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Logline

After discovering a hidden figure beneath an important nineteenth-century painting, Monica, an art conservator, struggles to restore a potentially objectionable portrait.

Synopsis

Georgette in the Garden is a nineteenth-century painting by the renowned and mysterious Jean-Francois Bordeleau that was once thought to be lost to history. On the surface, the portrait depicts a young girl, Georgette, reading a book in a garden. Though just beneath a few layers of paint, a second portrait—of the same little girl—depicts her sprawled nude in the grass with an alluring expression.

Monica, a paintings conservator at a small museum, is part of a team of scholars, curators, and conservators tasked with advising the portrait’s private owner on its potential restoration. With many questions unanswerable, Monica struggles with the ethical and moral consequences of unearthing a so-called masterpiece into the modern world.

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Meet the Filmmakers

Grace Philips – Writer/Director
Grace Philips is an American screenwriter/director based in Brooklyn. She holds a B.A. in Television and Film Arts from SUNY Buffalo State College and is a current Alex Sichel Fellow at Columbia University’s Film MFA program.

Her previous short film Dorris 85 premiered at the 2019 Charlotte Film Festival and screened at numerous festivals domestically and internationally, including the Jacksonville Film Festival, Nevertheless Film Festival, and the Oxford International Short Film Festival where it won Best International Short.

Grace sees film as an incredibly powerful tool in driving social change and is always striving to tell stories that both connect with people and challenge them.

Kinder Labatt – Producer
Kinder Labatt is a Canadian film & television producer raised in the South of France and currently based in NYC. She holds a BFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University and an MFA in Creative Producing from Columbia University’s graduate film division. Her original pilot script, REALITY, received the inaugural Charles J. Brucia Award at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

She has produced several short films and written a number pilots, feature films, and plays. An avid fan of satire and comedy, she often incorporates topics relating to gender and politics into her work. She is also the recipient of various film production grants including: Indian Paintbrush, Phil Johnston, and Topic Studios for Excellence in Producing.

Shelby Philips – Associate Producer
Shelby Philips is the current President of MBS-Corps at the University of Maine where she is pursuing a degree in Business Management. She holds an A.A.S. in Radiologic Technology from Trocaire College and has widespread experience in sales and customer service.

At every opportunity, Shelby has supported her sister’s film projects, having served as a Producer on her short film Dorris 85, and worked on the set of her last Columbia project (currently in post-production) Lost Weekend.

Shelby has worked in various industries, from insurance to retail to healthcare, driven by a robust intellectual curiosity; if it’s interesting, she can be interested in it. The scale and challenges of producing Georgette in the Garden excite Shelby’s imagination and she’s proud to be a partner in her sister’s filmmaking career.

Andreas Roalsvig – Director of Photography
Andreas Roalsvig is a Brooklyn-based cinematographer with years of experience shooting short films, commercials, and other media, including a large body of work showcasing art for Christie’s auction house. He has collaborated with Grace on five previous short films and is excited to continue building their creative relationship.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.