A crowd of friends and filmgoers gathered at the Plaza Theatre March 6 for the first press screenings of “9 Lives” a short film directed by, written by and starring Atlanta-based actor Millie Rose Evans.
The 17-minute short follows Clara after she gets fired from a waitressing job and spirals into depression until she meets June, played by Ren Muccino. The duo embark on an adventure to bury June’s dead cat Clara in a “dark queer comedy.”
“It’s really a story about grief and how we navigate through our shared experiences,” Evans said.
It’s actor Evan’s first foray into writing and directing a short — she has previously worked in independent films, commercials and as a stand-in on major productions like “Stranger Things.” She was inspired after getting fired from a waitressing job. In her own depression, Evans pulled some autobiographical elements to create the film script.
“9 Lives” is also the first filmmaking foray for PFLAG Atlanta, a chapter of the nationwide organization dedicated to supporting, educating and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their family and friends. Across the United States PFLAG has over 200,000 members and 500 chapters.
The Atlanta chapter donated $2,000 to the independent production, funding a chunk of the $10,000 necessary to complete the film. In turn, all the proceeds from the two press screenings at the Plaza went to PFLAG.
Evans said she connected with PFLAG Atlanta through her mother, who is friends with board member Diana Burdette. While the organization had not funded a film before, it has an annual community support budget for various projects.
“I thought it was an opportunity for 2023 community support, and it just worked out so well,” Burdette said.
PFLAG Atlanta primarily runs support groups and peer counseling sessions, but Burdette said the focus on stories is the same. Evans showed some promotional photos and explained the film concept,…
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