BABYGIRL Production Notes/Page 1

BABYGIRL Production Notes/Page 1

Films

and

Escape Pictures

Present

BABYGIRL

Written and Directed by Macdara Vallely

For addition press materials, please go to:

LOGLINE

Set in the Bronx, BABYGIRL is a bitter-sweet drama about a teenage girl, who finds herself trapped in an unwanted love-triangle with her mom's latest boyfriend.

SYNOPSIS

Set in the Bronx, BABYGIRLis about Lena (Yainis Ynoa), a fifteen-year old Nuyorican girl, who has watched her heart-broken single-mom (Rosa Arredondo) fall in love with one man after another. When Victor (Flaco Navaja), the latest boyfriend, starts hitting on Lena, she sets out to expose him. But the plan backfires, and Lena finds herself trapped in an impossible love-triangle. The only way out is for her to stand up and confront some bitter home truths.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

I wrote Babygirl a few summers ago shortly after witnessing a real-life incident on a 2 train in the Bronx. A lot of my directorial decisions were influenced by a desire to try recreate that slice-of-life moment.

The Bronx in summer is a vibrant, electric place, bursting with colour and I knew if I was going to capture it in the wide then we would have to shoot on film. This was a big gamble as we were working with a very tight budget, but I think it paid off.

Just as important as the visual aspect, was the sound. Fordham Road on a hot Saturday afternoon is a cacophony of competing street-hawkers, stereos, cars, trains roaring by. We worked really hard with dozens of musicians and spent countless hours in the studio in Dublin, trying to recreate that sound. Incidentally, all of the musicians are from the city and many of them are friends or friends of friends - a reminder why NYC is such a great place to work in.

Authenticity also had a major influence in my casting choices. I felt strongly that my actors needed more than just the right look, they needed to understand in a visceral way the lives of the characters they were playing. We fought long and hard to get the right cast. It took two years, and a last-minute open-call, but when Yainis Ynoa walked in on that last day, second to last on the list, I felt a twist in my gut, I looked over at Paul Miller, the producer, we both knew in that instant that we had found our Lena.

The film really started to come together for me when I began to see the actors we had cast, turn up on location. I felt as though they were part of the environment. Indistinguishable from the thousands of unwitting extras that milled about us. We ended up shooting a lot of action in exterior wides, sound off camera. I wanted the audience to see Lena, her friends and family, engaging with the city as though it were another character, silently and inevitably shaping their lives.

Similar ideas about space informed my decision to shoot the interiors of Lena and her mother in a series of wide two-shots. I wanted to show them trapped, forced to occupy the same space. It occurred to me in the edit, that they almost look like mirror reflections of one another, which speaks to one of the film’s themes: this haunting notion that whatever we do in life we end up just like our parents.

I suppose one might question why did this Irish guy want to make a film about a teenage Nuyorican girl living in the Bronx. I’ve no response other than to say if we just wrote about what we know, then all we would ever write about is ourselves and our families. For me, this film started on a hot day on a Bronx-bound 2 train. I sat watching out of the corner of my eye as this guy in his twenties started flirting with a teenage girl across from him. He could see she was not interested, and so, to her alarm, he turned his attention to her mother instead. As I watched the three of them getting off the train together, I was left with this burning question “What happens next?”

-Macdara Vallely

CAST BIOS

Yainis Ynoa (Lena), 17, was born and raised in the Bronx by Puerto Rican and Dominican parents. It has been a dream come true for her to play Lena in Macdara Vallely's feature film, BABYGIRL. Yainis is in her last year of high school. This year, she also completed classes at the The Stella Adler Studio Outreach Program. There she played Juliet, in Romeo and Juliet in her first theatrical performance as well as acting in several other plays. Babygirl is her first film project. Yainis is excited and honored to be a part of the film. Yainis has been dancing and acting her whole life, although it wasn't until the 8th grade, when she performed a script she had written with friends in front of her schoolthat she realized she was finally ready to pursue a acting. Yainis is ready and excited for what is to come.

Rosa Arredondo (Lucy)is an accomplished actor, singer, dancer and a Native New Yorker. She is currently in the Broadway Production of “A Streetcar Named Desire”.

Some of her other film credits include:SILVER TONGUES, HUSBAND FOR HIRE, FEEL THE NOISE, PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, WHERE GOD LEFT HIS SHOES, THE SUITOR, and ROCKAWAY.

Her Television credits include Series Regular roles on Pilots: Hate, and Ricochet, Recurring roles on: Six Degrees, Trial By Jury, Conviction, and Guest starring roles on: The Mentalists, CSI, Fringe, White Collar, SVU, Numbers, Law and Order, and Queens Supreme.

Along with her childhood friend, Lorna Ventura , she started Stepsister Productions, a company dedicated to writing and producing work for the female voice. Their films have received several prestigious nominations in the film festival circuit. Rosa is proud to have been part of the BABYGIRL process!

