2020 Colorado Showcase
Presents:
The Rock Within: Film Project Overview
Denver CO
Jessica McGaugh & Roma Sur
Sunday, February 23
2:00PM
Stay after the showcase for our Filmmaker Talkback!
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Film Synopsis
A traditional East Indian American determined to give her only child a sibling, risks her cross-cultural friendship, her family, and her career to define herself beyond motherhood. Project Description The Rock Within is a bilingual feature drama with a diverse cast from the US as well as from India. Pathos and humor meet in this journey of one woman who embraces her new identity, and sets out on a new chapter in her life. Review “The Rock Within explores fertility and insecurity for its characters in intimate ways. From the start, Trisha and Jennie’s personalities feel strong - one more prudent and careful, the other adventurous, but both caring. Side characters, like Maya and Tara, also have charm… This script features touching, authentic characters and plenty of honest conflict to explore.” --ScreenCraft |
Director/Producer
Jessica McGaugh Writer/Producer Roma Sur Line Producer Meryem Ersoz Starring Trisha Sen Jennie Gaw Neil Sen Tara Sen Maya Mitra |
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About the Filmmakers
The film’s writer, Roma Sur, and I have been working together as a team since we met in 2011. Immediately afterward, we rushed off to Delhi to film a feature-length documentary. As filmmakers, we have explored and demonstrated our passion for bridging cultures. This is apparent in our films and in our friendship. We have lived this story.
Jessica McGaugh is an award-winning independent film director, cinematographer and editor working out of Denver, Colorado. Her work has been screened internationally including the Mumbai International Film Festival, Denver Film Festival, NDTV and Rocky Mountain PBS. Jessica received an MFA in Film from Syracuse University and is currently teaching in the Film & Television Program at the University of Colorado Denver.
Roma Sur is a filmmaker and faculty member at the Film and Television program at the University of Colorado, Denver. She started her career as a copywriter with multinational ad agencies. She came to the US in 2000 and received her Master’s degree in Film and Video Production, with a focus on Screenwriting, at the University of Denver, where she received the Harold Mendelsohn Graduate student award. As a filmmaker, her artist statement is to give voice to women’s and children’s issues as well as to create cross-cultural stories. She has written and produced five documentary films which have been official screenings at festivals globally and have aired on NDTV, India.
Meryem Ersoz is one of Colorado's top film producers. She has produced feature films in budgets ranging from $200,000 to $3 million. Under her commercial production label, Red Pine Studios, Meryem also provided all of the local Colorado production services for the feature film, DEAR ELEANOR, directed by Kevin Connolly. Meryem is the only high-end producer in Colorado who also has her own cinematography reel, which gives her a unique grasp of not only the technical and creative arts, but also of the logistical and financial aspects of production. As its producer, Meryem runs operations for Blackwing ASL.
Jessica McGaugh is an award-winning independent film director, cinematographer and editor working out of Denver, Colorado. Her work has been screened internationally including the Mumbai International Film Festival, Denver Film Festival, NDTV and Rocky Mountain PBS. Jessica received an MFA in Film from Syracuse University and is currently teaching in the Film & Television Program at the University of Colorado Denver.
Roma Sur is a filmmaker and faculty member at the Film and Television program at the University of Colorado, Denver. She started her career as a copywriter with multinational ad agencies. She came to the US in 2000 and received her Master’s degree in Film and Video Production, with a focus on Screenwriting, at the University of Denver, where she received the Harold Mendelsohn Graduate student award. As a filmmaker, her artist statement is to give voice to women’s and children’s issues as well as to create cross-cultural stories. She has written and produced five documentary films which have been official screenings at festivals globally and have aired on NDTV, India.
Meryem Ersoz is one of Colorado's top film producers. She has produced feature films in budgets ranging from $200,000 to $3 million. Under her commercial production label, Red Pine Studios, Meryem also provided all of the local Colorado production services for the feature film, DEAR ELEANOR, directed by Kevin Connolly. Meryem is the only high-end producer in Colorado who also has her own cinematography reel, which gives her a unique grasp of not only the technical and creative arts, but also of the logistical and financial aspects of production. As its producer, Meryem runs operations for Blackwing ASL.