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Fowl Play

A desperate mother’s quest for a Thanksgiving turkey spirals into chaos.

  • Anabelle LeMieux
    Director
  • Anabelle LeMieux
    Writer
  • Shams Pasha
    Producer
  • Colt Kozal
    Co-Producer
  • Nevo Shirazi
    Cinematographer
  • Mo Xiaoyu Jiang
    Production Designer
  • Christine Tianxiao Chen
    Editor
  • Elise Eberle
    Key Cast
    "Julia"
    Shameless, Salem, NCIS, The Ballad of Cleopetra Lumineers: Sleep on the Floor, The Lumineers: The Ballad of Cleopatra, Breathe In
  • Capri Elaine
    Key Cast
    "Tessa"
    Twisters
  • Joan Stein
    Key Cast
    "Beth"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Dark Comedy, Social Absurdism, Drama
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 30, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:85
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - American Film Institute Conservatory
Director Biography - Anabelle LeMieux

Anabelle LeMieux is a Canadian/American writer, director, and actor. Her short film GOOD LUCK IN THE LAND OF MAÑANA premiered at Roxy Underground Film Fest in NYC. Her most recent acting work was the lead role in A FOLDED OCEAN which premiered at Sundance in 2023 and is a Vimeo Staff Pick. She grew up on a marijuana farm in Mendocino county and is the only one in her family who hasn’t been to jail. LeMieux is inspired by the natural world and the struggle to survive.

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Director Statement

I come from a long line of turkey thieves. My mother stole our Thanksgiving turkey, my grandmother stole her Thanksgiving turkey, hell my great-great-great grandma was smugglin’ turkeys out of the corner mart in 1922! But besides for stealing turkeys, these women had something else in common too, they were all single mothers. I’m curious if these two elements are interrelated, I’m curious about what led to these shoplifting sprees.

In my family, holidays always meant overwhelming pressure. Pressure to have what everyone else had, pressure to be a “good” mother. But a good mother in who’s eyes? As I grew up I quickly realized that gifts were not what I wanted, they would only bring me guilt and fear for my mother’s well being. What I wanted was real genuine love, real presence. But I didn't blame my mom. Society’s forceful mandate of consumerism met with the constraints of the lower class drove my mother into a state of blinding frenzy.

I couldn’t really blame her for running around like a turkey with its head cut off... Fowl Play explores this headless world.