Every so often, a screenplay surfaces that is so special, it captures you entirely. This was the case with Clementine, a script presented to Revery in early 2017 by Writer and Director Lara Jean Gallagher. The story begins when a woman reeling from a one-sided breakup escapes to her ex’s idyllic lake house, where she becomes entangled with a mysterious, alluring younger woman she cannot seem to resist. What follows is a tense rumination on who to love, and how to let go. Upon first read, this story moved us, galvanized us, and struck a chord in our hearts. We knew we had found Revery’s first feature film.
Feature Film
Clementine.
We were excited to partner again with Lara, a longtime Revery collaborator and brilliant creative, and longtime Revery collaborator, producer Aimee Lynn Barneburg, to bring Clementine to life. We worked with Lara to revise and refine the script, and were lucky enough to receive early support from the Venice Biennale College-Cinema.
In Spring of 2017, we were faced with the most pivotal, universal moment in filmmaking: do we tell this story, or not? Clementine was a summer film, a story needing warmth and light, and we knew we needed to move into pre-production with the season just around the corner. We dove in together. We had no crew, no cast, no funding yet – but a deadline and a goal. We ramped up and hit the ground sprinting to bring interest and support to the table, and with a mix of grants, private equity, and Revery studio support, we entered pre-production knowing we may be stretched thin, but that we could do it.
“A portrait of the often shifting relationship between female friends that is so rarely conveyed honestly in film.”
We worked with casting directors in LA and Oregon to find our talent, and with the expert help of Nicole Arbusto and Simon Max Hill, we found our two lead actors, Otmara Marrero and Sydney Sweeney. We searched for months for the perfect location, relying both on traditional scouting and word-of-mouth from friends and family. We settled on rural Oregon, and in Summer 2017, principal photography commenced.
Revery saw Clementine through all stages of production and release. We led a scrappy but polished, courageous and passionate production crew, with all members wearing the hats called for. Our Founder and Executive Creative Producer Davis Priestley was also our first AD, and Producer Aimee Lynn took on a secondary role as Line Producer. We were all in the trenches together – some of us seasoned industry professionals, some of us college interns on set for the very first time – working to tell a story we believed in. OT and Syd brought tremendous heart and bravery to their roles, and Lara’s direction actualized the magic we’d seen in Clementine all along.
“It’s too early to state for sure, but restraint appears to be one of Gallagher’s gifts — the kind that rewards moviegoing patience. With this first feature, Gallagher spins a yarn, also peeling a story of attraction and power, identity and coming-of-agency.”
We were thrilled to be a part of The Gotham’s Fiction Feature Lab, and for the incredible work of our talented post team – Editor Alex Morris, Sound Designer Noah Woodburn, and our brilliant Colorist Jazmin Vazquez.
Clementine enjoyed a premiere at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, and was set for theatrical release in 2020. Needless to say, when COVID-19 shut down every theater in the country, we made a quick pivot and embraced a virtual cinematic release in partnership with Oscilloscope. Clementine is now available to stream on demand, and we want to give a massive THANK YOU to all the tremendous creatives who told this story with us, and the support we received from the Sundance Producer Summit, Film Independent, and The Gotham (formerly IFP), and Venice Biennale mentioned above. We couldn’t be more proud to share Clementine with audiences the world over.
Laura Jean Gallager
Otmara Marrero (Crackle’s “Start-up”), Sydney Sweeney (Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”, HBO’s “Sharp Objects”)
Will Brittain (Kong: Skull Island, Everybody Wants Some!!), and Sonya Walger (ABC’s “The Catch” and “Lost”)
