The Red Car

WHAT THE FILM IS ABOUT

A hard-working woman finds salvation in the purchase of a used red car. But when that car is stolen, she must decide how far she is willing to go to take it back.

Our Leading Lady

Marilyn is a hard beauty who works at the local lumber mill, where she talks like the men and has no problem attracting flirtatious attention, but she quickly shoots admirers down. Marilyn has closed off from the world after a failed marriage that left her with two children and alone. She absolutely hates relying on people, but has a deep inexplicable need to be with someone that has led her to secretly sleep with a man in town. Marilyn has always been careful to keep him at a distance, but when her car is stolen, that moment of weakness lets him in and she feels rushed into a life she isnʼt ready to welcome.

For a role this big, we knew we needed a strong actress to inhabit Marilyn. So the first thing we did was attatch the incredibly talented casting director, Adrienne Stern, to the project. Adrienne has cast some amazing talent over the years including Ryan Gosling, Parker Posey, Melissa Leo, Alan Arkin, Ellen Burstyn, Tina Fey...and the list goes on! So when it comes to this character, you can be sure we will find the right person to bring Marilyn to life.

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP

The Red Car team is doing everything we can to make the highest quality film possible, while keeping the budget reasonable. We have reached out to local businesses for donation of goods and services and have had some amazing locations offered free of charge. You can be sure that we will continue to minimize costs where appropriate, but there are some budget items that we simply can't cover without you. 

• Equipment (lights, grip, etc)
• Accommodations in southern Oregon
• Transportation
• Food
• Car Rentals
• Insurance

By shooting in Oregon, we will save money on amazing locations, have the support of the community, and minimize company moves during the shoot. Less time wasted means lower cost and more time doing what we should be doing - filming! 

WHO WE ARE

Steven Wilsey - WRITER/DIRECTOR

Steven Wilsey was born in Riddle, Oregon, but his childhood would take him on a whirlwind tour of the United States before settling back where he began. His mother was a cross-country truck driver--a bold and spontaneous woman who led them to live in Idaho, Georgia and South Carolina all by the time Steven was eleven. It was a life in flux and one that tested him and gave him a unique voice.

In 1998, Steven’s mother was murdered in a horrific case of domestic violence. He and his sisters returned to Oregon to live with his grandparents. It was there, in Riddle, that Steven showed his reslience and tenacity. He excelled in sports and academics in high school and his deep involvement in his community led to him receiving the Ford Family Scholarship upon graduation.

Steven headed off to the University of Oregon and earned degrees in political science and journalism. During his time there, he also picked up a student Emmy award for his documentary work, was an outspoken student senator and traveled to Ghana, Africa to work as a parliamentary reporter for that nation’s largest radio station, PeaceFM.

In a short 21 years, Steven had witnessed and accomplished more than he thought possible, thanks to the generosity and belief from his family and community that he could do great things. But his journey was far from slowing down. The Ford Family Foundation awarded Steven graduate funding to any school in the nation and he was accepted to Ivy League heavyweight Columbia University in New York City. 

Over the last five years, he has been working hard toward his Master of Fine Arts degree in film directing. His films have played around the world in places like the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Australia, India and various U.S. cities. He most recently worked as Ira Sach's directing intern on the feature film Keep the Lights On.

Steven is now primed and focused on his final task for Columbia University, his thesis film. The film draws from his childhood experiences and promises to be a rich, collaborative effort. To make the film, he will return to his hometown in Riddle, Oregon. 

Daniella Kahane - CO-PRODUCER

Writer/Director/Producer Dominique Lefebvre has been working in film since her mid-teens, first as the assistant of producer Martin Paul-Hus (Amérique Film) before pursuing this life-long love independently as a Film MFA candidate at Columbia University in New York. Before moving to the United States, Dominique graduated with honors from Concordia University in her hometown of Montreal, with a BFA in Film Studies, collecting three scholarships during her time there. Her work at Amérique Film allowed for many great opportunities, including being a trainee assistant director on Nicolas Roeg's most recent feature, Puffball (2007) and a post-production coordinator on Wiebke Von Carolsfeld’s Stay (2013).

Since studying in New York, Dominique has directed four short films, completed two feature scripts, with several more still in development. Her other works include: producer of At Night I Was Beautiful (Wilsey, 2010, Newfest Winner) and assistant director on AWOL (Shoval, Official Selection Sundance 2011).

Sam Porter was raised in Portland, Oregon in a rambunctious family of musicians. She spent her childhood wandering the music department halls at Portland State University where her curiosities were allowed to roam free, but over the years it became clear what she wanted to do. As an adult, Sam chose to pursue an education in film at The Art Institute of Portland as a Producer/Director. She focused her studies in documentary production, but has produced both award-winning narrative and documentary shorts, as well as been a key player in fundraising and collaborating on several other films. Sam's experience with shooting in Oregon will be huge asset to The Red Car team.