FAQs...
Q: Where did the title CLING come from? A: In addition to the definition of the word “cling” aptly representing the cause and cure for Jade’s dilemma, writer, Enisha Brewster, lived on Kling St in Los Angeles during the relationship that most inspired the short film. Q: Why is there so little dialogue? A: It was important to the filmmakers to emphasize the emotional journey of Jade and highlight the dialogue between Jade and her mother, Darlene, as the turning point in the film. Q: How long did it take to make the film? A: Six months: preproduction began April of 2021, filming took place in June, and the film was completed in October. Q: How many days of filming were there? A: Two Q: Why does Jade throw Jason’s phone in the trash? A: Jade is angry and beyond her capacity to communicate rationally. Instead of responding to his messages about her taking his phone, she tosses it. Q: Does the dialogue between Jade and Darlene happen in present day? A: Though intentionally ambiguous at the start, this conversation is one of several flashbacks Jade recalls during her single-day journey. Q: Why does Jade say “Yeah, it’s me” on the phone to her mom? A: Darlene has likely been trying to reach Jade all day. She responds this way as a confirmation and answer to Darlene’s admonishment earlier in the film. Q: In how many different locations did filming take place? A: Eight, many of which were visited twice in a single day of shooting to capture the passing of time. Q: How did ‘Lady in Green’ inspire the story? A: The Ntozake Shange character has a famous poem that begins: “somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff”. The metaphoric poem inspired both the name of the lead character and parts of the plot. Q: Did CLING have an all-female crew? A: Nearly. All key filmmaker roles were held by women: writer, director, cinematographer, assistant camera, and producers. Access the Full Press Kit ➔
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ABOUT THE FILM...
With its limited dialogue, CLING is a visual and emotional appeal to anyone trapped in an unhealthy situation to take one step and then another toward peace, to never forget who they are, and to take responsibility for their happiness no matter what. Shot in a variety of East Los Angeles neighborhoods, the moving pictures of CLING are meant to serve as a metaphor of the inner struggle one wages as she contends with one unsustainable reality after another. And, it is an ode to the power of a mother’s love which knows no depths and defies all distances. CLING is inspired by the real-life events of writer and lead actress, Enisha Brewster, detangling from bad relationships and surviving the harsh realities of life far from home. Enisha also drew inspiration from “lady in green,” a character from Ntozoke Shange’s Choreopoem, For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf. For Enisha, making CLING has served as a catharsis and an acknowledgement of a reclaimed self. Access the Full Press Kit ➔ What a weekend at the City of Angels Women's Film Festival. Our short film CLING screened on Saturday in a block of truly great films 🎥. Shout out to Mel Mah our director and Giuseppe Russo our concept artist/storyboard artist & Executive Producer!
We were nominated for Best Short Short and took home the trophy 🏆 for Best Actress! Such an honor 🙌🏾. THANK YOU Lisa, Amanda, and all of the organizers and sponsors for creating space to celebrate women filmmakers and women's stories in film! Fantastic festival!
Highlights from the 2022 COAWFF where CLING screens as an official selection. Director, Mel Mah participates in Q&A. Giuseppe Russo and Enisha Brewster attend the Awards Gala in North Hollywood. Enisha Brewster wins Best Actress for the short film CLING.
Check out the highlights from the CLING Q&A at the California Women's Film Festival.
During the Q&A at the 2022 California Women's Film Festival, actress and writer, Enisha Brewster alongside producer Taryn Kelly, discuss the inspiration and making of CLING the short film directed by Mel Mah.
Here it is! Our poster for CLING is out and published.
