THE GIRL NEXT DOOR
Cast: Trista Delamere, Nicole Sill, Deb Lemen, Andrea Stein
Crew: Producers: Donna Bonilla Wheeler, Kathleen Corbin, Robin Gurney, Kris Forland, Alex Ryan , Sheryl Schwartz , John Edwards-Younger – Screenwriters: Donna Bonilla Wheeler –
Email: filmmakerdonna@gmail.com
Synopsis
A prodigy musician trapped in a rural town fights to break free from family and societal norms that have silenced her, and joins forces with a singer/songwriter to overcome those obstacles as a team.
Director
Donna Bonilla Wheeler is a Peruvian-American, LatinX film and theatre writer/director working globally. Her professional directing work began with Walt Disney Productions scripted narrative projects for their Theme Parks. Her directorial debut short, MIND’S EYE won best experimental film at Fort Lauderdale Film Festival, and sold to German TV at Cannes film market. She directed the family comedy feature, DEATH OF A SALESWOMAN receiving production + post production grants. It received Best Family Film, and Best Women’s Film, as well as Best Director, Best Micro Budget Feature, Audience Favorite, and other indie feature film awards at multiple US, Canadian and EU festivals. As a writer, her feature and short screenplays have been Academy Nicholl Fellowship semi finalist and quarter finalists, IFP No Borders, Austin 2nd Rounder, and Slamdance Script Labs selections. Donna develops diversity and Latina-influenced television/streaming series, feature projects and short content, and has award-winning films on the global festival circuit. She additionally has a background in documentary spaces, working for directors such as Stanley Nelson and Nick Broomfield; and she has post production experience ranging from working with Polygram/Disney, A&E, History Channel, Discovery, PBS and others. She’s also a sponsored 501c3 media artist, and active member of Alliance of Women Directors, Film Fatales and Film Independent.
Filmmaker’s Note
Prodigy musician Natalie feels life cannot be worth living if she is denied who she truly is by not playing her soul in her music she was born to play. When free-spirited Annie moves in next door, the two meet accidentally and decide, via their mutual bond of music, that partnering together is the best move to elevate both. Natalie’s prejudiced family intervenes, forcing Natalie to consider a choice she has long declined to consider in order to fulfill her true self.
