After living in Los Angeles for three years, I moved back to my hometown of Oak Park to begin pre-production for my feature film, Girl Crush. I am a screenwriter, actor, and producer with over a decade of experience in the film industry. As a two-time childhood cancer survivor, my resilience and determination permeate my work, infusing it with authenticity and depth.
Growing up with an autistic brother further cultivated my empathy and understanding of diverse perspectives.
My first short film, “Bath Salt” (2017), explores themes of loss and survivor’s guilt, and premiered at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. It was also recognized as a finalist at the USA Film Festival. “Purgatory” (2020), my second short, delves into the self-imposed barriers we face, earning the Best Short Screenplay Award at the Chicago Genre Screenplay Competition and a nomination for Best Dark Comedy at Indie Shorts Fest.
Girl Crush follows a 13-year-old girl, Ivy, whose world turns upside down when she falls hopelessly in love with a woman twice her age, and then deals with the fallout of unrequited love. The genesis for this story came from my own memory of being 13 and realizing I was bisexual. This was in 2009, when kids would use the word “gay” to insult or punish.
I was scared to come out then, even to myself, and did not do so until many years later. Now that I work part-time as a teacher, I notice the profound difference in how accepting kids are today. Being queer is not the same shameful secret it once was, and I think movies should reflect this cultural shift.
Many LGBTQ+ coming-of-age films focus on the oppression and marginalization of the community. While these stories are vital to our existence, so are the stories of unabashed acceptance. Instead of focusing on her sexuality, I drew attention in this script to Ivy’s yearning for a crush she can never have, making it a story many can relate to, regardless of their orientation.
Director Nadyja von Ebers, who also has roots in Oak Park, and I are collaborating to create a film that is grounded, intimate, and humanistic in its tonal and visual execution. I met Nadyja over a decade ago when she was my high school English teacher at Chicago Academy for the Arts. After graduating, much like the protagonists of Girl Crush, Nadyja and I formed an important friendship that had a major impact on both of our lives. Now, as artistic collaborators, we feel there is no better feature film to debut than the one I wrote that was partially inspired by our intergenerational relationship.
Having spent the last few years living across the country, I realized just how lucky I was to grow up in such a close-knit, artistic, and diverse community. Oak Park’s proximity to Chicago, and Ivy’s frequent trips to the city, perfectly symbolize her transition from childhood into adolescence.
I can’t imagine making this movie anywhere else. We are set to begin shooting in the summer of 2025, and I firmly believe involving our community in this production is the only way to authentically portray it in my film.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to bring this story to life in my hometown, where every street corner holds childhood memories and inspiration for our cinematic exploration of identity and acceptance. It’s truly an honor to share Girl Crush with Oak Parkers and beyond, inviting everyone to experience this journey of storytelling and self-discovery.