Gardening At Night
The period between knowing death is near and death’s arrival forms an unbearable state of regret, sadness and anticipation for Samantha. She is powerless to help Anne, who on the eve of her death, has not come to terms with her fate and remains angry and afraid. Samantha recreates conversations between Elyse and Anne from the hospital in order to comprehend what Anne is facing and the enormity of her own impending loss. Waiting expands time to the point that it loses meaning. The world shrinks to encompass only her and her phone, which will ring soon with the news. That night she can no longer bear the stillness and despite the darkness, Samantha tries to put neglected garden in order. Caring for living things gives her a temporary sense of control. Afterwards she realizes how she can help Anne let go of her fear, which also gives her the chance to say a personal good-bye to her friend.
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Shayna ConnellyDirector
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Shayna ConnellyWriter
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Wendy RoderweissProducer
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Janelle SnowKey Cast
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Suzanne CulpKey Cast
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Lia MortensenKey Cast
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Jonah RubashDirector of Photography
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Keke MullinsEditor
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Marlise BartaSound Designer
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Project Type:Short
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Runtime:12 minutes 19 seconds
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Completion Date:January 1, 2016
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Production Budget:15,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:RED Epic
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Columbus International Film and Video FestivalColumbus, OH
United States
April 9, 2016
World Premiere -
Unrestricted View FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
April 26, 2016
UK Premiere -
Pennine Film FestivalAccrington, Lancashire
United Kingdom
May 6, 2016 -
Long Island International Film ExpoBellmore, NY
United States
July 17, 2016
New York Premiere -
Melbourne Indie FestivalMelbourne
Australia
July 8, 2016
Australian Premiere -
Breckenridge Film FestivalBreckenridge, CO
September 15, 2016 -
Louisville International Festival of FilmStudio City, CA
United States
October 13, 2016 -
Women Texas Film FestivalDallas, TX
August 20, 2016 -
Toronto Indie Film FestivalToronto, ON
Canada
September 13, 2016
Canadian Premiere -
World of Film International FestivalGlasgow
United Kingdom
September 30, 2016 -
Charlotte Film FestivalCharlotte, NC
United States
September 30, 2016 -
River's Edge Film FestivalPaducah, KY
United States
November 4, 2016 -
Third Eye Film FestivalNew York, NY
United States
December 2, 2016 -
Indie Chicks Film FestivalSanta Monica, CA
United States
November 11, 2016 -
Shawna Shea Film FestivalUxbridge, MA
United States
November 11, 2016 -
Tampa Bay Underground Film FestivalTampa Bay
United States
December 3, 2016 -
Monkey Bread Tree AwardsLondon
United Kingdom
Best Film Over 10K -
Irvine International Film FestivalIrvine, CA
January 13, 2017 -
Spokane International Film FestivalSpokane, WA
January 25, 2017 -
Dam Short Film FestivalBoulder City, NV
February 8, 2017 -
Chicago Feminist Film FestivalChicago, IL
March 3, 2017
Hometown Chicago Premiere -
Cosmic Film FestivalOrlando, FL
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Ann Arbor Film FestivalAnn Arbor
United States
March 23, 2017 -
WAMMFestTowson, MD
United States
April 22, 2017 -
Crossroads Film FestivalJackson, MS
United States
April 7, 2017 -
Nevada Womens Film FestivalLas Vegas, NV
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Milledgeville Film FestivalMilledgeville, GA
April 27, 2017 -
Chicago Underground Film FestivalChicago, IL
June 1, 2017 -
Grand Rapids Film FestivalGrand Rapids, MI
April 8, 2017 -
Stranger With My FaceNorth Hobart, Tasmania
Australia
May 6, 2017 -
The MespiesMinneapolis, MN
March 26, 2017
Best Film About Loss -
Eve Film FestivalOttowa
Canada
March 18, 2017 -
Derby Film FestivalDerby
United Kingdom
May 6, 2017 -
High Desert International Film FestivalPahrump, NV
May 27, 2017 -
ProxyAct Film FestivalBerlin
Germany
October 21, 2017 -
Weird WednesdaysStuttgart
Germany
October 25, 2017 -
Milwaukee Short Film FestivalMilwaukee, WI
September 9, 2017 -
Milwaukee Women's Film FestivalMilwaukee, WI
September 9, 2017
Best Screenplay Short -
Oak Park Film FestivalOak Park, IL
September 16, 2017 -
Twisted Oyster Film FestivalChicago, IL
October 21, 2017 -
Tally ShortsTallahassee, FL
January 26, 2018 -
Mondo Cult Variety ShowcaseLos Angeles, CA
April 27, 2019 -
Bechdel Film FestivalAkron, OH
May 30, 2019 -
Autobahn Tour by STUFF MXvarious
Mexico
Latin American Premiere
Distribution Information
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TruIndieCountry: United StatesRights: Video on Demand
Shayna Connelly’s work explores hauntings, liminality and the boundaries between documentary, experimental and fiction filmmaking. Her films have screened at Sunderland Shorts, Toronto Short Film Festival, Big Sky Documentary, San Francisco Doc, CIMMfest, Chicago Feminist, Stranger Without a Face, Big Muddy, Columbus International, Breckenridge, Charlotte International, Crossroads, Chicago Underground, Sydney Underground, San Diego Underground, Oak Cliff, Brooklyn Film Festival, Bushwick Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival and Athens International among others. Newcity Magazine named her one of Chicago's 50 Screen Gems of 2016.
Contact information:
Shayna Connelly
773-858-7310 | shaynacon@gmail.com
1150 S. Ridgeland Ave, Oak Park, IL 60304
In 2012 my lifelong friend Anne died of leukemia. The night she passed away I went out to garden after I could no longer sit still waiting for the phone to ring with the news. The only light I had was from the motion detector lights, which kept switching off. I wrote the script several months later and got in touch with the band REM to see if I could get the rights to their song 'Gardening At Night' for the film. Through a friend I was able to get the script to the band and they agreed to allow me to use the song. When I went to make the deal with their the record company, I was told the title of my film could not be the title of their song. I protested, saying that the only action in the film was gardening at night and this was based on autobiography, not the song. They conceded and allowed me to use it. During editing it was clear that the song's pace was too fast and the effect was too jarring in the end credits. Instead I chose a recording of the real Anne telling what she was grateful for during her hospital stay. The original sound recording was too compressed to use, so I transcribed it and had the actress playing Anne in the film recite it. She embodies Anne and gives a haunting performance throughout.