Filmmaker Statement

Boomerang is our love letter to anyone who hosted or was hosted by family during the lockdown. A heartfelt, funny, timely, and relatable tale about an entire generation of millennials who were forced to move home and suffered arrested development. “Boomerang” as a verb means “to return to the originator, often with negative consequences.” It’s clear that some form of the pandemic is here to stay, which means we need to embrace it, process it, and hopefully find some humor in it. What we’ve all been through is absurd, bizarre, and ripe for turning some of our collective pain into art. I co-wrote Boomerang with my dear friend Sydney Steinberg and creating this film was a cathartic experience for both of us. This story is a beautiful love child based on both of our personal experiences. As if going through the pandemic wasn’t already emotionally heavy, Sydney’s mother came out during the 2020 lockdown leading to her parent’s divorce after three decades of marriage. While I, a single 29 year old, only child, decided to move back in with my divorced and then remarried parents. I did not have the 30th birthday celebration I had dreamed of, instead I felt like Little Edie in Grey Gardens sandwiched between them, praying a handsome male suitor would rescue me. At its core, Boomerang is about complicated family relationships and how deeply funny life can be in its most serious moments. A compassionate story about a family falling apart while sticking together. During the last two years, I witnessed a collective “smoke em if ya got em” mentality. Faced with existential doom, people quit their jobs, moved cities, divorced, got married, had babies, came out, reconnected with old flames and made big life decisions during a time of forced isolation. Though our specific experiences may vary, we are connected to our larger shared history of going through this together. This movie has two strong female lead characters and a talented supporting cast. There's also a much larger conversation happening in Hollywood about who's behind the scenes and I am proud to say that we built our production team with inclusivity in mind. When I spoke with potential crew for the short, I ended up hiring the folks who were most passionate about the story and I was able to hire a diverse, female-heavy crew. It’s amazing to look around the room and realize there are so many ladies on set. The collaboration was incredible. I would not have a career in film without film festivals. I first went to Cannes during my senior year in college, 2013, and I spent five days meeting filmmakers and watching movies, realizing that there was a true community being formed in cinema and it’s a place where I belong. I am finally expanding my career beyond commercials taking a real step into film & tv with Boomerang. We are about to embark on an exciting journey as we celebrate this short and start to plan for the feature version. We’ve already made great progress in expanding this story and I’m excited to spread my wings and craft a narrative work that taps into the humorous complexity of family and relationships. The pandemic goes on…and all we can do is use our time to give these moments meaning. And maybe laugh. Please don’t forget to laugh. OFFICIAL SELECTION & AWARDS: --Santa Fe International Film Festival (WINNER: AUDIENCE CHOICE BEST NARRATIVE SHORT) --Women’s Chicago Comedy Film Festival (WINNER: BEST DIRECTOR) --Just For Laughs (WINNER: BEST FILM 2nd Place) --Palm Springs International Shortfest --Hollyshorts --Brooklyn International Film Festival --Dances With Films --San Diego International Film Festival --New York City Short Comedy Film Festival