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Lorna Landvik's "Oh My Stars"

OH MY STARS is a drama set In the days of the Great Depression. A disfiguring factory accident and a miserable home life compel a young woman to leave Kentucky for San Francisco. Her plan: to be the second suicide off the Golden Gate Bridge. Now in her senior years, she reflects on her rescue by two musicians — one white and one black — whose invitation into their rollicking, anything's possible world she accepted, giving her a life vivid with song, love, and the occasional miracle. Screenplay by renowned author Lorna Landvik, based on her novel of the same name.

  • Cynthia M. Uhrich
    Director
    Everyone Goes in the Lake, Code Green, Robert in the Bedroom, M4W
  • Lorna Landvik
    Writer
    Author of 12 Novels
  • Anna Stranz
    Key Cast
    "Young Violet Mathers"
    The Lumber Baron, Dark Cloud, Only Dance Can Save Us
  • Alison Edwards
    Key Cast
    "Older Violet Mathers"
    In An Instant (tv), Farmer of the Year,
  • Dawson Ehlke
    Key Cast
    "Kjel Hedstrom"
    Christmas Break-In, Breach, Next Door, Anaxagorean Heist: A Star Wars Fan Film
  • Wendy Smith
    Composer
    Songwriter & Musician
  • Gregory Winter
    Cinematographer
    Nina of the Woods, The Jingle Dress, Robert in the Bedroom,
  • Cynthia Uhrich
    Producer
    Everyone Goes in the Lake, Code Green, Robert in the Bedroom, M4W
  • Sarah Laemmle
    Art Direction
    Master Servant, Code Green
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    21 minutes 13 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED Epic
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Private Screening for Cast, Crew & Financial Supporters
    Minneapolis
    United States
    June 15, 2019
  • Twin Cities Film Fest
    Minneapolis
    United States
    October 19, 2019
    Minnesota Premiere
    Audience Choice Award
  • Culver City Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    December 8, 2019
    L.a. Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Walker Art Center
    Minneapolis, MN
    United States
    March 12, 2020
  • Sedona International Film Festival
    Sedona
    United States
    February 23, 2020
  • Highway 61
    Pine City
    United States
    April 4, 2020
    FIRST PLACE, Minnesota-Made Short
  • Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
    Dubuque
    United States
    April 22, 2020
    Iowa Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Central States Indie FanFilmFest
    Rock Island, Illinois
    United States
    April 16, 2020
    Illinois
    Category Winner "Best Featurette"
  • Las Vegas International Film Festival
    Las Vegas
    United States
    November 10, 2020
    Finalist
  • Queens World Film Festival
    Jackson Heights, New York
    United States
    June 24, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival
    Fort Myers Beach
    United States
    September 15, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Catalyst Content Festival
    Duluth, MN
    United States
    October 1, 2021
    Winner - "Outstanding Cinematography"
Director Biography - Cynthia M. Uhrich

Cynthia Uhrich has a broad-reaching scope of experience and knowledge in the film and acting business ranging from acting to teaching, screenwriting, producing, casting, and directing. She resided in Los Angeles for eight years, where she augmented her Bachelor’s Degree in Theater with professional acting training and worked as a production assistant on commercials. She was a member of SAG and AFTRA for 24 years. She currently lives in an artist's loft in the arts community of Lowertown, St. Paul, Minnesota.

In 2012 she created IN THE MOMENT FILMS, fiscally sponsored by Springboard for the Arts, with the mission of employing Women in front of and behind the camera, with an eye towards telling original stories featuring women on topics of social significance.

Filmography (Shorts) Screenings & Awards:

"MISPLACED TRUST" (Drama) Director, Producer, Screenwriter
* Z-Fest winner "Bent Brewstillery Award"
* Oniros Film Awards: "Best Thriller" & "Best Ensemble"
* Mindfield - Albuquerque "Finalist"
* IndieFest Film Awards - Award of Merit: Female Fimmaker & Short Film
* Indie Short Fest - Finalist
* Hollywood Blood Horror - Winner: "Best Thriller" & "Best Ensemble"
* Cyrus Monthly Film Festival - Toronto - "Semi-Finalist"
* Hollywood International Golden Age - Finalist
* Phoenix Monthly - "Semi-Finalist"
* WRPN Women's International Film Festival - "Award of Excellence"
* Hollywood Just4Shorts Film & Screenplay Competition - WINNER "Best Horror Short"
* Cinema World Fest Awards - Selected - "Best Lighting" "Award of Merit - Cinematography"
* Hollywood International Golden Age Festival - "Finalist"
*Golden State Film Festival - Selected
* The International Horror Hotel Film Festival - "4th Place - Short Film"
* Hang on to Your Shorts - Nominee "Best Thriller"
* Over Forty Film Festival - Selected (July - virtual F.F.)
* Raleigh Film & Art Festival

