Filmmaker Statement

As a total extrovert, I surprised myself a few years ago by falling into a deep anxiety spiral and then depression. Fun! Realizing I needed help, I found a therapist. I was feeling desperately lonely and didn’t know how to fix it. My way of coping had been to throw myself into even more activities so I was sad, but too busy to figure out why. My therapist encouraged me to empty my calendar and spend some time alone. I stared at her, thinking it was a twisted joke. Wasn’t I feeling lonely enough already? What was I supposed to do with… Me? In LONELY MARY, Mary's loneliness is her security blanket. When faced with the opportunity to make changes, she chooses to play the supporting character in her own life instead. She says no to a job interview, no to her friends’ support, and no to a date. But she can’t run from herself forever. Mary's imagination comes alive through her dreams, telling her exactly what she doesn’t want to hear. In the end, Mary does the scariest thing of all: Try.