An independent filmmaker is coming back to her roots to create a coming-of-age feature film set in Oak Park.
Grace Melon, the writer and producer of the film, started acting professionally at age 13. Now 28, she is continuing her passion for acting and writing with her third independent film, “Girl Crush,” slated for filming next summer.
“‘Girl Crush’ is a queer coming-of-age story about a 13-year-old who develops a really intense crush on her cousin’s friend who is 26, and it’s kind of semi-autobiographical,” Melon said.
She said the film comes from her experiences growing up in Oak Park and finding her sexuality as a young teenager.
“It is this time that I remember so viscerally of being stuck in between childhood and adolescence. And kind of not wanting anything to do with either of them,” Melon said.
Melon graduated from Roosevelt University in 2021 with a degree in elementary education. Soon after, she took a “permanent road trip” to Los Angeles to pursue her acting and screenwriting career.
Melon said it was hard finding a foothold amidst the film-scene that had fewer do-it-yourself opportunities compared to Chicago. She mostly worked as a teacher but found interesting perceptions from the young teenagers she taught in her classes.
“I started the script, after having taught for a few years, with this idea of recognizing that kids are a lot more open about sexuality,” said Melon, who recently moved back to Oak Park.
Melon said she was about 13 when she realized she was bisexual, but did not then feel comfortable coming out.
“The genesis for ‘Girl Crush’ came out of what would have happened if I’d gone for it and just said, ‘no – I’m gay,’” Melon said.
The story explores the ideas of finding sexuality, using the setting of Oak Park and her own experiences growing up to deliver an authentic coming-of-age story.
“It’s really an exploration of sexuality and an acceptance of sexuality,” Melon said. “At its core, it is a coming-of-age story and a love letter to Oak Park and Chicago.”
Nadyja von Ebers, a Los Angeles-based writer and the director of “Girl Crush,” has known Melon for 10 years. They met when Melon was her student at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, when von Ebers taught at the visual and performing arts high school.
While at the academy, von Ebers directed two short films Melon wrote including “Bath Salt,” which premiered at the 2017 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival.
Now, von Ebers has the challenge of determining what a queer coming-of-age story should look like
“I’ve talked about bringing it to life through lots of relational, intimate, close and tight shots that explore Ivy’s, the protagonist, growing self-awareness, as well as her proximity and shifting connections to the people around her and to the world at large,” von Ebers said.
The film is expected to take place around Oak Park and Chicago.
“In a nutshell, it’s a story about how longing and desire deliver us to ourselves. In that way, my hope is that this story is relatable to everyone,” von Ebers said.
The team is actively looking for local businesses, actors and people to fill producer roles. They are also seeking financial help. Through a partnership with a Los Angeles non-profit, all donations made to reach the $40,000 crowd-funding goal are tax-deductible, Melon said.
Janet Ulrich Brooks, a Chicago-based actor and acting coach, taught Melon acting when she 11. She said that she remembered Melon as a hardworking outlier amongst her young students.
“I started coaching her for her auditions, and she was just such a hard worker. She had a drive and a passion for it,” Brooks said. “Certain times, parents are actually more involved in it than they are, but with Grace, she was always driven. She wanted the work.”
Melon said she wants to create an authentic representation of Oak Park, and the community is a meaningful part to the broader story.
“It is a good background for Ivy, because she’s this girl who’s very independent, smart and confident. I think I was all of those things only because I was from here, because it was a town that nurtured those very traits,” Melon said.
The runtime is 103 minutes.
For more information about the film visit its Instagram page [@girlcrushmovie] [https://tinyurl.com/msd5z5hn] and its donation page [https://tinyurl.com/bdhefysv]
Correction, Aug. 12, 9:54 a.m.: This article has been corrected to reflect the correct length of the film. It is a feature film that runs 103 minutes.