"OH MY STARS" (Drama) Director, Producer
* Sedona International Film Festival - Official Selection
* Twin Cities Film Fest - "Audience Choice Award"
* Central States Indie Film Fan Festival - "Best Featurette"
* Highway 61 Film Festival - "1st Place"
* Culver City Film Festival - Official Selection
* Julian Dubuque International Film Festival (Postponed to screen in 2021) - Official Selection
*Sanford Independent Film Festival - Official Selection
* Dumbo Film Festival - Finalist
* Global Independent Film Awards:
- Gold - "Best Female Screenwriter" - Lorna Landvik
- Gold "Diversity & Inclusion"
- Silver "Best Leading Actress" - Anna Stranz
- Silver "Best Female Director" - Cynthia Uhrich
* Las Vegas International Screenwriting & Film Festival - Finalist
* Best Shorts Competition - "Best Actress" - Anna Stranz
*Toronto Independent Film Festival of Cift - Official Selection
* Queens World Film Festival - Official Selection
* Los Angeles Film Awards - Semi-Finalist
* Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival - Official Selection
* Catalyst Content Festival

“EVERYONE GOES IN THE LAKE” (Dramedy) Director, Producer
* Twin Cities Film Festival
* Los Angeles International Indie Short Fests (Official Selection)
* Adventure Minnesota Film Festival
* Film North selection - Cinema Lounge screening

“ROBERT IN THE BEDROOM” - (Drama) Director, Screenwriter, Producer
* Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival,
* St. Paul Frozen Film Festival
* Minnesota Women in Film & Television
* Film North Cinema Lounge.

“CODE GREEN” - (Docu-Drama) Director, Screenwriter, Producer
* Docs Without Borders Film Festival
* Great Lakes Shorts Festival
* Kids'nFilm International Festival
* Highway 61 Film Festival

“M4W” - (Romantic Comedy) Director, Screenwriter, Producer
* Film North (formerly IFP) Cinema Lounge screening

She served for three years as a screenwriting and short story judge for the NYC Midnight Competition and has co-written a memoir with famed musician BrownMark of Prince's The Revolution band, "My Life in the Purple Kingdom" published by the University of Minnesota Press and released in September 2020.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I read Lorna Landvik's novel "Patty Jane's House of Curl" in 1995, and thought it was one of THE most enjoyable books I'd ever had the pleasure of reading. Landvik is a renowned and beloved author of 12 novels. "Oh My Stars" is Landvik's first screenplay from one of her books to make it to the screen. When invited to direct and produce a short-film version of her book, I was over-the-moon delighted. In preparation for filming, I, of course, read the book and was struck by the beauty, humor, and heartfelt theme: overcoming adversity.

Although set in the early 1930s, Violet's story is profoundly relevant today, considering an ever-increasing awareness of the inequities that women, people of color, and disabled people continue to endure. Violet's story is hopeful; it is because of her strength and ability to adapt that she not only triumphs over adversity, but she does so with dignity.

I think it was important that a woman direct this film not simply because it is a woman's story--but because I was keen to keep the depiction of Violet's life from becoming an "idea" of what it is to be a female dealing with adversity; because while women are emotional--they are also incredibly resilient. In spite of finding herself on the brink of despair, Landvik's Violet is a young woman with a strong backbone. She was someone I could admire, particularly because as a young woman, I had to overcome the same crushing burden of not feeling "good enough." I, too, was an isolated teen who felt very much like an outsider. I think those parallels made me the right woman to direct this film.

The film screened for cast, crew, and donors on June 15th, and the response was overwhelming. A donation box at the post-screening reception (and subsequent online contributions) garnered $1,800 from viewers eager to (help) off-set our film festival fees. What an incredible vote of confidence from the audience! My hope is that this film is seen by viewers across the country and that someone falls in love with this story the way I did--and will consider financing a feature-length version of the film.

The film was shot in Minnesota: Twin Cities, New Prague as well as Arkansaw, Wisconsin and met the mission of employing a majority percentage of women on the crew.

There are also three original songs by Wendy Smith of the Zillionaires. The Zillionaires play engaging original music and blues, country, roots, rock, surprise-me covers. A guitar band with the occasional accordion, horn, or who knows what thrown in the mix, the group was originally formed as The Thistles and was a forerunner in the Minneapolis alt-country sound.