Overview
RIOT IN BLOOM is an independent feature film created by three award winning female filmmakers/educators from UNLV's Department of Film, including Brett Levner (Director), Roudi Boroumand (Screenwriter/Casting Director) and May Luong (Producer). This female trifecta is collaborating together to create a female driven comedy about life after divorce.
Together with their students, they will shoot and edit this film with the goal of playing film festivals and seeking digital distribution. This film will be a love letter to Las Vegas as well as an opportunity for UNLV Film students to get hands on experience making a feature film.
Synopsis
On the evening of her 40th birthday, Rose is forced to confront the reality of her marriage when her husband reveals he’s been cheating on her over a romantic dinner for two. Heartbroken and defeated by her husband's infidelity, Rose is left derailed and lost in life.
She opens up to her long-time friend, Ty, who encourages her to enter the dating scene again. However, the disappointment of dating in her 40’s and her dysfunctional relationship with her very traditional mother, Esther, shines the light on what Rose had forgotten for years; her true authentic self.
Thus, Rose quits her unfulfilling job as an accountant and finds momentary happiness working as a barista at a local hipster coffee shop where she bonds with Holly, a transgender teenage co-worker, who struggles to escape her strict upbringing. Rose also forges a friendship with Paul, her surly new boss who shares a penchant for 90’s Grunge.
The challenges of befriending an underage person and accepting Paul's romantic feelings carry Rose to the next episode of her life, and she mends her relationship with her mother by connecting over their Jewish roots.
A new Rose walks into her 40th year with a purpose; she accepts her role in Holly's life as a parental type after Holly's family abandons her, opens her heart to Paul's unconventional love, and dares to go back to her true passion, creative writing.
The Cast
Reagan Pfifer as Rose
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Reagan Pfifer fell in love with acting before she could walk, and has been acting since the age of 8. Reagan has studied improvisation, musical theatre, stage and screen acting. She says she's a good actress because she's such a bad liar. Her onscreen persona shows the vulnerability and expresses an open book quality that she exhibits in person. This quality allows her to portray characters that are to be empathized with. It also makes her the worst Stratego player in the world.
Always one to push herself, she fills her off screen time by challenging herself athletically partaking in adventure races such as the Ragnar Relay and Tough Mudder, and swinging Kettlebells for fun. She has a secret dream of owning a motorcycle and running a full marathon, and wants to win an Oscar so that she can give it to her dad. She is a persistent girl, willing to try and fail, learn and then repeat, hopefully with better results.
Roberto Raad as Sam
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Roberto Raad is an actor, director, writer, producer, and comedian. He was born and raised in Barrington, Rhode Island. He attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where he studied at David Mamet's Atlantic Theater program and received a BFA in Acting. Roberto has been seen in numerous films and TV shows, including "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia", and has appeared in over twenty national commercials, working with directors Jason Reitman and Zack Snyder. He wrote, directed, and starred in "Alternative Therapy", which was featured in multiple film festivals around the United States.
Kristina Hernandez as Holly
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Gus Langley as Paul
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Gus Langley is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. He's a lot of things. An actor, a stand-up, an author, an arm wrestler, etc... Basically, he tries to do everything he saw on TV as a kid. This "good guy who plays bad guys" has carved a niche as a serious actor. That said, his roots are in comedy and he rarely passes up an opportunity for a laugh.
Michael James Nuells as Ty
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Michael James Nuells was born November 2 in Victoria, Texas to the parents of Ernest Nuells Jr. and Ruthie Mae Nuells. The youngest of 7 siblings, he was always one to capture the spotlight at home and school. He became a standout in some off Broadway productions sparking his acting ability.
It wasn't long before the stage became too small to hold this extraordinary talent. His next stop; film and television. Determined not to be your average actor, he aspires to work in front of and behind the camera. He has assisted in the casting and production processes for many major TV and film projects.
From the stage, to the screen Michael James Nuells has only just begun to use his charisma, wit, and undeniable adaptability to change what it means to be an entertainer. The future may be unknown, but one thing is sure; this small-town gentleman is prepared to make it his own!
