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Logline

A matriarch, a prostitute, and a teacher, yearning to heal their own internal wounds, embark on a perilous journey through the snowy west, to try to save a young girl from parenthood.

Synopsis

Night looms over the snowy western terrain; May plunges an icicle into a guilty man’s eye, arranging it as an “accident.” The next morning, Lily fills a newly vacant teaching position, where she is greeted by a violent altercation involving Clementine and is later saved by Madam Agnes. At Lily’s homestead, we are introduced to her partner, Casey. During their conversation we learn that Casey has robbed banks in the past and Lily has reluctantly laundered that money to survive. The next day May and Lily meet for the first time, and it leaves Lily feeling intrigued yet frustrated. Discovering that Clementine is pregnant, Lily seeks help from Agnes and May to take Clementine to Hilda’s Apothecary. Beginning their treacherous journey, tensions between Clementine and May rise as Agnes tries to mediate, bonding more with Clementine. The women anxiously prepare for the roughest part of their journey. First testing the icy river below, they decide to risk the bridge instead. Before anyone can react, Agnes has an arrow through her chest, dead; May battles with the bandits while Lily struggles to protect Clementine. Isolated by Agnes death, Clementine decides to leave camp and finish her journey alone. Lily and May try to catch up but get stranded by the storm, resulting in a confrontation with a serial killer known as “The Sheriff.” As the storm finally clears, May tries to persuade Lily to stay with her, but Lily refuses. As Lily leaves, May in a moment of desperation draws her pistol and fires a shot. Awakening at Hilda’s, Lily sees no Clementine or May. While healing, Lily’s remembers where Clementine may go and enlist Hilda’s help. At the Apothecary, Lily comforts Clementine as Hilda performs the procedure. Lily takes one final walk through town and sets fire to her past.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Kylie Mungenast — Writer/Director
Kylie Mungenast is an experimental/narrative filmmaker from the greater Boston area. Mungenast is currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts in Film at California College of the Arts. With an acute focus on directing the actors to engage intimately with their characters, Mungenast is drawn to a sapphic female gaze within classical, predominantly cis-male dominated genres. Her undergraduate thesis short was inspired by and shares a title with Mungenast’s feature screenplay, In Bloom, and was an official selection in the XI Almería Western Film Festival in Tabernas, Spain, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Award. At CCA, Mungenast has grown with her film collaborations, with her first release, titled Cyberdyke, which continues to weave Mungenast’s post-feminism within a bold visual aesthetic. Similarly, Millie in Cis Hell, functions within the film noir genre to frame the “femme fatale” trope as a vessel to explore the stark feelings of isolation and betrayal that stem from trans exclusionary radical feminist philosophy. In her pastime, Kylie Mungenast is always eager for opportunities to travel, and typically chooses destinations based on their proximity to famous roller coasters having ridden over 200 unique attractions across the United States.

Destiny Greer — Producer
Destiny Greer (she/her) is a graduate from the University of Tampa where she received her BA in Theatre and Visual Arts with a minor in Film and Media. Destiny’s works typically focuses on feminist aesthetics and human rights issues. She is a member of the LGBTQ+ Community, an activist at heart, and an ally to many. Her most notable works are feature film, God’s Fingers (Produced By), short film, #toxic_postitivity (Produced By), and PBS special, Merrily Together (Co-Producer). Destiny is also an experimental 16mm filmmaker, who hand edits and processes her films like Him, Her Them and V for Vulva, which was nominated for Best Experimental at Atlanta’s Underground Film Festival. Destiny currently works at The University of Tampa as a Staff Assistant in the Film, Animation, and New Media Department, where she enjoys mentoring students and engaging with the community. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games like Diablo, painting, photography, traveling, and spending time with her partner, Colter, and their two cats Sasha (22yrs) and Slink (3yrs).

Liz Davis — Producer
Liz Davis is an MFA candidate in the SCAD Film and Television Production program. Filmmaking wasn’t always Liz’s passion. She first got her start in musical theatre, performing with the Sarasota Youth Opera and in school productions. At age 15, a friend asked Liz to act in a short film for their college admission portfolio. Here, she discovered she felt more fulfilled behind the camera rather than in front. Now, with a decade of experience writing, directing, and producing films, Liz is focused on crafting stories that highlight women, the LGBTQ+ community, and youth.

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Contact

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