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Girlfriend Material

It’s near future in the Autonomous City of New York: most black people were forced out to the Zone. But others are living progressive lives in the world where meat and plastic are banned. Daniel takes care of his dog, Chester the best he can, yet Chester has troubles with adjusting to the new vegan diet.

They meet Sasha, who is about to leave New York for a brighter future. When she unexpectedly comes back, Daniel will have to choose between his feelings for Sasha and commitment to his dog.

  • Malwina Grochowska
    Director
  • Malwina Grochowska
    Writer
  • Winston Hoy
    Producer
    The Sound and the Shadow, Woodford County, Signs of Aging, The Morning After
  • Conor Wright
    Key Cast
    "Daniel"
    Flop Down, Grey Dog, Search Party
  • Penny Middleton
    Key Cast
    "Sasha"
    Anonymous, Delt
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    satire, social satire, comedy, drama, sci-fi
  • Runtime:
    17 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 30, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Polish International Film Festival
    Warsaw
    Poland
    October 22, 2019
    European Premiere
    Official Selection
  • International Shorts
    Melbourne
    Australia
    December 2, 2019
    Australian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival
    Tampa, Florida
    United States
    December 5, 2019
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Oaxaca International Film Festival
    Oaxaca
    Mexico
    October 7, 2019
    Mexican
    New Industry
Director Biography - Malwina Grochowska

Malwina Grochowska is a New York-based Polish screenwriter. Her feature script Happy Ending got into the final of the SCRIPT PRO competition in Poland and was awarded a grant from the Polish Film Institute. Girlfriend Material is her directorial debut.

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Director Statement

I wasn’t entirely aware of how deeply racism is embedded in the fabric of American society when I moved here six years ago from a rather homogenous Eastern European culture. Obviously, like most fellow liberal New Yorkers, I never considered myself racist, but at some point, I started thinking of how, willingly or not, I am benefitting from the racial inequalities. Girlfriend Material is a result of taking this question to an extreme and deeply provocative conclusion. It’s about how one white guy, who considers himself very woke, takes advantage of a black woman.

As a black woman, she is doubly vulnerable. I wanted to present the power dynamics between a man and a woman, a white and a black person, that they enter by default when interacting with each other. Even though the film takes place in the near future, it’s not meant to be abstract; it's an exploration of the social injustices we are dealing with right now and a satirical yet grim take on where we might end up.