Determined to bring her late father’s work to life, a teenager grabs her camcorder in an attempt to make a sci-fi masterpiece with cardboard cut-outs in the humorous and heartfelt film THE MOON AND BACK, lead by rising star Isabel May (TV’s “Yellowstone” prequel series “1883” and “1923”), with Nat Faxon (TV’s “The Conners”) and Missi Pyle. From first time director Leah Bleich and also starring P.J. Byrne and Miles Gutierrez-Riley, THE MOON AND BACK will be available on demand and digital April 23 from Lionsgate.
THE MOON AND BACK was produced via Wayfarer Studios’ “Six Feet Apart Experiment,” a groundbreaking filmmaking competition aimed at finding and nurturing raw talent. In August of 2020, Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios selected five filmmakers out of 350+ submissions to participate. Each filmmaker was partnered with an industry expert for mentorship and support — in the case of THE MOON AND BACK, writer and director Leah Bleich received mentorship from Cathy Yan (Birds of Prey). The Moon and Back shot in the fall of 2020, with a micro-budget and a shooting schedule of just nine days. The film was produced by Prodigium Picture’s Tessa Byford. It is Leah’s feature directorial debut.
Cast:
Isabel May, Nat Faxon, Missi Pyle, P.J. Byrne, Miles Gutierrez-Riley
Synopsis:
One year after her father’s death, high school senior Lydia Gilbert feels completely lost…until she discovers something unexpected: a space opera screenplay needing a blockbuster-sized budget –written by her dad. Equipped with just a VHS camera and pocket change, Lydia decides to honor her late father and make this script a reality.
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