Enough

As a filmmaker, I like to use genre as a way to address broader social issues. Fundamentally, this short film breaks gender stereotypes in a genre typically reserved for men, while also commenting on the current socio-economic challenges for most young people (particularly women) through the lens of characters who have turned to the extreme just to survive. The original script was a little less subtle in what each character was meant to represent. I decided in the edit to lean into the genre more, cut some of the context, and let the subtext live in visuals in the background as easter eggs for rewatch. I believe that it is a film that has the versatility of allowing people to walk away merely entertained or walk away thinking about the bigger picture that was being subtly explored.

Behind the production:
Over Thanksgiving of 2012, I found myself going to the emergency room despite not having insurance because of unexpected chest pains. The doctor on call dismissed my symptoms, which led to a few costly follow ups. (It turned out to be an ongoing acute asthma attack due to hurricane sandy.) Around this time, I had also gotten my first student loan bill that I couldn't afford to pay. And though I am not a single mother, my mom is, and I often think about how much she struggled with such little societal support. It was a few months later that I took these experiences and the frustration I was feeling to paper and wrote "Enough." I originally intended to make the film in late 2014, after my 1st feature began festival rounds. But I didn't want to make it on no-budget (not paying people felt counter-productive to the themes of the project), and my funds were going towards other projects at the time. So, I pushed the project off and focused on others. However, in Fall of 2016, I was in pre-production for my 2nd feature and feeling bogged down by the prep work - just itching to be back on set - while also looking for an outlet to channel the trepidation and anger I found myself feeling during the election & what felt like a sudden nationwide endorsement of hate & greed. So, I reached out to everyone who had originally expressed interest in the film and asked if they'd be down to do it with no budget but a lot of passion. Thankfully, they were.