SHARON GLESS in Hannah Free is a feature-length motion picture for distribution in worldwide theatrical and ancillary markets. Coming Summer 2009. UWT2KZS RJINF Knqr{jwqjnm Wüijqmjnrjwqfsixyw3 68 F1 ;59=< Kwfspkzwy fr Rfns |||3uwt2kzs3ij Hannah Free Executive Producers Tracy Baim, Claudia Allen Producers: Sharon Gless, Wendy Jo Carlton, Martie Marro, Sharon Zurek Cast Sharon Gless (Cagney & Lacey, Queer As Folk, Burn Notice, Nip/Tuck) Taylor Miller (All My Children) Ann Hagemann Maureen Gallagher Kelli Strickland Jacqui Jackson Executive Summary Logline Hannah Free is a feature film about the lifelong love affair between an independent spirit and the woman she calls home. Hannah and Rachel grew up in the same Midwest town, where traditional gender expectations even- Kelli Strickland as younger Hannah and Ann Hagemann tually challenge their deep love for one another. as younger Rachel. Hannah becomes an adventurous, unapologetic lesbian and Rachel a strong but reserved home- maker. Weaving between past and present, the story reveals how the women maintained their love affair despite a marriage, a world war, infidelity, and family denial. The Project Hannah Free is a feature-length motion picture shot in HD for exploitation in worldwide theatrical Sharon Gless as older Hannah and Maureen Gallagher as and ancillary markets. older Rachel. The Budget Budget U.S. $200,000 Timeline Financing: Summer/Fall 2008 Principal Photography Finished: Nov. 2008 Premiere: Summer 2009 The Hannahs and Rachels pose together on location in Beecher, Illinois, from left: “Hannahs” Casey Tutton, Kelli Strickland and Sharon Gless, and “Rachels” Maureen Gallagher, Ann Hagemann and Elita Ernsteen. Executive Producers Tracy Baim Claudia Allen Producers Sharon Gless, Wendy Jo Carlton, Martie Marro, Sharon Zurek Music and Sound by Martie Marro Makeup Designer Jillian Erickson Costume Designer Iris Bainum-Houle Edited by Sharon Zurek Production Designer Rick Paul Director of Photography Gretchen Warthen Written by Claudia Allen Based on the play by Claudia Allen Directed by Wendy Jo Carlton Director of Photography Gretchen Warthen Director Wendy Jo Carlton Play, Book, Film The play Hannah Free was written by Claudia Allen, a playwright-in-residence at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago. She has won two Jefferson awards—Chicago theater’s Tonys— and written many plays, including Movie Queens, Hanging Fire, Xena Live!, and The Gays of Our Lives. A hallmark of Allen’s plays is their portrayal of strong, compassionate women. Hannah Free was among four Allen plays published by Third Side Press under the title She’s Always Liked The Girls Best. Author’s note: “Few plays are written about elderly lesbians. Fewer plays deal with their extreme vulnerability in a system that doesn’t recognize our rights. I wanted to deal with those issues while also creating a love story about two women who loved each other for decades despite a few flaws and more than a few differ- ences.” Ripe Fruit Films Ripe Fruit Films was founded to produce Chicago-based films and other media with a focus on gay and lesbian issues. The first project is the feature film Hannah Free, which focuses on two older women who have shared a lifetime of friendship and love, and who are now separated physically but not in their minds. We see, through flashback, the passion of their early life together. Writer Claudia Allen Scenes from the film Hannah Free. Top two photos, Kelli Strickland and Ann Hagemann. Below, Sharon Gless and Maureen Gallagher. Biographies of principal team Wendy Jo Carlton, Producer, Director Wendy Jo Carlton is a filmmaker, writer, and photographer Tracy Baim, Executive Producer with a background in radio, teaching, and media activism. Tracy Baim is the publisher and managing editor of Wendy Jo is a former artist-in-residence at 911 Media Arts in Chicago’s largest gay and lesbian publications. Windy Seattle and a recipient of the Navona Fellowship and Provost City Media Group (WCMG) reaches 50,000 readers Award from the University of Illinois Chicago, where she with its weekly newspaper Windy City Times (founded earned a graduate degree in film/new media. Her award-win- 1985), OUT!, Nightspots, and Identity. WCMG also ning narrative and experimental short films have screened produces Chicago’s oldest gay radio program, Windy internationally, including the American Film Institute, City Queercast. Baim is founding co-chair of the Sundance, and many other film festivals. In addition to found- Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of ing a media literacy program for teen girls called Chicks Make Commerce, was recognized as one of Crain’s Chicago Flicks, Wendy Jo was a co-producer of the official Chicago Gay Business 40-Under-40 leaders, received the 2005 Studs Games 2006 feature-length documentary and is a field produc- Terkel Award, and is an inductee to Chicago’s Gay and er for Sirius Radio. Lesbian