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Logline

When social worker Johanna returns to her childhood home after the death of her estranged mother she must confront the abuse she experienced as a child, battling a force within the house that thinks Joanna is still a child in need of discipline.

Synopsis

Johanna Thayer, newly unemployed and on the brink of losing her girlfriend, returns to her childhood home in Pittsburgh to handle her late mother Vicky’s estate. The house offers a chance for a fresh start, but strange occurrences at night and unexplained bruises in the morning suggest an energy within the home still views Johanna as a child in need of discipline.

Johanna begins to doubt her sanity, especially through the critical eyes of her mother’s naive neighbor, Elena, and her delusional former stepfather, Frank. However, when Elena’s daughter Luna gives Johanna a Kuker doll—a pagan charm for protection against “Evil Spirits”—Johanna finds some comfort. This solace is short-lived after a troubling phone call with her therapist leads to a painful breakup with her girlfriend Danielle. With no where to live, no money, and no support, Johanna is now trapped and helpless, repeating the cycle of her childhood.

Desperate, Johanna doubles her sleeping pill dose, seeking escape from her despair. That night, she is attacked by an unseen force—the Mother—recreating her childhood abuse. As her child-self and adult-shelf struggle between pleading for mercy and fighting back, Johanna finds the strength to resist.

The next morning, Johanna collects her mother’s ashes and begins a slow, symbolic process of feeding them to the neighborhood strays. As Johanna works on rebuilding her childhood bedroom, the view pans to the open door of the mother’s bedroom. SLAM! It’s clear that mother and daughter, equally stubborn and spiteful, will share the house until the end, no matter the cost.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Carolynn Cecilia – Writer/Director
Carolynn is an award-winning Writer and Director based in New York City. Known for her bold approach to filmmaking and her commitment to pushing boundaries, Carolynn thrives on taking creative risks.

In 2015, Carolynn was commissioned by the legendary David Bowie to write an Instagram-based episodic series interpreting the emotions of Bowie’s final studio album, Blackstar. This groundbreaking project, titled Unbound, garnered widespread acclaim and was heavily featured in Rolling Stone and Variety among others. Carolynn’s work with Bowie was singled out in the books The Complete David Bowie (Nicholas Pegg) and The Age of Bowie (Paul Morely.) Unbound premiered at SXSW and went on to win the David Lynch award at the Austin Arthouse Film Festival.

Carolynn has written and/or directed a variety of projects including five short film, a web series and an indie t.v. pilot. Her upcoming feature directorial debut, Spite, is a psychological thriller that delves into mental health and the long-term effects of childhood abuse.

As a Script Supervisor, Carolynn has collaborated with visionaries like Janusz Kaminski (Oscar Winning Cinematographer of Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan), Tom Ford (Fashion Designer, Director of A Single Man, Nocturnal Animals), Harry Styles, Sarah Silver, and more.

Desirée Abeyta – Co-Producer
Desirée is a dynamic Hispanic creative from Las Vegas, NV. She is the proud Executive Producer of the Telly Award-winning comedic web series FabUless, which was also nominated for eight Indie Series Awards. Her debut film as a writer/director, An Invitation to Tea, was one of five recipients of the inaugural Inwood Artworks Filmmakers Grant, winning multiple awards. Her second short film, Anne, explored racial tensions in colorblind casting and was in consideration for a 2023 Academy Award nomination. Her latest project, Beyond the Fog, received a $30,000 grant from the South Carolina Film Commission and is currently in post-production. Desirée has directed branded content, including a VOX campaign for Straight Talk Wireless that won two Branded Entertainment Awards at MediaPost’s 2023 Creative Media Awards. Her production experience includes promotional content for Google, music videos for artists like Snoop Dogg, and award-winning narrative work. Desirée brings her extensive experience and passion for storytelling to her role as producer on Carolynn Cecilia’s psychological thriller, Spite.

Jamie Wright – Editor
Jamie is a film editor based in NYC specializing in horror and thriller films. As a graduate of SUNY Purchase Film Conservatory, he has experience working on a wide array of projects, from shorts and features to documentaries and music videos. He got his start in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA working as a band videographer, but quickly learned that his true calling was editing. His resume includes several award-winning films including Universal Language, We Were Going To Start A Death Metal Band, and Same Difference. In 2020 Jamie directed the award-winning documentary short Everything In Hardware. Jamie brings with him a passion for compelling storytelling and stands apart with a refreshing honesty and clarity in his editing style.

Michelle Birsky & Kevin Henthorn – Composers
Most recently known for scoring the Netflix anime series Terminator Zero, along with The Lesbian Bar Project (documentary series, Roku) and Mother/Android (feature film, Hulu) Michelle Birsky and Kevin Henthorn are composing duo based in Los Angeles.

With years spent in the New York indie music scene, Michelle and Kevin bring a unique perspective to composition, drawing inspiration from composers like Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Nicholas Britell, as well as songwriters like Angel Olsen, Bon Iver, St. Vincent, and Bill Callahan. Michelle and Kevin met in Brooklyn in 2014 while pursuing their own musical projects; Michelle, a synth-pop artist project called Birch, and Kevin, a folk-rock project called Cape Francis. During that time, Michelle also focused on film composing and interned for esteemed composer Elliot Goldenthal, while Kevin worked as a freelance video editor and musician.

In 2018, Michelle composed the score for Girl Talk, a short film by Erica Rose, which received accolades from over twenty film festivals. In 2019, Michelle and Kevin teamed up to score Asking For It, a feature film starring Stephanie Hsu (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and Janeane Garofalo (Wet Hot American Summer), which premiered at Cinequest 2020 and Fuse TV.

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Contact

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