Flaco Navaja (Victor) is a singer, poet, actor, who is born and raised in the Bronx. He sings in both Spanish and English and has toured with various groups across the globe.
If Héctor Lavoe Boxed Rubén Blades and KRS-1 was the referee you'd get Flaco. A Nostalgic old sound with brand new spoken word.
Navaja’s original style of poetry combines singing, beat-boxing, and spoken word. He was the host of thelegendary open mic showcase; “All That! Hip Hop Poetry & Jazz” at the famous Nuyorican Poets' Cafe. He has performed at national and international venues and events. In 2003, he toured internationally with the Tony Award winning Russell Simmons' “Def Poetry Jam” and he has appeared on four episodes of the HBO series.
Navaja is a member of Screen Actors Guild and has appeared in several films & television shows. Including PRIDE & GLORY, FIGHTING, GUN HILL ROAD, Law & Order, CSI NY and new webseries Eastwillyb.

Joshua Rivera (Xavier) was born in the early hours of April 1992. His arrival was a few months early but as dramatic as any role he would latercrave to play. He began performing at the young age of seven, always hungry to develop his craft. After school he would attend The Boy's &

Girl's Variety Club in his native Queens, NY, where he realized his truelove for acting. He was later acceptanced into the High School of the Arts in upper Manhattan, NY, where he continued to improve and moldhis talent. During his sophomore year he landed his first lead role as

Byron Cruz in a NYU senior thesis short film, 'Bedford Park Boulevard'. Joshua went on to win The First Run Film Festival Craft Award 2010 for thisrole. The film was accepted in both national and international film festivals including Tribeca, SXSW, BFI London and L.A Shorts 2010. Since then he has been continuously pursuing his acting career and working on such films as SXSW’s 2012 Grand Jury Prize Winner GIMME THE LOOT and TERROR TALK. He also enjoys spreading a positivemessage throughout the community with PSAs such as those for The Seeds Of Africa Foundation and MADD ( Mothers AgainstDrunk Driving). Joshua, among many things, enjoys writing, Krump dancing andrapping with his talented extension of friends called K.O.P.( Kings Of The Planet ). Most importantly he is enjoying the journey toa career in entertainment, that to most would seem unattainable. Joshua currently attends the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute where he is the recipient of the Johnny Depp Scholarship.

Gleendilys Inoa(Daishan) is a native of Harlem who was raised in the South Bronx and is the youngest of two. “Glendy” knew she wantedto act since the age of 10 but it wasn't untilher a teacher, introduced her to Manny Perez (BELLA, EL CANTANTE) that she actually landed her first role AMEXICANO.

Since then she has been in DON’T LET ME DROWN(2009) directed by Cruz Angels andA KISS OF CHAOS(2009) directed by Ricardo Sean Thompson, starring Judy Marte and her mentor Manny Perez. The films were featured at the American Black Film Festival, the New YorkInternational Latino Film Festival, and Sundance Film Festival prompting her to become one of “Six to Watch” by New York Magazine. She then shared the screen with Zoe Kravitz and Gabby Sidibe in Victoria Mahoney’sYELLING TO THE SKY(2011) andalsoGUN HILL ROAD(2011) directed by Rashad Ernesto Green. She also starred in HBO’s DA BRICKdirected by Spike Lee.

As a Latina actress of Dominican descent, Gleendilys looksforward to following the paths of other prominent Latina actresses, and hopesto use her talent to expand the horizons for a new generation of younggirls that dream of acting.

CREW BIOS

Macdara Vallely (Writer/Director) (b. Craigavon, Ireland) In 2008, he wrote and directed his first feature film, PEACEFIRE, adapted from his Edinburgh Fringe First award winning play, it was premiered in competition at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and won several international awards, including: Best First Feature at Galway Film Fleadh; the Special Jury Prize at the European First Feature Festival at Angers and the Grand Jury Prize at the Annonay Film Festival.

Paul Miller (Producer) is an independent producer working in both the United States and Europe. He currently works with his own New York-London based production company, Escape Pictures and New York-Berlin based Belladonna Productions.

Miller has just completed post-production on two films: BABYGIRL, written and directed by Macdara Vallely and produced with Samson Films and the Irish Film Board and the documentary, POOR CONSUELO CONQUERS THE WORLD, about the use of soap operas and telenovelas for encouraging positive social change. The documentary was funded by the Sundance-Skoll Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and ARTE.

Previously, Miller was Head of Production at Crossroads Films both under their first look deal with United Artists and as part of the team that raised a $3M development fund. At Crossroads, Miller produced SNOW ANGELS, written and directed by David Gordon Green, starring Sam Rockwell and Kate Becksinale and released by Warner Independent Pictures in 2008 and A LOVE SONG FOR BOBBY LONG Starring John Travolta and Scarlett Johansson. The film was released by Lions Gate in 2006.

Current projects in development include THE BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHINGto be directed by Rob Meyer, Executive Produced by David Frankel (DEVIL WEARS PRADA) and to star Sir Ben Kingsley. Miller is also developing THE EAGLE AND THE BUTTERFLY, to be directed by Lebanese filmmaker Philippe Aractingi (UNDER THE BOMBS) and SMILE! by Saudi director, Ahd Kamel. Concurrently, Miller is developing a television travel show for PBS Television called Nomad Traveler.

