Written by: Jayce Bartok
Directed by: Nick Sandow
Starring: Carla Gugino as VIVIEN LEIGH
Produced by: Lauren Rieckhoff, Jayce Bartok, Kelli Reilly, Tiffany Bartok
Casting by: Avy Kaufman
A local florist becomes the object of fascination for the world’s greatest actress, Vivien Leigh, in this untold true story of obsession, beauty, and madness.
Vivien Leigh, iconic actress from Hollywood’s golden era, left an indelible mark on the world with her enchanting beauty and unparalleled performances. Her legacy includes two Academy Awards. In “Gone With the Wind,” Vivien immortalized Scarlett O’Hara, a role synonymous with grace and resilience. She followed that groundbreaking film with Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” further solidifying her status as a cinematic legend. Vivien’s contribution to the arts during a defining era of cinema elevated her to a global cultural icon, a status unrivaled by many of her contemporaries. However, behind the glamour and accolades, Vivien’s life was a tale of hidden struggles. Her marriage to Laurence Olivier, another iconic figure of the time, added a layer of allure to their public image. Yet, beneath the surface, Vivien grappled with personal turmoil, from tumultuous relationships to the challenges of bipolar disorder.
Our story begins in 1966, with the world’s most enchanting actress, Vivien Leigh, in the throes of Electro Shock Treatment to combat her crippling bipolar depression. She has recently accepted a proposition from her dear friend, actor/director John Gielgud, to star in his adaptation of Chekhov’s “Ivanov” for Broadway. Despite her ongoing mental health challenges, Vivien agrees to temporarily relocate to Philadelphia with Gielgud for prep. In between tryouts and rehearsals, Vivien discovers a local psychiatric facility where she is approved for ongoing sessions of ECT.
In parallel, we delve into the world of Joseph Penn, a WWII veteran and blue-collar florist who recently settled in Philadelphia after the war. The son of a gardener originally from the farms of Scotland, Penn finds solace now in tending to his cherished flowers, crafting unique bouquets for the city’s ailing residents. Coexisting alongside his wife of 30 years, Peg, Penn silently frets over the possible closure of the flower shop he once shared with his brother, the sole source of joy in his life.
The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Penn receives a call from Laurence Oliver to deliver “a ravishing bouquet of blossoms” to a certain ‘Vivien Leigh,’ who is recovering at Franklin Hospital. This encounter sparks a profound connection rooted in a shared love for flowers, a spark that burns brighter with each passing day. Vivien, at her most vulnerable, shows her truest self to Penn – alternating between charming and manic. In this untold true story, Vivien and Penn become each other’s sources of truth, beauty, and love. Yet, as their bond deepens, a question looms – what is real, and what is simply madness?
Producer/Director: Jon Kane Rothstein
Nick, a sharp but sleep-deprived 29-year-old, suffers from severe narcolepsy, which has robbed him of rest,
clarity, and control over his life for the last decade. Sky-high doses of stimulants and an incredibly dangerous nighttime sedative aren’t enough for Nick to function – and he’s out of treatment options. After nearly causing a fatal accident due to his condition, Nick launches an obsessive “sleep experiment” to recover from the past 10 years of disordered sleep.
A quiet meditation on prayer, death, and the tender, evolving bond between mother and son, the film explores grief and spiritual intimacy with lyrical restraint.
In the turbulent final months of high school, five teenagers navigate a web of fractured loyalties, buried secrets, and unchecked rage in a decaying small-town landscape. When their close-knit group—The 3rd Rail—collides with rivals and former allies, simmering tensions erupt into acts of violence with irreversible consequences.
Four years later, the spirit of their dead Black classmate returns, forcing them to confront the roles they played in a fateful betrayal that shattered lives and exposed deep divides. Spanning years and perspectives, The Pillow Snake is a raw exploration of guilt, revenge, and the elusive search for redemption in the face of tragedy.
We call it a tale of racism that tests the limits of forgiveness.
Revolutionary Souls is a drama inspired by a true story and told through the eyes of Primus Hall 1756-1842 (African American), who in 1835 at the tender age of 79, takes the United States government to court to attain a military pension and to be recognized for his service as a Patriot of the Continental Army in America’s first war. As the court proceedings begin, the past is told through a series of captivating flashbacks as Primus gives a detailed account of the war and his time riding alongside the great General George Washington. The recounting begins in the spring of 1776 as we follow George Washington and his Army, the story gives an accurate account of the trials and tribulations that Washington and his troops faced. This is the inspiring untold story that will cross racial lines to tell the heroic true story of the fight for liberty and freedom, with a list of compelling historical characters this epic tale will be filmed on location where many of the actual events took place.
From the age of 12, George Lakey has boldly faced the uneasy.
“In my heart of hearts, I’m a rebel . . . I’m healthiest, most creative and productive when I’m in touch with my rebel self.”
Our film will move back and forth in time, highlighting specific events of George’s activist life – including building the movement against the Vietnam war, LGBTQ actions, Peace Brigades in Sri Lanka and the more recent Earth Quaker Action Team’s campaign against PNC bank for financing mountaintop removal coal mining. These events/actions will reveal the universal truths of his message and show how we can apply learnings from the past to the actions today, despite our current polarized society.
The Art of Aviation is a documentary series that highlights the lives and work of aviation artists.Throughout history, wartime artists have been deployed to capture conflicts and given permission to share through their own eyes, the stories of some of the most critical moments in recorded history. They created a window into the lives of soldiers fighting while stationed all over the world. Our goal is to share some of these artists’ stories and to shed light on this field before these first-hand accounts are lost forever. Other episodes in the series will focus on US military art programs, contemporary aviation artists as well as art related to NASA and space travel.Our first episode will take a deep dive into the life and work of Gil Cohen, one of the most influential aviation artists of all time. Gil was a recent art school graduate when he was drafted into the Army and during that time, worked as an artist in military intelligence during the Cold War. After his military service he went on to pursue a successful career as an illustrator and teacher. But it was his love of history, specifically World War II and his fascination with the Mighty Eighth Air Force division that changed his trajectory forever. With a career spanning over six decades, his skill for creating paintings that depict deeply emotional moments in history sets his work apart from other artists.
This Isn’t Working follows early twenty-year-olds who are discovering their identities and how love and relationships play into who they are as people. Our main character, Jaden, is a lovesick puppy who hopes to find a partner because love will fix his life. However, as the series develops, he and his friends will come to realize that love isn’t something that magically fixes everything that is wrong with you and your life. Seeking a relationship or validation from people leads to further destruction, and an internalized self-loathing won’t be satiated by another person telling you that you have value.
Taking a cynical approach to the typical Rom-Com format, the main characters do a lot more chasing and failing, going through different dates and interactions, rather than immediately working out romantically with someone. The series takes inspiration from movies like Saltburn, 500 Days of Summer, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
After a routine prank pushes a customer over the edge, the employees of Video Shock Warehouse are forced to reckon with the stalled-out state of their lives as they navigate a fateful week of work, love and chaos in 2007 Bucks County, PA.
video store suicide is a “slacker epic,” a coming-of-age ensemble narrative told over the course of seven days and shot on 16mm. By shooting on location in Bucks County, production will be a community event, with local talent participating both in front of and behind the camera.
Visit our website for more information or donate today to join the VSW crew as they endeavor to keep the rental business alive, one dead-end day at a time.
