April Kills The Vibe
When party girl April wakes up after a rowdy New Year’s eve with a lot more than just a hangover, she calls her partner in crime, Lola, to try to fill in the blanks. But the truth is uglier than April bargained for, and she is forced to confront her demons.
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Bonnie MckeeDirector
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Bonnie McKeeWriter
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Alex SchindlerProducer
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Bonnie MckeeProducer
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Bonnie McKeeKey Cast"April"August Rush, Royalties
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Bonnie McKeeKey Cast"Lola"August Rush, Royalties
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Andy HarryKey Cast"Grant"
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Daniel NguyenKey Cast"Ziggy"Kidding, How to Get Away With Murder, Game Shakers
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Dawn Suhyun ShimCinematographyThe Best People, The Sand Dune
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Carl Nezen1st ACYou Will Be Mine
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Stephen St PeterGafferUtopia, Hermit
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Andy HarryScore
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Bonnie MckeeScore
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Bonnie McKeeProduction Design
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Jake UnterreinerSound Mixer
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Quetzel HerzigPost Sound Mixer
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James JohenningVFX
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Aaron LightHair500 Days of Summer
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Mažena PukštoMakeup
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Arianna PaneColorist
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Bonnie McKeeEditor
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Bonnie McKeeOriginal Songs'Roar', 'California Gurls', 'Teenage Dream', Katy Perry. 'Dynamite' Taio Cruz
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Andy HarryOriginal Songs'Bad Feeling', 'Heat Wave' Cobra Man
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Claude KellyOriginal Songs'Grenade', Bruno Mars, 'Party In the USA', Miley Cyrus,'Circus' Britney Spears
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Oliver GoldsteinOriginal Songs'Mechanical' Oliver, 'Sit Next To Me', Foster The People, 'Smile', Katy Perry
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Justin GrayOriginal SongsJohn Legend, Mariah Carey
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James JohenningPoster
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Project Type:Short
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Runtime:13 minutes 33 seconds
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Completion Date:September 12, 2020
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Production Budget:14,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Alexa Mini
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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Venice Shorts Film AwardsLos Angeles
United States
Best US First Time Filmmaker -
Independent Shorts AwardsLos Angeles
United States
Best Women's Short -
Independent Shorts AwardsLos Angeles
United States
Best Actress -
Independent Shorts AwardsLos Angeles
United States
Best First Time Director (Female) -
Independent Shorts AwardsLos Angeles
United States
Honorable mentions for Best Original Score & Best Supporting Actor -
IndieX Film FestLos Angeles
United States
Won - Outstanding Achievement Award (First Time Director- Female) -
IndieX film festLos Angeles
United States
Nominated: Best Indie Short -
IndieX Film FestLos Angeles
United States
Nominated: Best Women Short -
IndieX Film FestLos Angeles
United States
Nominated: Best Director (Female) -
IndieX Film FestLos Angeles
United States
Nominated: Best Makeup and Hairstyling -
Tokyo International Short Film FestivalTokyo
Won - Best Actress -
New Wave Short Film FestMunich
Germany
Won - Best Actress -
Indie Short FestLos Angeles
United States
Nominated: Best Women's Short -
Indie Short FestLos Angeles
United States
Nominated: Best Director -
Indie Short FestLos Angeles
United States
Nominated: Best Actress -
Indie Short FestLos Angeles
United States
Best Supporting Actor -
Indie Short FestLos Angeles
United States
Nominated: Best Makeup & Hairstyling -
Big Apple Film Festival & Screenplay CompetitionNew York
Official Selection
Bonnie McKee made a name for herself as a pop songwriter, writing 10 #1 hit songs for the charting topping stars of the past decade, and for her own career as an indie pop artist. After years of packing big emotional stories into tidy 31/2 minute songs and creating her own colorful music videos, she is finally expanding into a new realm of story telling. April Kills The Vibe is Bonnie’s screenwriting and directing debut.
April Kills The Vibe is based on the true story of a night I was sexually assaulted in the deep throws of my alcoholism, and the slut shaming, victim blaming conversation with a fair weather friend that followed on that miserable morning after.
I wanted to take an unwavering look at the inherent dangers of being female while intoxicated, and explore the complicated dynamics between two women pointing the finger everywhere except where it belongs- at the perpetrator.
I chose to play both characters because I, like so many women, have been on both sides of this disgustingly familiar conversation. I’ve been the reckless drunk girl with dire consequences playing the blame game, and I’ve been the defensive friend that failed her. And while no survivor of assault is to blame, nor are her careless friends, I wanted to pose the question— what responsibilities do we as women have to protect each other, and where is the line drawn? What part did my own alcoholism play in the circumstances that lead me to this life altering event? The morning this film is based on was the first day I attended an AA meeting, and I graciously celebrated 8 years of sobriety this year.
After a successful career as a Grammy nominated pop songwriter and singer, I am excited to step into the film world and expand on my passion for storytelling.