Joy Demain as Esther
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Joy Demain has lived and entertained Las Vegas audiences since 1991 with a variety of theatre companies and performers. Favorite roles include Fraulein Schneider in CABARET, Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL, Dolly Levi in HELLO DOLLY, Velma Kelly in CHICAGO, Golde in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, and Joy in SHOWTUNE. Joy owns and operates her own production company, Jade Productions.
Brett Levner (Directory/Story By)
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Brett Levner is an award winning filmmaker and an Associate Professor of Film at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Brett received her BFA with honors in Film & TV Production from New York University and her MFA in Directing from Columbia University.
Brett was the first woman to win the Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmaker Award for her short film, “Being Reel.” The film went on to be screened on 21,000 movie screens across the country and was honored at the 2005 Association of Independent Commercial Producers show for “Excellence in Filmmaking.” It is currently included in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art.
Brett directed the feature film, The Track, about underage sex trafficking in Las Vegas, starring Sam Trammell (True Blood), Michael Muhney (Veronica Mars) and Missy Yager (Mad Men). The film had its world premiere at the Dances with Films Festival in Hollywood. It was also awarded “Best Local Feature” and “Best First Time Feature Film Director” at the Las Vegas Film Festival. In addition, Brett received the Charles Vanda Award for Excellence in the Arts for her work on “The Track.”
Brett currently serves on the board of the Nevada Women’s Film Festival and is the founder/faculty advisor of the UNLV student organization, Cinefemmes, which supports women in filmmaking.
Roudi Boroumand (Screenwriter/Casting Director)
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Roudi Boroumand is an Iranian-American indie filmmaker and film studies writer. While her career focus is on film writing, producing, and directing, she has also been an arts and entertainment journalist and a freelance film studies translator and writer for two decades. She has published film analyses and work on major figures of cinema in both English and Persian.
A graduate of Portland State University and the Northwest Film Center in Portland, she received a B.A. in Film and an M.F.A. in Writing for Dramatic Media at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
May May Luong (Producer)
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May May Luong is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Film and a minor in Theatre.
Luong has produced numerous award-winning short and feature-length films. She also has extensive experience producing commercials and corporate videos. She works with Fortune 500 companies such as MGM Resorts International and recently produced commercials for their brand campaign "Welcome to the Show," which aired during notable broadcasts, including the Academy Awards, the Super Bowl and the Emmy Awards.
Currently, Luong teaches film courses at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where she is in the final year of a Master of Fine Arts program in Writing for Dramatic Media, and is working on developing a number of motion picture and television projects.
Robert Machado (Director of Photography)
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Robert Machado is a Las Vegas-based Director of Photography specializing in cinematic video production and inspired storytelling. Machado received his degree in film at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he worked on numerous projects and went on to become of the best cinematographers in town. He works through his own comapny, Machado Visuals, where he empowers media through emotion and storytelling.
Jason Edmiston (Editor)
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Jason Edmiston received a Bachelor of Arts in Film from UNLV in 2002. He worked in the local Las Vegas media field, producing web content, educational features, and multimedia components for stage shows, before joining UNLV FILM full-time in September 2005.
As the Film & Media Specialist, he oversees the department's production equipment and studio facilities while assisting students on their journeys as filmmakers and scholars. He continues to edit features and shorts and to create experimental film and projection projects.
What We're Looking For & What You Get
We are looking to raise $20,000 in order to bring this film to life. The funds collected will be used to:
- Pay actor fees
- Pay crew fees
- Gather equipment
- Secure production insurance
- Gather filming permits
- Gather props, costumes, and wardrobe
- Create set decoration
- Pay location fees
- Purchase food and beverage for the cast and crew during shooting
In return for your support and donations, you will be able to receive certain exclusive perks and rewards from the Riot in Bloom Team.
Other Ways You Can Assist
Unable to financially contribute to the campaign? That's okay! There are still plenty of ways you can assist in the success of this film. For example, spreading the word and sharing this link on all social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram is a massive help to us and our team. We thank you for all of your support and hope to grow closer with all of you as our progress continues.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riotinbloom/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Riot-in-Bloom-10334169...
Website: https://riotinbloom.com
