her opportunities are limited and we wanted to show that somebody who’s kind of coming from very humble, minimal resources is able to persevere,” Smolanoff said. “It’s about perseverance over her family, her environment, her surroundings and that spirit to try to advance ones self in life. I thought, ‘she’s perfect, shes like a lot of people. We can identify with her.'” Emilie McDonald and Bruce Smolanoff's short film was shot in Sunnyside and Long Island City. MARCH 2016 I BOROMAG.COM I 53


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