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The Benefits of Gusbandry

On her debaucherous 40th birthday, serial relationship-killer Jackie Rosenblum meets magnetic dreamboat River Manning. Their ensuing adventures in self-medication, late-blooming and questionable judgment lead them to discover a raucous new kind of “significant otherness”.

In Season 2's politically charged new 3 episode arc, the world of Gusbandry bursts open to reveal a deeper side of protagonists Jackie and River. Fueled by both current events and personal ones, our characters find themselves struggling with sexual agency and politics in the era of “outrage fatigue” culminating in a visit to Planned Parenthood.

  • Alicia J. Rose
    Director
    A Kaddish For Bernie Madoff
  • Courtenay Hameister
    Writer
    Stella's Flight
  • Alicia J. Rose
    Writer
  • Alicia J. Rose
    Producer
    The Gift of Gravity
  • Lara Cuddy
    Producer
    Lorelei, Birds of Neptune
  • Brooke Totman
    Key Cast
    Mad TV
  • Kurt Conroyd
    Key Cast
    Birds of Neptune, Wild
  • Project Type:
    Short, Television, Web / New Media
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Narrative, web series
  • Runtime:
    22 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital MXF
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Portland Film Festival
    Portland
    September 4, 2015
    North American Premiere
  • Nashville Film Festival
    Nashville
    United States
    April 17, 2016
  • NW Tracking Series "Binge Screening"
    Portland
    United States
    April 28, 2016
    Season Finale Premiere
  • Miami Web Festival
    Miami
    United States
    September 29, 2016
  • New Orleans Film Festival
    New Orleans
    United States
    October 14, 2016
  • Austin Film Festival
    Austin, Texas
    United States
    October 16, 2016
    Finalist, Digital Series Competition
  • NorthWest Filmmakers Festival
    Portland, OR
    United States
    November 13, 2016
  • Local Sightings Film Festival
    Seattle, Wa
    United States
    September 29, 2017
    Seattle Preview of 3 new episodes
  • Atlanta Film Festival
    Atlanta
    United States
    March 26, 2017
Distribution Information
  • Amazon
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: Internet, Video on Demand, Paid TV
  • Revry
    Country: United States
    Rights: Internet, Video on Demand, Paid TV
Director Biography - Alicia J. Rose

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Alicia J. Rose pursued acting as a youth and first took up directing at El Camino High school, where she was the first female who had ever directed their closed-circuit variety show. Duly inspired she headed North majoring in TV/Film at San Francisco State University, acting in a few indie films and becoming a popular DJ at college radio station KUSF while booking live music at punk venues. She transplanted to Portland in the mid-90’s and in 2010 started her own production company.

Since then she has directed over 3 dozen music videos for artists like First Aid Kit, Cake and Bob Mould as well as visually branding popular bands like The Decemberists and others with her imaginative portraiture, as well as creating a prodigious amount of stylish broadcast and brand focused commercial work.

Her approach to directing utilizes her unique sense of visual style, grounded humor and snappy storytelling to deliver authentic narratives that resonate deeply with viewers.

Scripted comedic web series “The Benefits of Gusbandry” was her first foray into digital episodic storytelling and over its two seasons received wide acclaim from press outlets like The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, A/V Club, PASTE, OUT and others. Her feature directorial debut - hybrid narrative/musical “A Kaddish For Bernie Madoff” has just come off an award winning festival run and is slated for a Fall 2022 public release. She is currently working on a host of new projects.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Inspired by real-life relationships with my own “Gusbands” (a.k.a: gay best friends), The Benefits of Gusbandry brings to life Jackie and River - two one-of-a-kind characters approaching 40 and follows them as they find something special in one another, navigating the modern world with a no-punches-pulled comedic purview, and finding true love in a most unexpectedly platonic way.

Yes, we were weaned on network sit-com Will and Grace, but for as common as this dynamic relationship is in real-life, there is a pitiful amount of contemporary representation in the media. The Benefits of Gusbandry takes advantage of the web series format to deliver a fresh and uncensored comedic take on this relationship through 10 short episodes perfect for binge-watching.