The Feeling Part

The Feeling Part is a magically real love story between two damaged people that juxtaposes the stigma of depression against the sweet melancholy of Christmas. A glimpse into the effect of suicide on survivors and the inherited sadness and guilt that comes along with it. It's an NYC story about love, art, survival, courage and a wild ride through loss, love and the space in between – the feeling part of life.

Liv and Zed are recovering addicts, clean for a year. It’s Christmas, the anniversary of her mother’s suicide and Liv is at a crossroads. She buys heroin and hides it from Zed, as he tries desperately to get her to face her feelings. A nightmarish Nutcracker in her mind tries to push her over the edge. Zed finds the heroin – and Liv must find just what it is that makes her want to keep living.

  • Jesse Lowell Anholt
    Director
    I am an independent filmmaker and writer based out of Brooklyn, NY. I have written, directed and produced several short films, Be Wary the Wind and SHE, along with one feature Intrusion.
  • Romy Nordlinger
    Writer
    Screenwriter and playwright. In development with Kamran Pasha: feature screenplay of her critically acclaimed play Garden of Alla (a hybrid of film and theater). Plays include Sex & Sealing Wax, Lipshtick (Edinburgh Fringe) and Garden of Alla (Kennedy Center; Theatre West, LA). Awarded the LMCC 2024 grant for outstanding new work – in development: Mother of All Choices.
  • Romy Nordlinger
    Producer
    Producer: Gothams (short, Big Apple Film Festival), Synchronycity (short, Queens Film Festival). Producer of several plays including the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nominated solo show Garden of Alla.
  • Ed Koffenberger
    Producer
    Executive Producer: Ed has always had a love of film and theater since his father took him to the Virginia Museum's presentation of "Teahouse of the August Moon" when he was in elementary school. Jack-the-Giant killer with a cardboard sword wrapped in aluminum foil, to Ol' King Cole wearing his great aunt's black faux fur coat in third grade. Several years of experimental film, college theater and Shakespeare in the Park, Ed began his years as a teacher. Wherever he taught, he started theater and film programs or became involved in theater at the school. From making spotlights out of old coffee cans to writing scripts to celebrating his students as they qualified for international competitions, Ed enjoys offering performative experiences to his students. He believes that the performing arts are especially powerful in allowing students to experience the many aspects of humanity in a safe environment. Ed also used theatrical approaches in his work as a therapist with abused children, family therapy, and dream interpretation. Three Master degrees, likes honey on his homemade bread, talks to birds, just about lives in his library... what else?
  • Romy Nordlinger
    Key Cast
    "Liv"
    Guest and co-starring roles on Manifest, Law & Order SVU (Detective Talbor), Bull, FBI and numerous independent films in leading and supporting roles. In theatre she has performed her original solo show Garden of Alla at The Kennedy Center, Off Broadway, nationally, internationally, including a critically acclaimed run at Theatre West in West Hollywood, LA. Also nominated for LA’s Robby Award alongside Elizabeth McGovern. Featured voice role as Edna Hoffman in a scene with with Meryl Streep, directed by Stephen Frears.
  • Andrew Gombas
    Key Cast
    "Zed"
    Andrew Gombas is an actor and musician based in New York. Recent Theater: Sweat (Trinity Rep), Tomorrow Will Be Sunday (Chatauqua Theatre Festival), The Late Wedding, Macbeth!, The Dumb Waiter (Brown/Trinity Rep). Recent Film: The Tomorrow Job (377 Films), The Orb (Animus Studios). Andrew is a recent graduate of Brown University/Trinity Rep’s MFA Acting Program.
  • Justin R.G. Holcomb
    Key Cast
    "The Nutcracker"
    Justin grew up in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The summers of his youth were spent on his Grandfather’s farm in the Rio Grande Valley. He is an alumnus of the University Of Oklahoma and a Kentucky Colonel. He now lives in NYC and has appeared in several television series in including Blacklist, FBI, Unforgettable and numerous indie films as well as Off-Broadway and on National Tours.
  • Archie Colville
    Key Cast
    "Sid Vicious"
    Archie Colville is a British actor and singer from London. He graduated from Rose Bruford’s London Acting Foundation Course in 2022 and is currently training at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City. He was recently cast in a production of An Anatomy of a Suicide written by Alice Birch and directed by Oliva Songer. Other stage credits include As You Like It (Orlando), Nora: A Doll’s House (Thomas), Twelfth Night (Orsino), The Wipers Times (Lt Colonel Howfield), Chicago (Amos). Film credits include Elysian Fields (Chief Barry), Physical Physicality Physicalised (Mr Andrews), The Legend of Little Guiseppe (The Blessed One), Yoni (Liam). He is currently in preproduction of Norway Today (August), an existential romantic comedy play following two teenagers searching for the purpose of life itself.
  • Bryan James Hamilton
    Cinematography
    Bryan is an independent filmmaker and co-founder of Hissyfit Films. He produced 'Be Wary the Wind' ( a finalist at the Strange Days Horror fest ) and 'SHE' ( 2023 - currently hitting the festival circuit ) , and has filmed and produced a number of other projects; The Feeling Part ( 2023 ), Psycho Analysis ( 2019 ), Contact ( 2017 ), and feature film ‘Yonder’ with Oday Rasheed ( 2016 ). As an actor turned filmmaker, Bryan has a versatile experience in producing, writing, acting, editing, and cinematography; recently editing a 40 minute pilot with DreamCircle Productions, ‘Demonetized’ ( 2023 ), a commercial spot for Creality, a 3D Printing Company ( 2023 ), and 'LEECHES VOX', a music video with Somedays Studios ( 2023 ). He enjoys supporting his fellow artists in their pursuits to create their ideas, putting maximum effort and focus into the project at hand.
  • Len Nash
    Assistant Director
    Len Nash is an NYC trained actor and filmmaker., originally from Nashville TN. He trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater, and recently produced a documentary with Andromedia pictures.
  • Bryan James Hamilton
    Editor
  • Nick T. Moore
    Original Score, Music Direction & classical arrangements
    Nick is a 7 time award nominated theatre and film composer and sound designer, with almost 20 years experience creating magic for audiences in NYC. Film includes: Being Reel, (Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmaker’s Contest winner), The Ticket Seller, Writer/Director Laura Archer - NewFilmakers New York/ DAMNFest/ WAMMFest/ Powfest. Theatre includes, Off-Broadway: The Drawer (IT nominee, best sound) - SoHo Playhouse/Oberon Theater Ensemble; Expatriate - Culture Project; Summer Shorts 14’/15/16’’ - 59E59 & Throughline Artists; Crazy For The Dog - Jean Cocteau Rep., Defenses Of Prague - La Mama; Embraceable Me - (NY) Rachel Reiner Productions/(NC) Blumenthal PAC, Broke Wide Open - Samah Productions, Off-off-b-way: 18 Resonance Ensemble productions, including 23 Knives (IT nominee, best sound/music); 7 Oberon Theater Ensemble productions including Keep On Truckin' It's War (MITF nominee outstanding sound), The Woodsman & Christopher Boal’s Pimm's Mission; Peace (IT nominee, best Musical) - MCTC; Monster Literature Epsiodes 1-5 – Brooklyn Lyceum, Summoner's Tale - Hook and Eye Theater Company; Dance: Illuminate– Equilateral Theater Company, Oit Of Water – The Turner Project; Member: Dramatists Guild; Resonance Ensemble; Roundabout. nicktmoore.com
  • Adam Jesse Burns
    Production Design
    Adam’s artwork, films and theater video designs have been shown internationally, including the Big Apple Film Festival, Tribeca Cinemas, the New York International Fringe Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe, The Brain (now defunct, West End, London). Shows include Lipshtick, Broadville, Sex & Sealing Wax, and now Garden of Alla. Nonbinary, (they/them). adamjesseburns.xyz
  • Lillybeth Gonzalez
    Makeup & Hair
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    5,540 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:39
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Best Shorts Award of Merit Special Mention Best Actress
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Award of Merit Special Mention - Leading Actress
  • Best Shorts Award Of Merit Screenplay
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Award Of Merit - Screenplay
  • AIMAFF Honorable Mention Best Short Film

