Private Project

Monday’s Child

Monday's Child speaks to the heart of a woman's right to choose. After the fall of Roe v. Wade, Jenny faces untenable circumstances when she learns that her inviable pregnancy will compromise her health. As her sense of self begins to unravel, Jenny must make the most difficult choice of her life.

Winner: Best Actress (Kendall Rileigh) at the Washington D.C. International Cinema Festival

Winner: Best Actor (Brad Makarowski) at the Washington D.C. International Cinema Festival

Certificate Winner: Best Screenplay (for a produced film) at the Austin International Film Festival

  • Jodi Leib Coden
    Director
    Woman’s Solitude, Red Love Redemption
  • Jodi Leib Coden
    Writer
    Woman’s Solitude, Red Love Redemption, Talk It Out with Jodi Leib: On Tour with the Black Eyed Peas
  • Paris Jones
    Producer
    The Housekeeper, The Past Comes Knocking, Dark Deceptions
  • Jessica Bobé
    Producer
    Trigger, The Mail Lady (co-producer)
  • Sylvia Sherman
    Producer
  • Jodi Leib Coden
    Producer
    Woman’s Solitude, Red Love Redemption, Talk It Out with Jodi Leib: On Tour with the Black Eyed Peas
  • Kendall Rileigh
    Key Cast
    "Jenny"
    30 Rock, Eight Lessons in Living Together, Red Love Redemption
  • Brad Makarowski
    Key Cast
    "John"
    The Heart Outright, Ask for Jane, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Happy!
  • Miriam Kirscht
    Key Cast
    "Dr. Monroe"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes 19 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 17, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • International Film Festival of Crete and Awards
    Crete
    Greece
    August 8, 2025
    EUROPE PREMIERE
  • WILDsound FEEDBACK Film and Screenplay Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    WINNER - BEST DRAMA FILM
  • Austin International Film Festival
    Austin, TX
    United States
    WINNER - BEST PRODUCED SCREENPLAY
  • Washington DC International Cinema Festival
    Washington, DC
    United States
    WINNER - BEST ACTRESS IN A SHORT FILM
  • Washington DC International Cinema Festival
    Washington, DC
    United States
    WINNER - BEST ACTOR IN A SHORT FILM
  • Washington DC International Cinema Festival
    Washington, DC
    United States
    FINALIST
  • Toronto International Women Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    Official Selection
  • Montreal Independent Film Festival
    Montreal
    Canada
    Official Selection
  • LA Independent Women Film Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Official Selection
  • Lift-Off Global Network
    Filmmaker Sessions Volume 4
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • NewBorn Short Film Agency
    Sales Agent
    Country: Germany
Director Biography - Jodi Leib Coden

Jodi Leib Coden is a filmmaker, painter, photographer, performing artist, writer, and Registered Drama Therapist. She is the host and executive producer of Talk It Out with Jodi Leib, which focuses on in-depth interviews with musicians, artists, and activists about their creativity and social justice work. Talk It Out Sessions have included interviews with the Black Eyed Peas, Moby, Indigo Girls, Henry Rollins, and more. Recently, she wrote, produced, and directed Monday's Child, a narrative short film about women's reproductive rights and the dangers of unsafe and illegal abortion in the United States. Previously, her short film, Woman’s Solitude, won the Audience Favorite award at the Wine Country Film Festival. Jodi lives in the Detroit area and is pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology. She is the founder of VITRUVIUM, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists struggling with food and shelter insecurity. She and her husband, Jon, enjoy a creative lifestyle that supports foundational principles of meaning through art and self-expression.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Monday's Child is a multimedia project that includes a completed short film, a book of monologues, and a feature film screenplay. The short film focuses on Jenny's story, one of the many women's stories explored in the feature film and monologues.

Monday's Child has been in development for over two decades. This labor of love to give voice to women as they struggle with the most complicated decisions of their lives is my life's work. I am honored to bring this story to festivals around the world, and to expose the dangerous consequences of unsafe and illegal abortion.