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Jolie

Set in January of 2022, this is the true story of Jolie Bistro and its gregarious owner, French restauranteur Benjamin Tretout. A beacon of warmth and comfort in the neighborhood attracting regulars who feel like family. What begins as an ordinary night in the Mexican-French Cantina proves to be anything but. Benjamin welcomes Kim, a regular who he shares a special relationship and the last to take a seat before the kitchen closes. What happens next is an experience only Ben himself could serve: Unexpected, Full of flavor, and not to be forgotten.

  • Haley Geffen
    Director
    Hey Girl, F^ck 'Em Right B@ck
  • Adam Reid
    Writer
    The Tiny Chef Show, Hello Lonesome, While the Widow is Away
  • Nikki Horowitz
    Producer
    Hey Girl
  • Joanna Chacon
    Producer
  • Benjamin Tretout
    Producer
  • Samuel Stephens
    Producer
  • Damijan Saccio
    Producer
  • Kim Exum
    Key Cast
    "Kim"
    Ingeniuses, Book of Mormon
  • Ian Poake
    Key Cast
    "Ben"
    The American Pickle, Succession, Billions, FBI
  • Tameishia Peterson
    Key Cast
    "Syd"
    Power Book II: Ghost
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 56 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 27, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Haley Geffen

HALEY GEFFEN is a six-time Emmy award-winning director and filmmaker with a focus on comedy, celebrities and underrepresented voices. She is also the founder of Coed Studios based in Brooklyn, NY. Haley's most recent film F^¢k 'Em R!ght B@¢k (producer) premiered at Sundance this past January. Hey Girl, which she directed, won 12 global awards including 2020’s Best Shorts Humanitarian Award. The film premiered at Brooklyn Film Festival. Recently, Haley directed several short films for Pfizer and a brand film for Dove centered around empowering women and self-love during the pandemic. She was also selected by NBC to direct two shows centered around the life and legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her directing work has been featured multiple times in Free the Work including the latest article on Motherhood and Directing. Haley has two daughters and a husband. She keeps all of them in a small zoo in Brooklyn under the care of her dog Gizmo.

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Director Statement

The film "Jolie" is a true story about my life during the pandemic and my experience living next door to the popular Jolie Bistro in Brooklyn, NY. I watched immigrant owner Benjamin Tretout give everything to our community while struggling to keep his own life and family afloat. And after 2 long years his efforts wouldn't be enough. The longevity of the pandemic would eventually force the small business to close after 18 years. Our unexpected bond proved to be the relationship we both needed during a time in need.