The Next Girl
Born into a dystopian world, enslaved young girls held captive from womb to tomb are denied bodily autonomy and forced to bear children sired by men with hardened hearts devoid of empathy. Reared in isolation and deprived of love, their stolen children are confined to cold, dark cells.
Years of anguish fade into distant memory as the new mother holds the precious baby she carried in her young womb for nine months. She becomes overwhelmed by an unfamiliar sense of love, a vulnerability she has never imagined. For a moment, her heart cracks open to feel the meaning of her baby against her chest as she struggles to put the amulet of doom around her daughter’s neck before she is ripped from her arms.
Throughout her childhood, The Next Girl’s survival hinges on her belief that one day she will be reunited with a mother she vaguely remembers but somehow loves unconditionally. She dreams of pursuing a utopian life, running freely in the field she can barely see through the dirty window. This hope is shattered by a rude awakening, that she is destined to suffer a life of cruelty, and an epiphany, that she may have recognized the weathered, worn face of the mother she dreamed of...but may never see again.
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Terrah Bennett SmithDirectorFLIP THE SCRIPT, L.A. BAKERS, SLEEPING WITH STRANGERS,
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Lisa DeCrescenteWriter
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Star SimmonsExecutive ProducerPeeled: Cooking up Compassion
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David TrotterProducerPeeled: Cooking up Compassion
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Snowden BishopProducerPeeled: Cooking up Compassion
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Jamie LoganKey Cast"The Next Girl (lead)"
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Senda BonnetDirector of PhotographyThe Weight of Perfection (2020), Ritual (2018) and Malfunction (2018)
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Drama
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Runtime:17 minutes
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Completion Date:October 31, 2023
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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:Arri Alexa
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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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Los Angeles
United States
November 11, 2023
Film to Premiere at VKX. (VKX2023.COM)
Native New Yorker Terrah Bennett Smith has enjoyed a rich and multi-faceted career in the entertainment industry as an award-winning actress, award-winning director, a producer, writer, and executive. Having made her directorial debut with the feature film FLIP THE SCRIPT, and has gone on to direct the feature film, L.A. BAKERS, the television pilot SLEEPING WITH STRANGERS, the three-part cooking competition PEELED (as co-director), and most recently the short film THE NEXT GIRL. She is currently producing other projects including a new series, CANDY RAIN and the feature film BROKEN, to name a few. She is also Executive Producer/Co-Writer and Star of, THE WRIGHT TURN, an 8-episode TV series.
In front of the camera, a few of her TV Recurring/Guest Star credits include: STUCK WITH YOU, DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, BOSCH, GAMES PEOPLE PLAY, 9-1-1, and more. Terrah has also performed on Broadway, and was a Billboard top 40’s recording artist on RCA .
Terrah served as Executive Director for the C&C TEEN HOLLYWOOD FILM FESTIVAL, worked with HOLLYWOOD BLACK FILM FESTIVAL in their media department, and is currently CEO/Founder of RECLAIM HAVEN, a wellness platform for women.
Vkind is a company that I am aligned with, so I was extremely excited when I received the call asking if I were interested in directing this film. Oppression is real and has been for so many years, on so many levels. To bring this story to life and share it in a creative way, I believe will make a difference, or at least provoke a conversation amongst other notable projects. The Next Girl is a project that speaks not only to it’s subject matter, but to anyone, in any situation, who feel empathy for those who are oppressed and have no voice.