Millie's Care Free Day
Weighed down and despondent from crushing depression, Millie tries to escape the daily grind by deciding today will be different. However, she must first confront her trauma before it consumes her.
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Michael LicisynDirector
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Michael LicisynWriter
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Michael LicisynProducer
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Sarah BraunProducer
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Kathryn MillerKey Cast"Millie"
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Rachel KeefeKey Cast"Leah"
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Kevin StahlScore Composer and Music Producer
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Spencer Camacho"This Time" Songwriter and Performer
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Michael LicisynEditing
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Michael LicisynCinematography
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Chris PotakoSound
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Sarah BraunAssistant Director
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Mixed Nuts ProductionsProduction CompanySTILL, No Footing
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Project Type:Short
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Runtime:9 minutes 10 seconds
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Completion Date:July 21, 2023
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Production Budget:3,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Blackmagic Raw
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Aspect Ratio:2:4:1
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Phoenixville Film FestivalPhoenixville, PA
September 22, 2023 -
Smodcastle Film FestivalAtlantic Highlands, NJ
October 13, 2023 -
Atlantic City CinefestAtlantic City, NJ
October 14, 2023
Best Short Drama, Best Actress Short Film -
Off Page Film FestivalPhiladelphia, PA
November 4, 2023 -
The Film Collective Short Film FestivalBensalem, PA
November 10, 2023 -
Garden State Film FestivalAsbury Park, NJ
Best Song from a Short Film -
Media Film FestivalMedia, PA
March 30, 2024 -
Hang Onto Your Shorts Film FestivalRed Bank, NJ
April 6, 2024 -
New Hope Film FestivalNew Hope, PA
April 6, 2024
Best Short Short -
Allentown Film FestivalAllentown, PA
April 13, 2024
Best Empowerment Film -
First Take Short SeriesDoylestown, PA
April 25, 2024 -
West Chester Film FestivalWest Chester, PA
April 27, 2024 -
Philadelphia Independent Film FestivalPhiladelphia, PA
May 11, 2024 -
Jersey Shore Film FestivalRed Bank, NJ
July 5, 2024
Grand Jury: Best of Best Jersey Short / Best Director: Jersey Short -
Newark Independent Film FestivalNewark, DE
August 10, 2024 -
Northeast Film FestivalTeaneck, NJ
September 7, 2024 -
New Jersey Web FestivalMontclair, NJ
September 27, 2024
Best Actress in a Drama / Best Score/Soundtrack -
FirstGlance Film Festival PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
September 28, 2024 -
Reading Film FestivalReading, PA
October 12, 2024
Michael is an Emmy winning filmmaker from South Jersey and co-founder of Mixed Nuts Productions. He has produced multiple award-winning films including the indie feature No Footing, the short thriller STILL and wrote and directed the action adventure short film The Phillie Phanatic Saves the 4th. He is best known for producing the web series Living in 8 Bits which pokes fun at the logic and tropes of retro video games.
Millie's Care Free Day is my most personal film I've ever made. In May of 2020 as we were 2 months into the Covid-19 pandemic, my life like so many other's was entirely upended where I went through multiple major life changes in a short period of time that included losing my dad. My mental health had hit an all time low.
Making movies has always been my personal therapy. It was how I enriched my mental health and we couldn't do it at the time. I am mostly known for making comedic, uplifting and often geeky films. I just always wanted to make people smile and enjoy themselves but I lost my drive to create. In early 2021, I received a handwritten note from Lin-Manuel Miranda in response to a fan letter. He wrote: "Amidst all the uncertainty, maybe you can use this time to make art and take deep breaths and fill the world with more love." I started writing Millie's Care Free Day that day.
This is a film about overcoming crippling anxiety, heartbreak, grief, trauma and depression. Millie represents who I was at the time: a despondent isolationist who was at the brink where no matter what I did to escape my depression was there. Leah represents the part of me that wouldn't allow me to escape the mental madness.
Making this film has been a cathartic experience for me. We had an amazing group of artists who really connected with this film and gave it their all despite the very low partially fan funded budget. Kathryn Miller and Rachel Keefe brought these characters to life with exceptional performances -- the best I have ever captured with my camera. Sarah Braun was there every step of the development offering such invaluable artistic insight. Chris Potako's chilling sound design mixed with Kevin Stahl's beautiful score and Spencer Camacho's brilliant song "This Time" captured the tension and inner feelings of what these characters were experiencing. The entire crew made this film work like a mosaic and it was truly a beautiful experience.
This is a film for those who have felt the same way who can take solace in knowing that you are not alone and there is a path to overcoming no matter how difficult it can be. Because I know for me personally how special this experience has been and I hope it is special for you as well.