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About
HER PLACE is a short film from producers Kathryn Parks and Elise Rodriguez, directed by Kathryn Parks with assistant direction from Elise Rodriguez and director of photography, Mark Palmer.
Press contact: kathrynanneparks@gmail.com
Logline
A 1950s housewife awakens to a future far removed from mid-century nostalgia.
Specifications
Directed by Kathryn Parks
Assistant Directed by Elise Rodriguez
Written by Kathryn Parks
Produced by Kathryn Parks and Elise Rodriguez
Starring Kathryn Parks, Elise Rodriguez, and Casey Murphy
Running time 5:12
Aspect ratio 1.90:1, 4K
Shooting format Digital- Sony F5
Sound AAC 48khz stereo LR
News
We are so excited HER PLACE has been the official selection of festivals across the nation:
Sarasota Film Festival – WORLD PREMIERE
Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival, (Award winner)
Sunscreen Film Festival (Nomination)
Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs International LGBTQ Film Festival
Orlando International Film Festival
New York Movie Awards (Award winner)
Legacy, The Film Club Toronto
Sanford Independent Film Festival
Saints and Sinners Film Festival, Orlando, FL
Foreman Empire Productions Film Festival (Award-winner)
Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival (Nomination)
Sanford Independent Film Festival
Dunedin International Film Festival
Director’s Statement
Spoilers ahead: “Her Place” touches on many important issues while leaving ideas to be sorted out by the viewer. I wanted to address how far women have come since the 1950s when there were a great deal of expectations to be the perfect wife/woman/mother. While we have progressed in many ways, it’s also easy to look back at that time with nostalgia as we question other definitions of progress within society as a whole. School shootings have become all too commonplace. I wanted to pivot the conversation (which is typically presented from the male’s point of view within the media) to the female perspective. I also felt it necessary to draw attention to the experience of first responders in our modern-day world. Rarely is the trauma to first-responders even mentioned in gun control debates as a reason to push legislation. Ultimately, “Her Place” brings a female voice into the discussion and aims to redefine traditional roles in society and in the home.
Awards and recognitions
Best Local Film, Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival (2020)
Best Florida Film nomination out of 75 submissions to the Sunsceen Film Festival (2020)
Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival, Nominated for Best Florida Film
We were so honored to be awarded with a series of recognitions in April 2020 from the Foreman Empire Productions Film Festival:
Best of Festival, Best Short Picture, Best Drama Picture, Best LGBTQ Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Kathryn Parks), Best 1st-time Director (Kathryn Parks), Best 1st-time Producer (Elise Rodriguez), Best Cinematography (Mark Palmer), Best Editing (Kathryn Parks), Best Production Design, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, Best Original Short Screenplay, Best Motion Picture Photography, Best Poster
Festival Feedback
“This film deftly weaves humor and a twist to a serious topic to make an impression to surprise and make the viewer think”.
Sunscreen Film Festival Programming Team
“Your film shows the kind of thinking women still have to overcome in this country to advance in the workplace as writers, directors, cops and to be able to marry who they love. Your juxtaposition of this kind of thinking with a couple’s daily reality is brilliant. I’m so excited we’ll get to showcase it!”
Rodney Piatt, Sarasota Film Festival Programming Assistant
“One of the best short films in years! A perfect 10/10”
Shreco Bakari, Foreman Empire Productions International Film Festival
Press
Behind-the-scenes photos
BTS Umbrella House photos by Jamie Lee Butrum (Goddess Imagery).
BTS school photos by Connie Cuadrado.
Architecture
One of the inspirations behind HER PLACE was The Umbrella House in Sarasota, Florida, an iconic work of the Sarasota School of Architecture designed by architect Paul Rudolph and built in 1953. Architectural Digest has described the Umbrella House as “One of the five most remarkable houses of the mid-twentieth century”. The film also showcases a rendering of the Umbrella House by Sarasota’s own renowned illustrator John Pirman.
Key Cast and Crew Bios
Kathryn Parks | Director, Writer, Producer, Lead Actor, Editor
Kathryn Parks is an award-winning filmmaker who has been honored with the Ladies in Film and Entertainment award by the Sunshine City Film Festival – honoring the top women in the film and entertainment industry in the Tampa Bay area. Her two short films, 50 WORDS and HER PLACE, have both received the honor of BEST FLORIDA FILM. Kathryn was born to performing parents and graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts from University of Miami. A stage actress as well, she’s performed professionally in shows, concerts, musical improv and cabarets. kathrynparks.com
Elise Rodriguez | Assistant Director, Producer, Actor
Elise Rodriguez is a Cuban-American performer, teaching artist, and creative professional. After transitioning out of a legal career, she decided to pursue the creative arts full-time and never looked back. Elise is currently on the Mainstage & touring improv casts at Florida Studio Theatre where she hosts, performs, coaches, and teaches improv. She also performs with Treble in Paradise, FST’s musical improv cast; and in Monolise: a friend-ly monoscene with Elise. Elise is fluent in Spanish and has performed and taught improv internationally for latinx performers and audiences.
Mark Palmer | Director of Photography
Mark is an award-winning photographer, cinematographer, director and producer who has been working behind the camera for more than fourteen years. With his own production company based in Sarasota, Florida, MarsVision Productions, credits include various regional corporate projects as well as grand prize winner in Viral Film Project, “Best Story Award” for Devotion in 48-Hour Guerrilla Film Challenge and award-winning PBS documentary series, Diamonds Along the Highway. marsvisionproductions.com
Casey Murphy | Actor
Casey moved from New York City to Sarasota three years ago. As an actor, he has worked on stage both regionally and in New York. Select theatres at which he has appeared include: Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Theatre Odyssey, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Bigfork Summer Playhouse, Cohoes Music Hall, and Michigan Shakespeare Festival. Casey is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.
Bobby Brader | Composer
LA-based musician Bobby Brader has been an Orchestrator on big films such as “Trolls” and “The LEGO Ninjago Movie.” Music Preparation credits include Tim Burton’s “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children” and the original “American Idol” TV show. Bobby has composed music for many short films and two feature-length films, “Dead List” and “Wild Boar”. Learn more: bobbybrader.com
Cast and crew
CAST
Kathryn Parks
Elise Rodriguez
Casey Murphy
Savanah Z. Montes
CREW and CREATIVE TEAM
Directed by Kathryn Parks
Produced by Kathryn Parks and Elise Rodriguez
Assistant Director: Elise Rodriguez
Written/adapted by Kathryn Parks
Director of Photography: Mark Palmer
Editor: Kathryn Parks
Music Composer: Bobby Brader
Colorist: Wheat
Hair/Makeup: Jessica Manzano
Opening artwork by John Pirman
Production Assistants
Eric Tate, Caleb Duplain, KC Jones
Connie Cuadrado
SPECIAL THANKS
Bob and Anne Essner, Maria Llovio, Becky Canesse, Alexdrena Green, Jimmy, Canned Ham Vintage, Jonathan Parks, John Rusnak, Sharon Ohrenstein, Mars Vision Productions, Stevie Montes, Players Centre for Performing Arts, Georgina Willmott
Learn more and watch Kathryn’s other films:
Feature Documentary
The Fabulous Ohs: The Marriage and the Music
Best Florida Film Award-Winning Short
50 WORDS