With Belladonna, Miller is producing PRIDE AND JOYto be directed by David Gordon Green (PINAPPLE EXPRESS).

Miller was educated in England with a degree in zoology at University College London and and is a graduate of the National Film and Television School (UK). Previous films include John Sayles’ feature THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH(1994), the Acadamy Award nominated LONE STAR(1996) and MEN WITH GUNS(1997). Miller also produced PROZAC NATION, directed by Erik Skjoldbaerg’s (INSOMNIA) and starring Chistina Ricci, Jessica Lange, Michelle Williams and Jonathan Rhys Myers.

Previously Miller produced wildlife and science documentaries for National Geographic, the BBC, Anglia Television and London Weekend Television in the UK.

Gigi Dement (Producer) was born in Baguio City, Philippines, the daughter of a sailor in the American Navy and a Filipino actress. Growing up in Dubuque, Iowa, where she witnessed Sylvester Stallone’s F.I.S.T. being shot, it was her experience watching the stunningly stark yet simple visual style of Albert Lamorisse’s THE RED BALLOONthat led to her lifelong pursuit of making movies.

After graduating with distinction from NYU’s Undergraduate Film/TV Program, Gigi worked as an event producer and trade show manager, where she was instrumental in the development of the restaurant industry’s first technology exhibition and secured innovative corporate sponsorships with companies such as Microsoft and IBM.

In 1998, Gigi returned to NYU to study in their preeminent, graduate film program. In just a few short years, she produced over fifteen films and directed four of her own. But in the year 2000, she would engage in her most important production yet: the birth to her first child.

In the fall of 2004, after the birth of her second daughter, Gigi returned with renewed energy and perspective to NYU. Since then, she has produced several more films, including a thesis film that premiered at the 2007 TriBeCa Film Festival, two that were awarded the Albert P. Sloan Foundation production grant and GOD OF LOVE, winner of the 2011 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

Gigi is currently living in Brooklyn where she raises her two daughters and has just completed the feature film BABYGIRL, that she produced in association with Escape Pictures, Samson Films and the Irish Film Board, and BASTARDS OF YOUNG, which she produced in association with Toy Closet Films.

Gigi is also developing several new and exciting projects, including a dramatic feature film, THE SUICIDE NOTE, about a brilliant but troubled teenager written by her husband, Scott Semer, a fellow NYU film alum. Gigi’s other upcoming projects include BRAIN CHECKERS, written by David Ackerman, about a former middle school chess champ who goes back to his old school in Brooklyn to teach the Special Ed kids chess, and I’M NOT DOWN, written by Josh Robbins, to be directed by Sayeeda Clarke and produced in association with Tamar Sela, of Opening Night Productions.

David Collins (Producer)runs Samson Films, one of Ireland’s most successful independent feature film companies. Notable recent credits include ONCE – released by Fox Searchlight and sold internationally by Summit Entertainment. Samson has also produced two films, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival, SNAP (2010) and EDEN (Winner of Best Actress Award 2008).

Apart from BABYGIRL, current projects include Mary Harron’s THE MOTH DIARIES, which premiered at Venice (2011) and is co-produced with Ed Pressman and Mediabiz (Canada). It is being released in the USA by IFC.

Samson recently completed GRABBERS, which premiered at this year’s Sundance; a sci-fi comedy acquired in the UK by Sony, and with US rights picked up by IFC. It is being sold internationally by Salt.

Currently in post production is MISTER JOHN which has just completed filming in Singapore. It is written and directed by Irish filmmakers Desperate Optimists and produced with the support of the Irish Film Board and the British Film Institute. Visit Films are attached as World Sales Agent.

David is on the executive board of the Irish Screen Producers Association and is a founding director of the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin. He is also a member of the European Film Academy.

Samson has a sister company, Accomplice Television which produces original drama and scripted comedy for Irish and International broadcasters. Recent work includes Pure Mule(5 IFTA awards) and the comedy series Dan And Becs, which has been licensed to Sony Television for USA remakes and for international exploitation.

Brendan Dolan(Composer)scored the Samuel Goldwyn feature film, GO FISH and composed and performed incidental music for the Todd Haynes’ Fineline feature film, SAFE. In addition he scored Macdara Mac Uibh Aille’s two films, THE LOVEBITE, winner of the Tiernan McBride Award for Best Irish Short at the 2004 Galway Film Fleadh and NA FÍORGHAEIL. Brendan also composed the music for Mac Uibh Aille’s play, “Peacefire” which was performed on one of the main stages at the 2004 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. His list of television clients ranges from MTV to ESPN to the Discovery Channel.

Brendan holds a Bachelors degree in Jazz Performance from SUNY New Paltz, and teaches traditional Irish music on piano and flute. He is the son of piano great, Felix Dolan, a mainstay of traditional Irish music in New York since the 1950s, and is a member of the traditional ensemble The Pride of New York. In addition to Irish music, Brendan spent several years in the acclaimed Andy Statman Quartet and has performed in concert with Itzhak Perlman.