Watch Our Trailer Here
As both of our characters are fictional painters with distinct artistic styles, creating the original paintings for our film posed a unique challenge: how best to differentiate their styles of painting?
Our team enlisted the help of the Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Gallery in Laguna Beach, the Kline Academy of Fine Art in LA, and independent artists Ray Roberts and Derek Harrison in Santa Barbara to create the 6 key original Impressionist paintings featured in our short film.
With the help of these fine artists, an additional 100 unique sketches, canvases, and paintings were ultimately donated to and are featured in the primary "painter's studio" throughout our short film. All in all, more than $100,000 USD worth of paintings, materials, and authentic 19th Century art supplies were generously provided to the making of Movement, Light, and Life, making this short film one of the most historically accurate art films ever made.
Once we had intentionally cast actors who had prior painting experience, we then had our actors undergo multiple training sessions with the painters designated to create their character’s pieces. This lent our film not only an unmistakable authenticity, but also allowed our actors to genuinely interact with the pieces of artwork on the days of shooting.
About Our Film
Helmed by recent MFA graduates from the American Film Institute, the independent production of Movement, Light, and Life was filmed over the course of 5 days in Los Angeles and Yosemite National Park in September 2023. An amazing shoot, undertaking both the period setting and the travel component necessary for the film was an ambitious task. Worked on by more than 60 individual cast and crew over four months of preparation, the resilience and collective artistry of our team is reflected in the final product.
Our film is currently in festival circuits. We need your support to take it as far as it can go.
Artist’s Showcase & Exhibition — May 11th, 2024
On Saturday May 11th, 2024, our production held the first ever industry event for Movement, Light, and Life — a night of artistic celebration, select cast, crew, and industry professionals in Los Angeles were invited to join us for the private screening of the film, its two tie-in painter’s documentaries, and an in-person art exhibition featuring the paintings, sketches, and studies shown in the short film.
Such an opportunity to bring the film and art world together was a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. With the success of our private screening in mind, pending our festival run, our team is also developing a feature version of Movement, Light, and Life to be filmed in France come Spring 2026. We are also arranging follow-up screenings of our short film at various art museums in the greater Los Angeles area including the Hilbert Museum, Laguna Art Museum, and Santa Barbara Museum of Art to bring this unique combination of art and film to the greater public.
Our Team
Winston Stemler
Director, Writer, Producer
A lover of all things literary and classical, Winston’s films have screened around the world from Rome to Montreal. With professional experience at Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and Creative Artists Agency, he has immersed himself in every opportunity to study the genres of film and the romance of artistry. A staunch supporter of period pieces and ambitious travel shoots, he is currently developing his first feature, entitled The Fires of Which We Speak, to be shot in the summer of 2025.
Samples of his previous work can be seen here.
Isaac Jay
Paul Lefay
A working actor and writer from New Mexico, Isaac's latest film / TV credits include Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+), The Last Thing He Told Me (Apple TV+), American Crime Story: Impeachment (FX), and Flock of Four (Bristol Pictures). His theatre credits include the interactive play Witch! (Downtown Rep), Yesterday Again (World Premiere/SFBATCC, nominated for best actor), and The Bacchae (World Premiere London). A member of SAG-AFTRA, Isaac received his acting training at the USC School of Dramatic Arts and classical training from the British American Dramatic Academy, studying alongside British stage masters including Fiona Shaw and Brian Cox.
Isaac is represented by Stewart Talent and Brave Artists Management.
Caledonia Wilson
Annabelle Veilleux
An accomplished actress and former Fulbright Grantee, Caledonia's latest credits include leading roles in such short films as Early Bird, When the Sun Sets, and The Dust Settles. A published mathematician, trained watercolor painter, and even more talented thespian, Caledonia's experiences in dance, music, and art afforded her an incomparable elegance in portraying the character of Annabelle. Her past credits also include Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, in which she doubled for Florence Pugh’s character, Amy, for the scenes of Amy painting.
Caledonia is represented by Paloma Model and Talent.
Gus Murray
Producer
An MFA Graduate of AFI’s 2022 Producing Program, Gus's experience in production coordinating and producing large-scale projects afforded him the perfect skillset for such an ambitious short film. Well-versed in commercials and music videos, Gus looks to apply his penchant for heartfelt comedy and eye for detail to feature productions moving forward.
Vanessa Rothe
Producer, Fine Artist
A fine artist and official member of the famed Salmagundi Art Club New York, Vanessa is a Signature member of the American Impressionist Society and founder of the 'Americans in Paris' worldwide artists program. Having exhibited her paintings at such places as the Richard Schmid Fine Art Auction, The California Museum of Fine Art, and The Galerie Prince de L'oeil in Paris, France, she is the owner of the internationally acclaimed Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Gallery.
More information about Vanessa can be found under our Artists section above.
Liz Charky
Director of Photography
An American cinematographer of Syrian heritage, Liz is dedicated to telling stories that elevate underrepresented voices, and loves capturing quiet, honest, and ethereal moments. Her cinematography & camera operating have been presented in international festivals including the Miami Film Festival, SXSW Panel Picker, ARFF Barcelona, and Reykjavík International Film Festival. Having graduated from AFI with an MFA in Cinematography, her creative pursuits have been supported in recent years by Audi / AFI Scholarship.
Samples of her previous work can be seen here.
Brian Spadafora
Production Designer
An artist and former fine-art framer, Brian studied sculpture at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze in Italy. Following an internship at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Brian acted as the production designer on multiple films for the London Film School and American Film Institute. Brian has also assisted in the fabrication of large-scale public artworks under the direction of the Florida based sculptor, Mark Aeling. Several of his original sketches are glimpsed in the film.
Samples of his previous work can be seen here.
Kaylin Cassidy
Costume Designer
A graduate from UCLA's Theater, Film, and Television School and raised in a strongly art-influenced household, Kaylin has always had a creative outlet. From charcoal to clay and beyond, she is constantly finding ways to improve and practice her artistic talents. Although her love for stage craft motivated much of her early career, she has altered her focus to the land of sets and sound stages. Kaylin aspires to work in the realms of costumes, production, and prop design for film and television studios and to put her unique knowledge of costume history to use.
Samples of her previous work can be seen here.
Nestor Trujillo
Sound Recordist & Designer
Born in Cuba to a family of political refugees and later exiled to the United States, Nestor was raised in the multicultural landscape of Miami, FL, and nurtured on classic literature, genre cinema, and an unwavering work ethic. Endlessly fascinated by the sordid and disquiet lives of rogues and outcasts, Nestor uses filmmaking to push visually provocative stories that reflect on the complex dynamics of Cuban-American identity and the haphazard existence of wandering souls on the fringe of society.