Synopsis

Emma, a young aspiring writer, is braving the savage dating scene of New York City. Despite trying to navigate her romantic woes on her own, she often leans on her best friend and confidante, Georgina, who lives an ocean away.

From a commitment-phobic charmer to a bedroom virtuoso lacking the substance she seeks, Emma sure knows how to pick ‘em! But as her love life starts spiraling out of control, Georgina appears to help untangle the web, and not a moment too soon.

Director's Note

Hi! I'm Anya, writer/director of "Emma's Dilemmas". I have been hanging around film sets—acting, producing, raiding the snacks— for most of my life, but this is my directorial debut, What took me so long, you ask? Good question. I'm currently working that out in therapy. But I digress. 

"Emma's Dilemmas" was conceived as a modern dramedy: it follows several tumultuous days in the life of Emma as she navigates self discovery, hook ups, unrequited love, and the occasional "Wizard of Oz" pun. Then, somewhere along the way, as I was gleefully putting Emma in a pickle after pickle, I realized the story had evolved into something deeper—a “traumedy,” if you will.  As Charlie Chaplin once said: "To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain and play with it." At its heart, "Emma's Dilemmas"is about the (occasional) absurdity of our pain. 

With the help of my INCREDIBLE team, led by our intrepid producer, Phil Viardo, and our eagle-eyed cinematographer, Dominick Sivilli, we shot a motherducking (short) movie! Everyone was pulling double duty. Here’s our producer and co-star, Drew Moerlein, (who also happens to be the newest Captain America in Skydance New Media’s upcoming release of “Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra”), balancing precariously to sprinkle yellow petals over our luminous lead, Ciara Hanna (formerly known as the Yellow Ranger of "Power Rangers MegaForce").

And here is Drew again, drying spackle with a hairdryer at a decommissioned Newark Airport terminal before our very-late-night shoot:

By now, you may have gleaned that I broke the cardinal rule of indie filmmaking: I wrote an airport scene. That’s like Dorothy expecting to get into the Emerald City just for showing up with a dog and a dream. But luckily Phil, our very own Rizzard of Oz, got us an entire terminal. I don’t know how he did it, and frankly I’m afraid to ask. All I know is we filmed there legally (I think). 

Since we had no money left for graphics, it was design baptism-by-fire time for me. After 24 hours of caffeine, chaos, and questioning why I ever left Kansas, UNTIED Airlines was born (and boy do I have the carpal tunnel to prove it).  The tagline: Fly Away With Us. The fine print: Departure not guaranteed. 

Here is our lovely Emma (Ciara Hanna), trying to Escape the Drama™: 

And here is the incomparable Amy Carlson (best known for her roles in the hit TV shows "Blue Bloods" and "Third Watch") as Georgina. Fun fact: Amy once made me laugh so hard during her close-up that my snorting ruined her take.

Rounding out our brilliant cast is Clayton Dean Smith ("Billions" and "Law & Order SVU") as Miles:

and Michael Lombardi (from the FX hit series "Rescue Me" and films like "Last Knights" and "Retaliators" as The Expert: 

What exactly makes Mike such an expert, you ask? Wouldn’t you like to know. (And now you can! Please see our campaign perks.)

A big thanks also goes out to our Executive Producers, Eugene Efuni of Efuni Entertainment, and our very own "resident Brady," Christopher Knight, for helping us to get this far! To see the rest of our exceptional crew, please visit our IMDB page: https://tinyurl.com/EmmasIMDB

On behalf of the entire "Emma's Dilemmas" team, I want to thank you for coming on this journey with us! Just remember: if you ever find yourself flying UNTIED, don’t forget to buckle up*.

*seatbelts upon request

Why the Campaign?

Short films are a powerful art form. In just a few minutes, they deliver compelling stories, evoke strong emotions, and drain filmmakers' bank accounts. They’re a showcase of creativity and craft, where every frame, every word, and every shekel counts.

"Emma's Dilemmas" is no exception. This project is a labor of love, and love ain't cheap in this town. It was brought to life by a team of experienced filmmakers who poured their hearts into making a film that’s equal parts moving, funny, and relatable, and who did so by putting their art ahead of their finances.

But most importantly, our film is a story of resilience, of growth, and of finding self-love and self-worth in a world that doesn't always point young women in that direction. 

We need your support to get us across the finish line. And we can't wait to share the results with you!

What Do We Need the Funds For?

We’re raising funds to cover the final stages of post-production, ensuring the film looks and sounds its absolute best. This includes compensating our amazing post-production team—editors, colorists, sound mixers and graphic designers—who deferred their fees to help bring this project to life.

Your support will also help cover critical costs such as obtaining the obligatory Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance as well as festival submission fees and expenses, so "Emma's Dilemmas" can shine on the global stage and reach the audiences it was made for.

By contributing, you’re not just helping us finish a film—you’re joining a community that believes in the power of storytelling and the magic of independent cinema.