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Saving Savanna

Suicidal young woman, Savanna Winslow ended her lease, quit her job, and cut off all ties. After her suicide attempt fails, Savanna is faced with the stark realization that she has nothing left. When a doctor offers her a second chance, she has a decision to make: to live or continue trying to die.

  • A.C. Bryan
    Director
  • A.C. Bryan
    Writer
  • K.A. Bryan
    Producer
  • Ashleigh Coffelt
    Director of Photography
    Secrets that We Keep
  • Sean Smith
    Director of Photography
  • Samantha Wendorf
    Key Cast
    "Savanna Winslow"
    Say, Left Behind
  • Victoria Chang
    Key Cast
    "Gianna Cho"
    Fishbowl
  • Elizabeth Stuelke
    Key Cast
    "Dr. Raegan Samuels"
  • Lou Cariffe
    Key Cast
    "Seamus Callaghan"
    Two (A Story of Forgiveness)
  • Thomas Gipson
    Key Cast
    "Dr. Henry James"
    By Any Means
  • Mariangeli Collado
    Key Cast
    "Whitney Larson"
    Hyperlinked, Justice
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 22 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 29, 2019
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Canon 4k
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - A.C. Bryan

Aurielle (A.C.) Bryan, a director, producer and writer, likes to tell people that she stumbled into filmmaking. After being placed in a film class her first semester at Towson University, she was hooked. When she discovered that she was able to take her love of creative writing, acting, and overall storytelling and combine it with film—she never looked back.

She enjoys creating stories that exhibit strong, developed characters who come from a variety of ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. She seeks to delve into topics and issues prevalent in today’s world, while utilizing a fictional space. To date, she has created short films that have screened at festivals across the nation-- such as the FilmOne Fest, New Media Festival, and the Reel Independent Women in Film. Her films have also broadcasted locally in the Baltimore Area Metropolitan.

Aurielle has made it her goal to produce films that feature racially integrated casts, and strong female leads. It is her goal to feature what she sees in her America—many different people of varying backgrounds all living together.

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Director Statement

Imagine yourself at 15- you're innocent in the ways of the world and naïve. Imagine that you're entire student body has been called in for an emergency assembly. Now imagine that your principal has just announced that one of your own, a student, is no longer with us... because of suicide.

How does that make you feel? You just saw this student- they were kind, quiet even; but you never thought that they were suicidal.

That is exactly how I was introduced to suicide... and it wouldn't be the last time suicide and I would meet.

In 2014 alone, there were 42,773 suicides. This number increased to 44,000 in 2015, according to the National Institute of Mental Health- it is the the number two cause of death for ages 15- 34. Suicide and depression are very real issues that real people deal with, but there is still a stigma attached to discussing them- especially in the communities of people of color.

This is why “Saving Savanna” is necessary. The film came about as a way to illustrate a struggle that doesn't get much exposure- surviving when you really wanted to die. It is also a way to illustrate how we should treat one another. It is my desire that "Saving Savanna" offers a small ray of hope (however small) to someone dealing with their own insecurities, mental illness, and sadness.