It’s early ‘90’s New York. Melissa comes from a violent home; her fix for it is to get away. Hopping a train to the big city, she seeks refuge with her friends and embraces the drugs, dancing, techno music, and faux family of the underground club life. With ambitions of performing as a DJ and freestyle MC, Melissa doesn’t want to leave. From doing drugs to selling drugs to make ends meet, Melissa gets in way over her head when she owes a debt to drug dealer Loki. Once he has her in his clutches he won’t let her go, except to sell her out. Melissa’s struggle to pursue her ambitions puts hard choices in her path, with harder consequences. But in this world, opportunity can only come from adversity. Melissa has learned the rules of a lawless game, and she keeps playing. How else can she gain the stage?
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Rosa CostanzaDirector
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Rosa CostanzaWriter
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Rosa CostanzaProducerFor The Greater Good, Promise To Freedom, Refugees
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Erik ForssellProducerFor The Greater Good, Consideration, Ring Finger
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Ross RymanProducer
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Reba MasseyProducer
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Jordan BridgesKey CastRizzoli & Isles, J. Edgar, Frequency, Mona Lisa Smile
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Mina MarlenaKey Cast
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Ernie OmegaKey Cast
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Nicky OttavKey Cast
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Josephine Pearl LeeKey Cast
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DJ OdiKey Cast
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Erik ForssellCinematographerGrand Wheel, What If Cannabis Cured Cancer, Apart From That
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Peter BeanEditorThe Rural Surgeons Film Project, ReCalculating
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Drama, Musical, Coming of Age, LGBTQIA+
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Runtime:10 minutes 43 seconds
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Completion Date:March 31, 2016
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Production Budget:23,000 USD
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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:RED 3K
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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St. Louis International Film FestivalSt. Louis
United States
November 8, 2016
North American -
Newport Beach Film FestivalNewport Beach
United States
April 22, 2017
West Coast Premiere -
Los Angeles Film ReviewLos Angeles
United States
SILVER AWARD -
Cannes Short Film Corner 2017Cannes
France
May 26, 2017 -
UCLAx Film FestivalLos Angeles
United States
May 6, 2017
"Best Unique and Artistic Film" -
Harlem International Film FestivalNew York City
United States
May 6, 2017 -
International Film Festival - Nice, FranceNice
France
May 15, 2017
International -
Action On Film FestivalLas Vegas
United States -
50th Annural WorldFest HoustonHouston
United States
Silver REMI Award -
Southern States Indie Fan Film FestivalBiloxi, MS
United States
January 4, 2018
Southern States
Talented New Director -
Lift Off London Online Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
January 4, 2018 -
German United Film Festival
Germany
2018 -
Studio City Intl. Film FestivalStudio City
United States
November 9, 2018 -
Hollyshorts Screening SeriesHollywood
United States
January 19, 2019 -
Womens International Film Arts Festival NYCNew York City
United States
2019 -
Nice Film MarketNice
France
Distribution Information
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Sarl Gonella ProductionsDistributorCountry: WorldwideRights: All Rights
Rosa Costanza, Director, Writer & Executive Producer
Emmy nominated TV Producer; Award winning Director & Screenwriter. Working in physical production for film & TV for over two decades sharpened my knowledge of all aspects of media production. I have a diverse roster of production credits in various roles; my administrative role as a Producer and in my creative expansion as a Screenwriter & Director.
My first short film, XING, screened at Cannes and gained global distribution with a French company (Gonella). I have over 50+ awards as a Producer, Director & Screenwriter. My Emmy nomination was for a PBS TV series produced with the LAUSD, SPOTLIGHT ARTS, highlighting fine art and performance as a proven rehab for inner city youth.
My expert level knowledge of filmmaking was gained in the decade plus that I spent as a Y-1 job class member of IATSE Local 695, with A-List production credits doing Production Sound and Video Coordination. My credits include SULLY, TEEN WOLF and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.
The upliftment of diversity & inclusion in our industry is what I participate in many ways, not just as a female filmmaker in a gender minority. I host filmmaker panels and run a Diversity & Inclusion Program at the Ojai Film Festival since 2021 and judge an award for "Social Impact & Vision" sponsored by Panavision. I also assist the Commercial Directors Diversity Program (CDDP) for the DGA & AICP; I facilitate mentor and peer participation & set up panelists for workshops, and judge entrants ahead of the selection of Finalists and Fellows.
I am passionate about mentoring, lecturing, and volunteering, and have done so at: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), Yale University’s Film Studies Center, and the Ojai Valley Film Society. I also administered a $250K private donor grant program for individual artists, artAffect (2018-2019) with agency HAVAS Chicago. I have taught filmmaking master classes at Cal Arts and Orange Coast College. My goal is to inspire others in my field to reach for greater creative enrichment.
Producer Member, Emmys/ TV Academy (ATAS)
VIP Member, Women In Media (WIM)
Advisory Board Member, Ojai International Film Festival
10+ Year Member (Honorary Withdrawal), IATSE Local 695
16+ Year Member (Producer), The Recording Academy (NARAS)
True love of storytelling necessitates vicious truth; the kind of reality born of pain and grief seems less than the kind born of unconditional LOVE. Both offer inspiration. Writing and Directing is my refuge, and my time spent engaged in the art that I so enjoy has been time hard won, so increasing my delight to be able to produce my creative works. I can sit down with the flood of memories, of people whom I loved or vilified, of places where impactful events took place or some spirit captured my imagination. My privilege is that I can translate these creative resources in to cohesive narrative structure. The story arcs, characters and plots, reveal thematic threads weaving together a new cloth on the loom of my mind. These idea skeins, these yarns are so much straw in to gold.