My mom died in my arms in October 2007 from lung, brain and bone cancer.

 

Alongside my mother’s death, I also lost several other family members, ended a long-term relationship, and found myself completely broke from moving home to care for my mother. All of this occurred within one year’s time.

 

The experience was brutal. I went into a deep and debilitating depression. However, with the help of my family, friends, and an amazing therapist, I was able to rebuild my life.

 

I also discovered the strength inside me to overcome the grief and take control of where I wanted my life to go. Ultimately it is our own decision as to how we want our lives to unfold. The experience also taught me how to find the strength within myself to both learn and heal from the loss and loneliness. So much of who we are and will become is defined in our toughest moments.

 

The film’s story, while tragic at heart, arcs into the uplifting, inspiring and outrageously comedic, exploring the gallows humor of such a situation. This is followed by an overwhelming sense of joy that blooms at the end of this dark and gloomy road. It is here that life begins again with a greater fervor along with a more acute sense of its preciousness and value.

 

We truly hope to inspire people who have endured loss to see that they can come back from anything and everything that life throws at them. When you get lemons, even seemingly all at one time, you can always make some pretty awesome lemonade.

 

FILM SYNOPSIS

 

It’s the worst day of Lizzy Boyd’s life. A series of mishaps have led both her and the audience to believe that something is not quite right. Life has been giving her lemons... figuratively, and literally!

She's young and was once full-of-life.  As she walks through the grim arches of an old church, she face the second most painful moment of her life... giving her mother's eulogy. Lizzy is at her wit's end and ready to cash it all in. Her mom was the most important person in her life.

As the service ensues, however, we meet a crazy cast of quirky and dysfunctional characters hell bent on snapping Lizzy out of her depression and bringing her back to life.

 

The film borders on surreal at times, as these characters use very unconventional methods to make her laugh, which makes for a never-before-seen afternoon at a funeral! With each little victory, and even a little dancing, they bring her back... guiding her to learn, deep inside, how to carry on and how to turn the lemons which fate has rained on her into 100% Lizzy-made lemonade!

 

CAST & CREW

 

Mary Elizabeth Boylan: Creator/Lead Actress/Writer/Producer/Dancer.

Actress, director and producer. From the award-winning Big Bully Bank, which screened at the AOF, LA Shorts and Occupy Sundance 2011.

 

Steve Sidwell: Composer. Emmy-nominated for his composition Elements & Motion at the 79th Annual Oscar Awards Ceremony.

 

Sandra Valde: Cinematographer. Her amazing career includes festival sweeping film Love is All You Need and the film Kaboom, which screened at Sundance.

Robin McDonald: Supporting Actress. Robin’s career spans almost 15 years, and includes credits on the TV shows Friends, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Law And Order.   

Wendy Wilkins: Supporting Actress

From the AOF Award winning/Occupy Sundance film Big Bully Bank.

 

Extensive training throughout NYC, including NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.  Currently performing at 2 theatres in LA.

 

Matt Blessing: Producer

Matt comes to us from Suntaur Entertainment in Hollywood, and just recently produced the successful short film Excision.

 

Roy Cullen: Special Effects, Color Correction & Graphics

Roy’s incredible career includes VFX the Oscars, the film Tropic Thunder and the upcoming Farrelly Brother’s re-make of The Three Stooges.

Sabrina Phillip: Choreographer

Accomplished dancer, teacher & choreographer who has worked with countless dance companies & studios throughout the U.S. & Canada.

James Kalagher: Supporting Actor (Co-star on the show Criminal Minds) 

 

PRINCIPLE PRODUCTION TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

 

MARY ELIZABETH BOYLAN

 

After competing and performing for several years as a dancer, Mary began acting in College at The Ohio State University. When she first moved to Los Angeles, she performed sold out improv shows at The Next Stage Theatre, as well as with the renowned comedy group DC Juicy, at the infamous Comedy Store on Sunset Blvd. She studied at both the famed Playhouse West (James Franco, Ashley Judd, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sean Astin) and the Australian School of Dramatic Arts (AIDA) in Hollywood.  Mary's breakout role was in theaward-winning film, PARCHED where she played the female lead as an ambitious woman in the wild west. The film won at the Action on Film International Festival in 2010. 
Mary has starred in several other independent films since then. Sheʼs also done commercials alongside Samuel L. Jackson (Spike TV Video Game Awards), and James Cromwell (The Einstein Plan).

 

Mary also runs a successful real estate business as part of Keller Williams Realty, Hollywood Hills.

 

LISA STADNYKOVA

 

As a film writer and producer, Lisa has several feature length screenplays and projects in the works with her production company Hado Productions. In 2010, Lisa directed, story-edited and produced the multi-award winning short film, BIG BULLY BANK. The film enjoyed successful screenings at The LA Shorts Festival, The Ventura Film Festival, The A.O.F International Film Festival, The American International Film Festival and Occupy Sundance.  Her film won awards in the categories of Best Comedy and Best Cinematography. Her career as a director began in the theatre in Paris, France.  She also produced entertainment news while working at the Associated Press Television for over a decade in Europe.  Lisa had the great honor to hone her skills as an actress while studying with Ivana Chubbuck and Larry Moss.  

 

CYRUS WILCOX

 

Cyrus started his acting career at the famed South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa and went on to earn a degree in Acting from the distinguished Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. While in New York City he performed at The Kitchen Theatre, The Brooklyn Lyceum, and The Tobacco Road Theatre. In Los Angeles, he’s performed at the Bootleg, Actors’ Circle, and Friends and Artists theatres.

 

Cyrus also has 12 years of experience working in litigation consulting for several

AMLAW Top 20 International Law firms, including Quinn Emanuel and Munger, Tolles and Olson.  

__________________________________

Getting Lemons is a deeply personal project for me. It's something I've been working very hard to develop, because I truly believe in the story. I feel the message and film will have a profound impact on both viewers who have lived through similar experiences, and be a meaningful, uplifting piece of entertainment for those who thankfully have not.

 

On behalf of myself, and the Getting Lemons Team, we’d like to thank you for reviewing our project. We look forward to your continued involvement in our Film!

 

Very Best Regards,

 

Mary Elizabeth Boylan