Private Project

Set Me Free

Set Me Free is a family drama, CODA meets Ladybird with something of Ticket to Paradise. When a secular medical student falls in love with a young, attractive rabbi, no one is sure if she's in love with him or his lifestyle, but her mom is set on ending it.

  • James Carman
    Director
  • Estelle Kohen
    Writer
  • Michael Miceli
    Writer
  • Estelle Kohen
    Producer
  • Lex Miller
    Key Cast
    "Alexandra"
  • Florimond Patrick
    Key Cast
    "Eli"
  • Denise Marie Whalen
    Key Cast
    "Robin"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Family Drama, Romantic Comedy
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 29 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 18, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    300,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, 4k, 24 f/s
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2x1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - James Carman

An accomplished filmmaker and cinematographer, James’ feature-length documentary, The Hidden Hand; Alien Contact and the Government Cover-up, won five awards and is distributed internationally.
Many of the films James has shot have been screened at festivals worldwide, including Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, and Toronto. Five of his feature films were screened at the MoMA retrospective of Bruce LaBruce.

James shot ten films about sex-criminals for Shu Lea Cheang’s 3x3x3 project. They were the centerpiece of the Taiwan Pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale.

James’ recent short film, Bitter Brownies, won twenty-eight awards for Best International Short Film.

James also recently published a sci-fi graphic novel, HyperParanøid, with illustrator Jaf Farkas. Robert Crumb wrote the foreword.

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Director Statement

Producing a film that highlights Jewish values to the world has been a dream of mine for years. I'm grateful to all the industry professionals who brought this dream to life.