Hall of Fame. Baim served as vice co-chair of Gay Games VII; she also co-produced the event DVD. Martie Marro, Producer, In 2008, she edited the first history book of Chicago’s Sound, Editing, and Music Score gay community, Out and Proud in Chicago: An Martie Marro, head of Materville Studios, has extensive sound, Overview of the City’s Gay Community (Surrey Books, music and editing experience. Her team of sound and video 224 pages), a companion book to the WTTW film Out experts have worked on dozens of projects, including music and Proud in Chicago. She is author of Half Life, which videos, short films, and music CDs. They have expertise in Web has been adapted for stage and screen, and Where the site design, sound design, post-production editing, film music World Meets: Gay Games VII. See www.windycitymedi- scoring, and more. agroup.com. Sharon Zurek, Producer, Editor Sharon Zurek is the owner of Black Cat Productions in Claudia Allen, Executive Producer, Chicago and enjoys working on independent features, short Writer films and social issues documentaries. Her film and video expe- Claudia Allen is perhaps the most prolific contemporary rience includes producing, directing and editing commercials, writer of lesbian-themed plays. Born in 1954, she grew broadcast and corporate programs and independent films. She up in Clare, Mich., and moved to Chicago in 1979. Of is happy collaborating as an editor with many talented Chicago Allen’s repertoire of 24 produced plays, 11 have either a filmmakers like Mike Meiners who produced and directed the lesbian relationship as the central focus or a major char- soon to be released, The Trouble With Dee Dee and produc- acter who is lesbian or bisexual. tion team Jennifer Vincent, Christina Varotsis and director, Allen is playwright-in-residence at Chicago’s Victory Bruce Terris on Dirty Work. Earlier feature film editing work Gardens Theater and has been associated with that play- includes Runaway Divas, Stray Dogs, Constructing Mulligan's house for more than two decades, but her plays have also Stew, The Chameleon, and the video mockumentary, The been produced at many other Chicago venues and at Orphan Saint. She has worked as the post production supervi- theaters around the country. Her works are wide-ranging sor on The Merry Gentleman, Root of All Evil and and always contain elements of humor; Allen describes Drunkboat. a recurring central theme as “people finally getting the nerve to do what they want.” Gretchen Warthen, Chicago magazine chose Allen as Best Playwright in 1999. She has won two Joseph Jefferson Awards and five Director of Photography Jeff nominations. She was given the Trailblazer Award Warthen is an experienced filmmaker and has operated cam- from the Bailiwick Repertory Theatre. eras on the set of numerous realty TV programs, including Allen teaches playwriting at Victory Gardens and has The Real World, The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, and also taught at the University of Chicago and Lake Forest Treasure Hunters. She has served as director on TV shows College. Four of her lesbian-themed plays were pub- including The Real World, Love Cruise and Road Rules. She lished as a collection, She’s Always Liked the Girls Best also directed a dcoumentary about growing up as a lesbian, (1993, Third Side Press). and she has been director of photography on short films. Sharon Gless, actor, producer Garson Kanin’s Moviola: The Scarlett O’Hara Wars, in which Show business is in Sharon Gless’ blood. Her grandfather, Neil she played screen goddess Carole Lombard. S. McCarthy, was the most respected entertainment lawyer of In 2000, Gless created the role of the outrageous and beloved Hollywood’s Golden Age. His clients included Howard Debbie Novotny in the groundbreaking Showtime series Hughes, Louis B. Mayer and Cecil B. DeMille. The famous Queer as Folk, and remained with the series throughout its five- McCarthy Chopped Salad at the legendary Polo Lounge was season run. Wherever she goes, Gless is regularly approached named after him. He also drew up the first contract between a by fans wishing to express their appreciation for her honest studio and a player – a fact that is of special interest to Gless, portrayal of a loving parent of a gay child. as she has the distinction of being the last contract player in the Gless’ theatrical film credits include the suspenseful and history of Hollywood. She was under exclusive contract to provocative film, The Star Chamber, in which she played the Universal Studios, where she learned and flourished for 10 wife of Michael Douglas. She has recorded several ‘Books on years, leaving “The Lot” in 1982. Tape’ and has starred in numerous radio plays, one of which, In April of 2008, Gless was the recipient of The Theatre ’Night, Mother, for the BBC, earned Gless the International School at DePaul University’s prestigious Sony Award. She continues to do radio plays for L.A.