Angel Song

A short film by Lilian Sumner

Angel Song is a short film that explores the traumatic imprint lost memories make and how one retrieves and comes to terms with them. Sunny, played by Isabella Anselmi, discovers a deeper layer of selfhood, a process which helps her and her imaginary friend let go of the past.

While the short zeros in on a pivotal moment in Sunny’s life, Sumner plans to develop the character more fully in her upcoming feature film Obliteration.

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Using a crowdfunding smart contract on Ethereum, backers deposit ETH in exchange for $ANGELSONG tokens. The tokens serve as proof of patronage and represent each patron-investor’s fractional stake in the success of the film. Angel Song will be minted as an NFT following its release. Ownership will be allocated to the film’s backers based on their proportionate economic stake in the project.

The Cast

Isabella Anselmi

Sunny

Michael Wolever

Cast for Bar Scene

Tenzin Che Miyahira

Cast for Bar Scene

Born

Cast for Bar Scene

Thistle Brown

Cast for Bar Scene

Marketa Fagan

Street Dancer

About the Director

Lilian Sumner is a New York City based New Zealander. Lilian wrote and directed short film LUCAN ASKS WHY which Gucci funded and premiered in New York. The film stars Coco Gordon-Moore and 10-year- old Lilac Cianciolo and is edited by Academy award-winner John Gilbert. LOVE Magazine called the film “A powerful directorial debut”. In 2021, VIVA published Lilian’s HOW FAT THE BEES ARE, an essay about the nature of coming home. She directed ASTRONAUT, a music video for cult Australian artist Jack Ladder and the Dreamlanders which premiered on RAGE in 2021. She has a short film in pre-production with Zoe Bleu Arquette. Lilian is the writer and director of feature I SCARED THE TREE AND THE TREE SCARED ME, currently in pre-production.

About the Producer

Niamh Peren has worked with auteurs including Dame Jane Campion, Jonathan Glazer, Garth Davis, Lee Tamahori, and Andrew Adamson learning all the she can glean. Peren produced feature documentary AMATEUR, short documentary THUMBS UP NEW ZEALAND, TV episode IN SONG: PENE PATI for San Francisco Opera, TV episode WOMEN IN THE HOUSE for VICELAND, short film THE CRYING WIND (NZIFF & MIFF), and Co-Produced Screen Australia funded short film BLACK CAT. She is the founder of Poignant Productions.

About the Cinematographer

Michael Latham is best known for his work on projects such as Gabrielle Brady’s Tribeca award winning ‘Island of the Hungry Ghosts’, Kitty Green’s 'The Assistant' and her Netflix Original ‘Casting Jonbenet’ alongside Rodd Rathjen’s ‘Buoyancy'. Projects featuring Michael’s work have garnered numerous awards from prestigious institutions such as Sundance Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Cannes, The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards, and Australian Cinematography Society (ACS). Michael continues to work internationally, mixing genre and form.

Other People behind this Film

Editor

Britt Walton is from Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa. Britt has directed, produced and edited music videos for Ladyhawke, Lorde, Benee and Miss June. This work has been featured in The New York Times and NME Magazine and recognised by the Munich Film Awards and Vision Feast. She is currently working on pre-production for a short film, as well as several commercial projects.

Post Mentor

John Gilbert won an Academy Award and a BAFTA award for Best Film Editing for his work on Mel Gibson's war drama Hacksaw Ridge. His much-lauded work on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, garnered him the Satellite Award for Best Editing, and nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and an ACE Eddie Award. Gilbert recently completed the film Adrift for Director Baltasar Kormakur and most recently Simon Kinberg's 355.

Wardrobe

Maryam Nassir Zadeh, cult-favorite designer will be exclusively dressing the Angel Song cast in her fall-winter 2022 collection. The brand was recently featured on Vogues coveted list of the top-viewed fashion shows of the 2022 season. Nassir Zadeh collaborates with Solange, Paloma Elsesser and Hailey Benton-Gaites, among others, as well as being a firm favourite to Maggie Gyllenhaal, Suki Waterhouse and Kim Gordon.

Styling

Thistle Brown is a New York city based stylist and designer. Most recently working on a design collaboration with longtime creative partner Maryam Nassir Zadeh for her debut menswear collection. He contributes to publications such as Interview Magazine, Dazed & Confused, Purple Magazine and Marfa Journal. He works with Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs, Nike and Calvin Klein.

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