Experiencing Interruptions?

REM

“REM”/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marilyn Swick)- A teenager girl struggles with her journey towards a medical diagnosis for her terrifying and unusual symptoms, with her dog Zoey, always close by to comfort her. Cast: Celeste Borel, Marilyn Swick, Mykle McCoslin, Travis DeLuca, Alfred Castillo, Jr. , James Bradley, Maidelys Rey, Cheryl Ash-Simpson, Laura Koons, Brenda Waun, Jacob Sefraoui, and Zoey.

  • Marilyn Swick
    Director
    Sixteen Sunrises & Sunsets, REM
  • Marilyn Swick
    Writer
    Sixteen Sunrises & Sunsets, REM
  • Marilyn Swick
    Producer
    Sixteen Sunrises & Sunsets, REM, Joy Comes in The Morning
  • Celeste Borel
    Key Cast
    REM, Joy Comes in The Morning, The Dream Guy
  • Marilyn Swick
    Key Cast
    REM, Joy Comes in The Morning, The Dream Guy
  • Mykle McCoslin
    Key Cast
    REM, The Astronaut's Wives Club, Jackadaw
  • Travis De Luca
    Key Cast
    REM
  • Alfred Castillo,, Jr.
    Key Cast
    REM, Joy Comes in The Morning
  • James Bradley
    Key Cast
    REM
  • Maidelys Rey
    Key Cast
    REM
  • Cheryl Ash-Simpson
    Key Cast
    REM
  • Laura Koons
    Key Cast
    Sixteen Sunrises & Sunsets, REM, Joy Comes In The Morning
  • Brenda Waun
    Key Cast
    REM, Joy Comes in The Morning
  • Jacob Sefraoui
    Key Cast
    REM, Joy Comes in The Morning
  • Zoey
    Key Cast
    REM, Joy Comes in The Morning
  • Joie Jamison
    Key Cast
    REM
  • Michael Chhay
    Director of Photography
    Sixteen Sunrises & Sunsets, REM, Joy Comes In The Morning
  • Mario Sanchez
    Sound
    Sixteen Sunrises & Sunsets, REM, Joy Comes In The Morning
  • Salvador Ortuno
    Special Effects
    REM, Joy Comes In The Morning
  • Joey Garza
    Music
    Sixteen Sunrises & Sunsets, REM
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    25 minutes 37 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 7, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    5,500 USD
  • 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:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Narcolepsy Network Patient Meeting
    Minneapolis, Minnesota
    October 10, 2015
    None
    None
  • WORLDFEST International Film Festival
    Houston
    United States
    GOLD REMI
  • Chandler International Film Festival

    Official Selection-Shorts-May 2016
  • Wendy's Shorts International Film Festival

    United States
    Final Selection International Shorts, February 2016
  • Women's Only Entertainment Films

    United States
    Final Official Selection
  • Texas Ultimate Shorts

    United States
    Final Shorts Official Selection
Director Biography - Marilyn Swick

Marilyn Swick is a Producer, Director, and Writer of several films, REM, Sixteen Sunrises & Sunsets, & Breath. She is also a SAG-AFTRA actress and is represented by Neal Hamil Talent Agency, Houston, Texas. She has been a long-standing member of Women In Film & Television and currently serves as the Vice-President. Marilyn received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University, Washington, DC. This is her first short film project.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Combining my years and knowledge working in the field of sleep medicine and in the film industry I wrote, produced, and directed REM, a poignant teenage girls’ journey in her quest to find an answer for her unusual and terrifying medical symptoms. Her sleep condition is narcolepsy with cataplexy, a disease that affects an estimated 1 in every 2000 people in the United States alone. It is a complicated condition that unfortunately can take up to seven to ten years, including seeing multiple physicians that misdiagnose and prescribe incorrect drugs, until they obtain proper diagnosis and treatment.
I am hopeful this short film will take the path as I intended to educate and increase awareness of Narcolepsy. Two days is all that is needed with the correct informed physician to obtain proper diagnosis and treatment to have their life back.
The soundtrack for the film’s song I wrote, “You Won’t Define Me”, also speaks to their daily struggles. They lose so much in the wasted years in regards to education, family, relationships, and careers. Narcolepsy should never define who they are.