I recently had the opportunity to screen a really incredible movie called One Hour Fantasy Girl. This is the trailer:
One Hour Fantasy Girl (directed by Edgar Michael Bravo) is a film about a young woman named Becky (played by Kelly-Ann Tursi). Becky has escaped a domestic abuse situation -- an alcoholic parent -- and she's trying to earn enough money to get into real estate. She reluctantly works as a fantasy girl, acting out kinky dream scenarios for men -- no kissing, no sex. The film's first scene awakens into a dream you can't stop. It's scarring. A large man in diapers attempts to crawl inside Freud's Id-ish headspace for a lite romp that leaves a lasting impression as the stress weighs heavily in the air, darkening around our heroine's eyes.
The film feels like an anti-Sleeping Beauty (a sleepless beauty). It moves from "fantasy" to reality in a lucid dream-state, trailing a haunted and increasingly puffy-eyed Becky on a string of dominatrix jobs. At "work," she's uncomfortably lingerie-clad, disrobing in a room that is seething with tension. She alternately moves stiffly into the night streets and enters a local diner to snooze, shrouded like a waking ghost in an over-sized t-shirt and jeans, a wisp of a sheet moving through a neon-lit city with sad eyes, deadening under her armor.
One Hour Fantasy Girl is a social issue film and a fascinating character study with a twist ending that makes me think of all the people out there, desperate for a way out of the waking dream (or other people's sordid nightmares), into something real. These people skulk around the margin of the American Dream, doing anything to survive, anonymous, unable to sleep. Some clock hour-long fantasy scenarios to earn cash. The fact that One Hour Fantasy Girl is inspired by true events and a real person who lived as an extension of other peoples' fantasies is exceptional because it extends beyond the comfort of fiction to create awareness and empathy for a weary ghost. It gives the anonymous drifter a sincere, touching story, and a real feeling of urgency. And this is just a part of what makes One Hour Fantasy Girl such an excellent lesson in perspective and an absolute must-see.
The film was produced by No Restrictions Entertainment. To learn more about its genius DIWO (Do-It-With-Others) social media marketing campaign and to read IndieGogo's '6 Questions' with John Paul Rice of No Restrictions click here. From the article:
"Rice has utilized the internet extesively: from casting via YouTube videos to audience-building via MySpace & IndieGoGo.
His endless experimentation with marketing tactics resulted in the discovery of a passionate core audience he would've never expected--women fighting against domestic violence. Learn from his DIWO story! Rice said: "Our next step is to partner with a national organization that combats domestic abuse (part of the main character’s back story shown in the film). A portion of each DVD sale for ONE HOUR FANTASY GIRL will go toward a cause that helps victims of domestic abuse." Click here to read more.
and Check out this interview with John Paul Rice and Film Courage: "Outside the Studio":
Visit the One Hour Fantasy Girl website and Click here to view the entire film. I highly recommend it.
I recently read a very personal, extraordinarily courageous and informative article in The HuffPo, posted by the ever-inspiring @2morrowknight and written by Amy Neumann (@charityideas) called "A Path from Pain to Positivity," about Ms. Neumann's struggles with domestic violence and how she was able to find inspiration and spread awareness via her global neighbors on the social web. If you're interested in learning more about the topic of domestic violence, helping others or yourself, I would suggest starting with this article. It's a great resource.
1. Keri Russell in Waitress, co-starring Nathan Fillion and directed by the beautiful Adrienne Shelly:
2. Reminds me for some reason of the extraordinary Sonja Sohn performing her poem, "Run Free" from the film, Slam:
the saddest prostitute, dancing...
4. Jane Fonda's harrowing performance in Klute:
5. Bernadette Peters as a school teacher in Pennies from Heaven:
I recently read a very personal, extraordinarily courageous and informative article in The HuffPo, posted by the ever-inspiring @2morrowknight and written by Amy Neumann (@charityideas) called "A Path from Pain to Positivity," about Ms. Neumann's struggles with domestic violence and how she was able to find inspiration and spread awareness via her global neighbors on the social web. If you're interested in learning more about the topic of domestic violence, helping others or yourself, I would suggest starting with this article. It's a great resource.
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And, on a lighter note, if you're looking for a fabulous film double feature, I'd like to recommend the following movies about brilliant women overcoming, succumbing to, or attempting to escape oppressive lifestyles, bad situations, violence, mental illness, abuse, etc...1. Keri Russell in Waitress, co-starring Nathan Fillion and directed by the beautiful Adrienne Shelly:
2. Reminds me for some reason of the extraordinary Sonja Sohn performing her poem, "Run Free" from the film, Slam:
3. Anna Karina in Godard's Vivre Sa Vie:
the saddest prostitute, dancing...
5. Bernadette Peters as a school teacher in Pennies from Heaven:
6. Ashley Judd's feature film debut in Ruby In Paradise:
7. Gas, Food, Lodging:
8. Educating Rita:
9. The incomparable Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence:
10. Breaking the Waves & Dancer in the Dark:
11. Sleeping with the Enemy:
12. Trust:
... and speaking of dreams, I have a list of my favorite dream films on The Top 10 Blog.
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