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Logline

In a broken neighborhood on the outskirts of Dublin, a tween struggles with mental illness discovers a hidden world through a graffiti mural, where she transforms into her punk rock alter ego and learns to embrace her true self.

Synopsis

Wren, a 12-year-old girl living on the outskirts of Dublin, struggles with mental illness and finds solace in punk rock and graffiti art. When she slinks out to a pharmacy to pick up her prescription, local street girls follow her to an alley, steal her meds, and leave her unconscious.

Wren wakes to discover a scrappy cat, Tabby, watching her. Above him, a graffiti mural of a crack opens a portal to a post-apocalyptic, graffiti-styled animated world on the other side of the wall. There, she transforms into the punk rock persona she always dreamed of. Guided by the cat and Doc, a three-foot-tall street rat, Wren learns to embrace her unique identity.

Back in the real world (Live Action), Wren wakes to find herself with a donkey named SAM, sent to her by Doc. With him by her side, she confronts her bullies and retrieves her meds.

Wren’s journey has transformed her from a timid, invisible girl to a confident, self-assured individual who finds strength in her uniqueness and the courage to stand up for herself.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Cassidy Harrison – Writer/Director/Producer
Starting out as an actor, Cassidy began her acting studies in New York at The Meisner Technique Studio and graduated from the two-year Circle and Square. A New York Film Academy graduate, Cassidy went on to create and co-write her first screenplay, Outlaws with Boaz Yakin, which sold to Sony. She has worked as a writer/creator with Warner Brothers and is a Sundance Alum for their producer track. Past producing highlights include the award-winning documentary The Feast of the Assumption: The Otero Family Murders. She served as executive producer for the low-budget horror comedy, Cutting Room. Cassidy is coming off her short film directorial debut, A Life of Lester Wink, which has screened in over 35 festivals and won 15 awards to date.

Adam Prince – Co-Writer
A graduate of Harvard and USC’s film school, Adam cut his teeth in Hollywood as the Director of Development for screen legend Robert Duvall’s Butchers Run Films. Since then, he has written several feature films, including the 2024 film Lilly (currently in post-production), starring Oscar-nominee Patricia Clarkson as fair pay icon Lilly Ledbetter.

Carbonated Comet Productions – Producer
Carbonated Comet Productions is a Clare-based production company in Ireland that works in the TV and film industries. They have produced bursary-funded short films, documentaries, and Screen Ireland-funded shorts. Their films have won multiple awards, including winning the IFTA Best Short this year for Calf and The Life of Lester Wink Best Short at Waterford. They have screened multiple films at multiple Oscar-qualifying film festivals worldwide. Their IFTA-nominated Ship of Fools made the long list for the Oscars and BAFTs in 2023. Greg was recently awarded the Discovery Award at the Dublin International Film Festival.

Johnny Semerad – Animation Producer
With a background in illustration and special effects, Johnny started his innovative company with many firsts: first Beatles music video, first primetime Emmy for a TV commercial, and the first five-second TV commercials. QuietMan has won advertising awards, including Emmys, a Grammy, and multiple Cannes Lions, including Best of Show. Multiple One Show pencils, including Best of Show. Dozens of Clios. And are in the permanent collection at MOMA. We’ve worked on over 100 Super Bowl commercials.

John’s AI-animated short A Tree Once Grew Here has screened in over 100 festivals, won over 30 awards, and is Oscar-eligible.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.