And to sweeten the update, I am pleased to share that CLING is just weeks away from being fully completed! Next steps? We are compiling a list of festivals to submit our short to and see about earning some awards. Have any suggestions? I have to say--this being my maiden voyage across the filmmaking seas--I was not expecting to feel so accomplished and feel so proud of having arrived here. Here, with a nearly completed film, that I am incredibly proud of. I am proud of the script, proud of the acting, proud of the quality. Proud of my team! The journey itself has taught me so much about what it feels like to keep marching in the direction of your goals. No matter what. There were plenty of times when the voice of doubt, the voice that repeatedly told me that no one would care and no one would help, was mightier than my will. So how then did I get here? The team. More than anything, I learned the value of having visionary do-ers around who genuinely believe in me. When imposter syndrome threatened to kill this project before it was even fully formed, I had people checking in, asking for another draft, reminding me that deadlines were approaching, and basically just bigging me up. Priceless. More on this to come... For today, I simply want to celebrate the release of our poster and welcome anyone who wants to get in on supporting this project through its last few stages before completion. It's not too late to donate to our crowdfunding campaign by clicking the link below. Jump on board! Please note: Contributions of any size are still welcomed, however, Executive Producer, and Special Thanks credits are no longer available as Thank You's, as we have pictured locked our film. All other Thank You Gifts will apply according to donation size. I said I wasn’t going to share this but…I just can’t keep these BTS shots to myself! Check out these snaps of our outstanding crew and moments between scenes of CLING taken by our producer extraordinaire, Taryn. There’s Mel, our director, pulling together all of the pieces. Yahna, our cinematographer, behind the camera creating beautiful pictures with the assistance of Bonnie. And the lovely Liz, playing Jade’s mom. There were a total of 12 total filmmakers and crew members (7 of which were women - woohoo!) helping to bring this passion project to life. Dream. Come. True. And if that wasn’t enough good news… I’m thrilled to share that post-production is moving along well! Next week, I’ll see a cut of CLING for the first time and prepare for the next phase of post-production. Exciting, right?! Here’s where you can add value to CLING! As of today, we have raised a total of $4100 in the crowdfunding campaign! Would you be willing to support CLING by chipping in $25 or more? As a token of our appreciation, donors at the $25 mark will receive a personalized Thank You and a handwritten postcard of the film poster design in early fall! Thank you in advance! https://gofund.me/ab5e9c9f We are looking forward to a full completion by early fall. I’ll be sure to keep you posted! Full speed ahead! enisha b. janeIn my own words. We have officially wrapped on principle photography for CLING: A short Film by Enisha Brewster. YES!! Last weekend, we braved the LA heat, got in lots of steps, and managed to wrap two days of shooting on schedule! It was a lot of work, but because of our generous donors, we were able to hire the most INCREDIBLE crew of talented, passionate, and professional people to get the job done!! And now on to the most important part of the filmmaking: post-production! In Phase 2 of our fundraising campaign, we have a goal to raise an additional $4,424 to reach our funding goal of $8K. The funds we raise from this point onward will be used for the following: - Editing - Minor VFX - Sound Mixing - Original Scoring - Color Grading - Poster Design - Festival Submissions What is CLING about? CLING is a short film about a young woman named Jade who finds herself heartbroken, directionless, and on a spontaneous journey on foot, passing the varying facades of LA after listening to a disturbing message on her boyfriend’s phone. Anger turns to frustration as beautiful neighborhoods trigger painful memories of their past. Frustration gives way to confusion and dismay as the grittiness of LA’s streets intensifies Jade’s growing realization of her role in this dysfunctional relationship. At the crucial moment, which direction will Jade decide to take: the route that takes her farther away, or one that sends her back? Why this film? Why now? CLING is a visual appeal to anyone who has ever felt trapped in a relationship to always take one step and then another toward their peace, to never forget who they are, and to take responsibility for their happiness no matter what. It is meant to be a metaphor of the intense inner struggle that one wages as they contend with one new reality after another. And, it is an ode to the power of a mother’s love, which knows no depths and defies all distances. So, if you think this inspired and moving film speaks to you and you would like to help us bring it to life, please consider donating any amount by visiting our crowdfunding campaign: https://gofund.me/de12fe47 enisha b janein her own words |
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