Private Project

Luteal

One year after a woman’s partner dies of leukemia, she decides to have their child on her own through insemination. But maybe she’s not as alone as she thinks.

  • Hilary Williams
    Writer
    Atoms of Ashes (writer/producer), Chicago Fire (actor)
  • Jill Oliver
    Writer
  • Hilary Williams
    Director
  • Hilary Williams
    Producer
    atoms of ashes
  • Jill Oliver
    Producer
    After. A Love Story.
  • Emily Claibourne
    Producer
  • Jason Chiu
    Producer
  • Hilary Williams
    Key Cast
    "Hil"
  • Jill Oliver
    Key Cast
    "Jill"
  • Layne Dixon
    Key Cast
    "Layne"
  • Michael Turrentine
    Key Cast
    "Michael"
  • June Thiele
    Key Cast
    "June"
  • Jason Chiu
    Director of Photography
  • Jeff McCollister
    Composer
  • Diego Lopez
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 53 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 18, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Omaha Film Fest
    Omaha
    United States
    World Premiere
  • Toronto Short Film Fest
Director Biography - Hilary Williams

Hilary Williams (she/her) is a Chicago-based Actor, Writer, and Filmmaker. Williams has had the immense pleasure of working on stage with many Chicago theatre companies, some of which include The Hypocrites, LifeLine, Rivendell Ensemble, Steep Theatre, New Coordinates, Broken Nose, and Northlight. She is a company member of Bramble Theatre. She has appeared on television in Chicago Fire and various commercials, and in the films Older Children, Dear Frankie (Cannes Festival Selection for 8mm), and Dad Man Walking. Williams’ voice is featured on PBS cartoons and the BBC Award-winning fiction podcast Unwell. Her work behind the camera began with the short film atoms of ashes. Williams co-wrote, co-produced, and provided art direction. It was accepted into 7 film festivals and received the Best of the Midwest Award for Best Editing and Women of Now Anniversary Showcase Judges Choice Award. Timeout Chicago called the film “an exhilarating journey through cycles of love, loss, and rebirth that seems to encapsulate the entire universe in just seven minutes.” Williams is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and represented by Shirley Hamilton Talent in Chicago. She also teaches sexual assault prevention and harm reduction with Catharsis Productions. More about her can be found at hilwill.com

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Director Statement

My ideas of birth are inextricably intertwined with my notions of death, and so for me, pregnancy is connected to grief. My personal journey with fertility is linked to my depression, my anxiety, and my heartache as much as it is tied to my hope, the love I have for my partner, and the love I have for my family (chosen & blood). This film is a love letter to my body, to the process of conception whatever it may look like, and to my friends. I hope the film gives the viewer the opportunity to challenge their own connection to the process of conception and creation. I wanted to make a film about an artist community that isn’t about the work they make or the importance of art, but rather about the importance of who they are as a support system. I want this short film to express the familial aspects of a group of individuals who love one another, who understand how each other creates and helps one another do so. Our artistry so often defines us, and that can be beautiful, but the relationships and communities that artists build are also a thing of beauty and reflection.

It is a ghost story. It is an intimate story about friendships. It is simple in its complexities.

The film is called Luteal, referencing a particular phase of the menstrual cycle when one must wait to find out if they are pregnant. The luteal phase seems like a stagnant position, but it can hold so much expectation and so much hurt. Everyone in this film is waiting for something: waiting on life to begin, creativity to strike, careers to burst open, and grief to pass. How we wait is often how we cope.