Logline
Faced with inconclusive fertility results, influencer Ashley needs to navigate the flop of her 30th birthday party while her lifelong dream of building a family shatters before her eyes.
Synopsis
You might have heard Ashley (30) is pregnant, but that is not true. In fact, the influencer’s fertility results came back and they are inconclusive. Poor Pluto. The 57 year old husband really wanted a boy. Alas, she needs to tell him, but it seems incredibly hard to find a good way to do it amidst the flop that her birthday party is. The only people who show up to the getaway cabin party up in the wild woods of Big Bear Lake planned by “dear bum” are his son James (33) and his partner Cora (55), who Ashley doesn’t know yet.
The unexpected whirlwind of emotions will stir up hidden pasts and mistrusted secrets, and as we follow Ashley’s psychological descent – by the time we’re singing her happy birthday – the reins on emotions are so loose that lives get changed forever.
Director Statement
It took me years to truly internalize that the value of a woman does not in fact come from being a wife and a mother and it took me even longer to accept that it also can. Children, especially girls, should grow up with those facts.
Peace and Lust plants seeds that will sprout into more updated viewpoints on what womanhood is. It breaks away from traditional and conservative approaches on family relations, while keeping formal rigor in regards to camera and directorial choices.
The story is told a lot through contrast, sometimes implicit and at others very much not, from characters that otherwise stereotypically present as shallow, but in this piece are everything but. They are way more complex than they appear at a first look from the perspective of a world that does not hesitate to flatten their experiences. The camera language is intimate and constricting, oftentimes making the audience feel trapped within the awkward situation they are all in. A lot of blocking around natural light with very intentional slightly surreal elements sets the tone for a cinematographically striking masterpiece.
Because equity is such an important part of this piece, even though we are a student production, it is non negotiable to me that everybody involved – for how symbolic the value comes to – gets equity pay. This choice reflects the philosophy behind the systemic changes happening in the world and in our industry.
Cast
candid, proactive, lonely
narcissistic, hedonist, entertaining
romantic, fatalist, damaged
ambitious, forthright, devoted
Crew
Isadora Bezerra
Director Writer Producer
Born in Brazil; Believes in Magic, Love and Honor. Dreams of Revolution; believes in fun and entertainment; writes for survival; investigates normality and the absurd; Fears waste. Got her undergrad in International Relations from the University of Brasilia, ventured into 60 countries and 11 realms of self-knowledge. Currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Film Directing at the California Institute of the Arts.
Brigitte Dole
Producer
Born in Sacramento; Former Horse Girl; Dimensional Traveler. Avid Victorian Novel Reader; Video Game Feign; Superior Aquarius. Ginger. Once awarded “Most Savage.” Strives for Change; Lives to Lead; Obsessed with Explaining Life’s Intricacies. The brighter the better. Looks could kill, but has the most giving heart. Received her undergraduate major in Creative Producing, minoring in Production Design, and graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Ian Hassett
Director of Photography
Ian Hassett is an MFA candidate in the Film Directing Program at CalArts. Originally from Atlanta, GA, his work as a cinematographer is characterized by natural lighting and an emphasis on fluid composition. He previously received his BA in Visual & Environmental Studies from Harvard. Believes in radical generosity. Fears inauthenticity. Enjoys driving.
Ashley Kae Snyder
Costume Designer
Born in the red desert landscape of Southern Utah, believes in freedom through play at any age. They love to explore character and identity through dress. On multiple occasions they’ve been referred to as “Old Soul”. Fears living a mundane life, which keeps her busy learning, always. Received her undergraduate degree in Digital Film. They’re currently working on an MFA in Costume Design at California Institute of the Arts.
Zenith Hyden-Soffer
Production Designer
Born in her parents Los Angeles apartment with a frat party cheering her on from next door and it’s been a party ever since. She feels grateful to have found a fulfilling artistic career path that has led her to so many great and supportive people. Thinks best on her feet and enjoys creative problem solving. A recent graduate from California Institute of the Arts with a BFA degree in Design and Production with a focus in Scenic Design. She is missing one tooth.
Savannah Weymouth
Film Editor
Born in Orem, Utah on Samhain, when the veil between realms is at its thinnest. Dreams of bridging that gap as a daily practice through art, storytelling and engagement with the subconscious. Creative practice informed by an obsessive love of music, surrealism and unanswerable questions. Fears inauthenticity and destruction of the planet. Deeply curious about human nature interpersonally and collectively. Film is her vehicle of exploration. She received her BFA in Film and Video from CalArts.