Private Project

A Midwestern Methamphetamine Fairytale

Chloe has been surrounded by drugs and violence for so long she doesn’t even know life without them. Her life is always on the run helping her mother, Lexie, and her mother’s degenerate boyfriend, Tiny, score more drugs to feed their cravings. At a time when she should be playing dress-up and dolls, she’s used as a prop for her mother’s appetite. To cope, she has created a fantasy world where she is a princess and her mother is a queen. This version of the story is colorful and sweet, a stark difference to the real world. Chloe is every little girl in the world. She is fiercely loyal to an imperfect mother and striving for her approval.

  • Sean Martinez
    Director
  • Victoria Mitchell - Executive Producer
    Producer
    Alive, Blue Room
  • Jay Ward
    Producer
  • James Vasquez
    Producer
  • Matt T. Storm
    Writer
  • Roger A. Scheck
    Writer
  • Brian McDaniel
    Key Cast
    Entourage
  • Valeria Maldonado
    Key Cast
    Coco
  • Trey Tucker
    Key Cast
    A Space Between Us
  • Hannah Goergen
    Key Cast
    Blockers
  • Mallory Shelton
    Key Cast
  • Keith Williams
    Key Cast
  • German Valle
    Director of Photography
    Hunger Games, Taken
  • Kristina Kromer
    Editor
  • Zoey Wang
    Production Design
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    25 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 12, 2017
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Red
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • AOF Film Festival
    Las Vegas
    United States
    August 23, 2017
    Winner: Golden Gate Best Actor in a Performing Role - Valeria Maldonado Runner-Up: Best Drama Short; Nominated: Golden Gate Best Actor in a Performing Role -Brian McDaniel; Best young Performer Short - female - Hannah Goergen
  • Marietta International Film Festival
    Marietta, Georgia
    United States
    September 9, 2017
    Winner: Best Domestic Short Film; Best Director Short Nominated: Best Cinematography; Best Writing; Best Score; Best Lead Actor/Actress (Brian McDaniel)
  • Go Independent International Film Festival
    Washington DC
    United States
    September 16, 2017
    7 awards: .Winner: Best Short Film; Best Director; Best Cinematography; Best Editor; Best Actor (Brian McDaniel); Best Cast; Best Drama
  • The Lot La Jolla
    La Jolla, CA
    July 14, 2017
    Opening Premiere - Private Screening for 150 friends & family
  • Lady Filmmakers Film Festival
    Beverly Hills
    United States
    September 30, 2017
    Winner: Best Actor in a Short (Brian McDaniel); Festival Director’s Award Nominated: Best Young Performer Female in a Short or Feature (Hannah Goergen)
  • Marina Del Rey International Film Festival
    Marina Del Rey , CA
    United States
    October 7, 2017
    Best Title Sequence
  • Studio City Film Festival -coming soon
    North Hollywood, CA
    United States
    November 4, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Rome International Film Festival -coming soon
    Rome, Georgia
    United States
    November 12, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Irish International Film Festival
    Dublin
    Ireland
    October 14, 2017
    International Premiere
    Best Cinematography
  • IndieFest

    United States
    Award of Excellence Film Short; Award of Excellence Women Filmmakers; Award of Excellence Supporting Actor Trey Tucker; Award of Excellence Cinematography;Award of Excellence Original Score;Award of Excellence Contemporary Issues/ Awareness Raising
  • LA Short Award

    United States
    Platinum Best Short Film
  • Utah Film Festival

    United States
    April 7, 2018
    Nominated for Best Short under $50,000 and Nominated for Best Production Design
  • Manhattan Film Festival
    Manhattan, NY
    United States
    April 24, 2018
    Official Selection
  • IbizaCinefest

    Official Selection
Director Biography - Sean Martinez

Director and Producer Sean Martinez is a first-time filmmaker. With a unique ability to visualize and execute any project, his visions vividly come to life. His warm, charismatic and inviting personality allows him to draw the room in and earn each one of his crewmembers respect. The respect and effective communication he provides allows all his ideas to run smoothly so that the actors and crew can easily picture his unique views and instantly feel inspired while making all aspects of the project run effectively.

On AMMF, Sean was able to transform the world of fairytales forever. Through the eyes of a little girl, we see the world of drug addiction and it's impact on everyone involved in that lifestyle. With his attention to detail such as the passion to get emotions moving, the colors, music, mood and production design, the audience everywhere is transported to a world they never thought they would be involved. The audience is lost in this "fairytale" trying to find the happy ending, the happily ever after, and they are left wanting more.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Through the eyes of a child, the world is full of fairytales. Anyone can live happily ever after in the imagination and mind of a child. They can fight the evil dragon with a magical sword and be the most rewarded hero in all the land. Unfortunately, life can’t always be a fairytale, or can it? In “A Midwestern Methamphetamine Fairytale”, we see just how unconventional the typical fairytale really is in the real world. Compassion turns to anger, good intentions deteriorate and innocence is met face to face with corruption. An unlikely position for a mother and daughter, where the love of a mother and the devotion of a daughter leads to unforeseen circumstances and events. Promises, favors and love derail their moral compass, leading to a not so typical storybook ending. With compassion coming from the unlikeliest of places, This edgy fairytale will open your eyes to reality. No matter what we think love is or how a fairytale should be, there is no right way. Everything that happens in life is a part of your story, no matter how big or tiny there will be an ending. Now whether it’s happily ever after ... that depends on how you see it.