"Calamity West is one of the best playwrights in Chicago. Or maybe the country. Or the universe." - Chicago Reader
COOL FOR
FIVE SECONDS
Written by Calamity West
Director - Dani Weider
Editor - Lindsay Rynne
Director of Photography - Jason Chiu
Starring - Katherine Bourne-Taylor and Mary Tilden
SYNOPSIS
When Colleen reunites with her estranged sister, things don’t go exactly as she planned.
PROJECT HISTORY
In 2017, Dani directed Katherine and Mary in Cool for Five Seconds by Calamity West for a theater festival in Chicago, the Women’s Theatre Alliance Actor Showcase. They fell in love with the script and its story, and decided to keep working on the project by turning it into a short film. Mary and Katherine became the producers of the project, and the filmmaking process began. Together, Dani and screenwriter Calamity West adapted the play script for the screen. With our Director of Photography, Jason Chiu, we shot a proof of concept trailer to test out our ideas and filmmaking chops. After the trailer was finished, we added Dana Macel (production designer), Gabby Henderson (Production Sound Mixer), Reba Wilson (1st AC), Cole Moore (Gaffer), and Travis Delgado (AD) to the team.

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AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
- NEWFILMMAKERS LA, 2021: Nominated, Best Screenplay and Best Dramatic Short -
- MIDWEST FILM FESTIVAL 2020: Grand Prize Winner -
- MIDWEST FILM FESTIVAL 2020: Judges Choice at Midwest Film Festival’s Female Filmmaker Night -
- NEW YORK INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL: Final Nominee for Best Narrative Short Film -
- BELOIT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: Best Illinois Short Film -