Private Project

12th Floor

When a wheelchair-bound woman moves back in with her disabled mother, she finds that much more goes on in the independent living apartment complex than she could possibly imagine.

  • John R. Kitch
    Director
    "Earth Wept for the Moon", "Drive-ins Driven Out?"
  • John R. Kitch
    Writer
    "Earth Wept for the Moon"
  • Alicia N. Smith
    Writer
  • John R. Kitch
    Producer
    "Earth Wept for the Moon", "Drive-ins Driven Out?"
  • Alicia N. Smith
    Producer
  • Alicia N. Smith
    Key Cast
    "A"
  • Rocky Chael
    Key Cast
    "Ed"
  • Rozanne Devine
    Key Cast
    "Mildred"
  • Maureen Smith
    Key Cast
    "Mo"
  • Mary Gay Rogers
    Key Cast
    "Plant Lady"
  • Donald White
    Key Cast
    "War Historian"
  • Petra Chambers Allen
    Key Cast
    "Dancing Woman"
  • Bob Allen
    Key Cast
    "Dancing Man"
  • John R. Kitch
    Key Cast
    "Joel"
  • Anthony Long
    Director of Photography
  • La'Ron Cooper
    Production Sound Mixer & Boom Operator
  • John R. Kitch
    Editor
  • Alicia N. Smith
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 59 minutes 15 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 13, 2018
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Kansas City FilmFest International
    Kansas City, Missouri
    United States
    April 13, 2019
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - John R. Kitch

John R. Kitch is an independent filmmaker whose credits include the feature film "12th Floor", and the short films "Drive-ins Driven Out?" and "Earth Wept for the Moon".

In August 2018, Kitch completed post production on "12th Floor", the first full-length feature film produced by his independent production company. He produced it with filmmaker and actress Alicia N. Smith. "12th Floor" was honored as an official selection of Kansas City FilmFest International 2019.

Kitch was the director for "Team What's In The Box?" for the 48 Hour Film Challenges in Kansas City and Des Moines. They created the short films "Blood Iron" (Kansas City 2012), "Feelgood" (Des Moines 2013), and "General Justice" (Kansas City 2013). "General Justice" garnered two awards for Best Writing and Best Choreography. The team won four awards for their 2013 National Film Challenge entry, "Good Morning, Justin", including runner-up for the sponsored Go-Pro Challenge. Kitch has also completed assignments with the Media Team for the Kansas City FilmFest, creating a series of interviews with guest filmmakers.

"Drive-ins Driven Out?" has gone on to play in major Midwestern film festivals. "Sizzled", another short film written and directed by Kitch, was also an official selection of Kansas City FilmFest 2014 by way of the Kansas City Fringe Fest.

In June 2013, Kitch completed his B.A. in Digital Filmmaking and Video Production. While attending film school, he received a scholarship for outstanding academic achievement. He graduated with high honors.

Kitch is an avid reader and researcher of psychology, myths, and world history/politics. He keeps an eye out for the next story all the while.​

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Director Statement

I first met Alicia N. Smith at art school, where I was studying filmmaking and she was studying photography.

I was working in a computer lab during after hours (as I usually did), and she came up to me, introduced herself, and started talking. Never had I ever encountered someone so outgoing, forward, and to-the-point. Alicia struck me as such an energetic soul, so much so that I didn't initially realize there was anything physically different about her. I would later learn about her disability, something challenging that she conquers daily. From then on, we were friends, and it continues to be an honor to work with her in many aspects of life and art.

Alicia and I developed "12th Floor" as a fictional, drama-infused mirror to our lives, but more importantly as a message to the filmmaking community that disabled actors and artists have a rightful place in a medium that is experiencing an exciting change with diversity. As a character in the film, Alicia experiences real struggles that those with disabilities face (decreased mobility, lack in range of motion, physical and emotional pain, relationship challenges), and then things are taken to another level with the introduction of a dramatic storyline. Now, an audience gets to see that no one should be underestimated or ignored simply because they look, move, and live differently.

Alicia and I are proud and excited to present "12th Floor", a story that we hope will inspire as much as it will entertain.

- John R. Kitch, director