feature film 2023
After best friends Grace and Joanna move to New York City together, they battle depression, burnout, and feelings of homesickness, impostor syndrome, and wasted potential as they debate whether their dreams are worth chasing.
When best friends Grace and Joanna move to New York City together to pursue their dreams of becoming a rock music journalist and fashion designer respectively, they are immediately swept up in the hustle and bustle of the busy city. As they find jobs working for a nightclub in the city and a local bookstore and record store, Joanna falls for Hugh, a charming chef and photographer as she works day and night on her sewing projects. Meanwhile, Grace is writing and perfecting her portfolio for her internship interview at Rolling Stone magazine.
After Grace loses the internship at Rolling Stone and Joanna struggles with depression and burnout as she fails to make sufficient money from her sewing projects, the girls are confronted with the reality that New York City might not be the right place for them. When Joanna forgets Grace’s birthday as she spends the day with Hugh in upstate New York, the girls are forced to confront each other as their feelings bubble to the surface.
When Grace receives a job offer from a magazine in San Francisco, she must make the difficult decision to leave New York City as Joanna is finding her footing after a falling out with Hugh, and her passion for fashion is reinvigorated after seeing a woman wearing her design.
(brief little disclaimer! This playlist is by no means official. I make playlists for my projects as part of my creative process and a way for me and the reader to be fully immersed in the world I have created. Happy listening!)
New York City has always had a special place in my heart because of the inspiration and joy I feel whenever I visit or discuss the city with my friends and family.
As an artist who loves exploring different mediums and is passionate about following my artistic pursuits in my professional career and for the rest of my life, I wanted to tell a story that speaks to what I believe is an innate human desire for art and to follow one's dreams. Today especially, there is so much pressure from friends, family, and society in general to follow career paths that are deemed more “worthwhile” or will have more instant success. Through telling this story, I hope that I can encourage and inspire my generation and generations to come that you should never let society dictate what you do with your life, and that chasing your dreams is never a waste of time or energy.
I believe this story is best fit for young adults in the in-between stages of finishing school and starting their professional careers, however I also believe that the themes of following your dreams and friendship are applicable to everyone in different ways, which makes this film a universally relatable story. I believe this film is ideal for the current marketplace because society and social media are influencing younger generations more than ever and I think stories such as this one are important for audiences to learn and feel inspired from.