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Eating Lisa

A young woman attempts to eat the Mona Lisa. We are guided through her intense obsession with La Joconde, her success in capturing the piece previously thought to be uncapturable, and her tragic demise, as a result of ingesting that which she so coveted. It’s an odyssey, a tragedy, and above all, it’s tomfoolery.

  • Autumn Palen
    Director
  • Autumn Palen
    Writer
  • Matthew Leddy
    Producer
  • Gigi Dia
    Key Cast
    "Gamalielle"
  • JC Sullivan
    Key Cast
    "Leonardo Da Vinci"
  • Chad Heffelfinger
    Key Cast
    "Security Guard"
  • Cody Heffelfinger
    Key Cast
    "Security Guard"
  • Cody Buchanan
    Key Cast
    "Cowboy Tourist"
  • Matthew Leddy
    Key Cast
    "Cowboy Tourist"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Eating Lisa
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Heist, Absurdist
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 27 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 4, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    French
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • De Liceiras 18 SYSF Night
    Porto
    Portugal
    February 22, 2020
    World Premiere
  • The Malarkey Film Festival
    Streaming Online
    July 25, 2020
  • Hollywood Venus Awards
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    August 1, 2020
  • Longless Film Festival
    Vimercate
    Italy
    September 11, 2020
Director Biography - Autumn Palen

Autumn Palen is a graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where she obtained a B.F.A. in Film & TV Production and a minor in French.

She has years of on-set experience from independent film to broadcast television, and has completed artistic residencies through Getaway Cabins in Boston, De Licerias 18 in Porto, and Maajaam in southern Estonia.

In 2019, she was shortlisted for the Sundance Horizon Award for a music video she directed in Paris, and her short film Worst Case Scenario was screened at WANDA: Feminism & Moving Image in Belfast, North Ireland.

Her interest in visual storytelling began early, sparked by a desire to entertain school friends during recess, and continually kindled by a passion for bringing engaging, unconventional, diverse and absurd projects to life.

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Director Statement

This story, about one headstrong young woman’s mission to eat the Mona Lisa, aims to take the viewer on a journey wherein the pendulum swings from victory to tragedy and right back to victory. Personally, I’m pulled towards writing strongly stylized stories with headstrong young women at the forefront. I take pride in being an absurd and clownish woman, and aim to write the same sorts of protagonists in my tales.