    Honorable Mention Best Short Film
  • New York International Film Awards Finalist Best Short Film
    New York City
    United States
    Finalist Best Short Film
  • Global Shorts Award of Merit Best Short Film

    Merit of honor - best short film
  • Critics Choice International - Winner Best Script/Screenplay

    Best Script/Screenplay
  • MMM Festival Official Selection (not screening)
    New Jersey
    United States
    Finalist
  • IndieX Film Festival - Award of Merit Winner - Best Actress, Best Short Film - Best Cinematorgraphy
    Los Angeles
    Winner - Official Selection
  • Five Continents International Film Winner Best Film (Not screening)

    Official Selection - Best Short Film
  • Hollywood Best Indie Film Awards Official Selection Best Film & Cinematography NYC
  • Best Film Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Award Winner Best Women's Short
Director Biography - Jesse Lowell Anholt

Jesse Lowell Anholt is an independent filmmaker based out of Brooklyn, NY. A writer, director and producer, Jesse has made many short films as well as one feature, predominately in the horror/thriller genre. Jesse currently has several other projects in the works, most notably his upcoming short, “SHE”.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

When approached by Romy Nordlinger to direct The Feeling Part, it was a no brainer. Though it strayed from my typical horror roots, I saw a grittiness in The Feeling Part script that really drew me in. As a punk musician myself, the thought of having that subculture juxtaposed to the Christmas season presented something very unique that deserved exploring. Dealing with the themes of grief, loss and addiction while throwing a little bit of that New York City dirt on top, really allowed us to tell an age old story, in a fresh, captivating way.