“Division” collapses the distance of urban romance

Huy Nguyen and Jennifer Blair-Bianco

A memorable story and
a unique cast and crew
prove that
“Diversity is Normalcy”
in a family-friendly,
pro-parent,
pro-artist project

 
Division, a short film about a young, interracial couple who find themselves in a long-distance relationship even though they live in the same city, will begin principal photography in July 2018, in Chicago, Illinois.

Division boasts a broadly multi-ethnic cast and crew, including creators George Ellzey Jr., a young African-American filmmaker and Chicago native, and Cara Winter, a female filmmaker over 40.

The cast of Division features Jennifer Blair-Bianco (The Boston, Sabine, Hello, Forever) and Huy Nguyen (Better Call Saul, Conrad), Andre Sampson (iO Theater, ComedySportz), Bailey Castle (An Enemy of the People, Goodman Theatre), Chris Maher (Chicago Fire, Empire) Diana Lee (Showcase, Chicago PD), Nicole Reed (The Steve Harvey Show, Chicago Fire), and Peter C. Anderson (Writer’s Theater, Yale Rep).

The production team includes Leonardo Fallucca (Director of Photography), Kat Blade (Casting Director), Scott Jacobs (Script Consultant), Anthony Zucco (First AD), Kate Jacobson (Costume Designer), and Alex Molnar, Carly Anderson, and Eric Sconyers (Associate Producers).

 
DIVISION PROMO VIDEO

 

According to Director George Ellzey, Division is also a “family-friendly, pro-parent, and pro-artist project.”

“There seems to be a movement happening in the arts right now about juggling the demands of being a parent while being a working artist,” he explains. “People don’t want to have to choose one or the other, anymore, and we at Division think artists shouldn’t have to. So Division is committed to helping our parent-artists not just survive, but thrive; we’re partnering with Moms-in-Film to help arrange for some on-set childcare, as well as planning shooting schedule that is humane for all.

To get involved with the crowdfunding campaign for Division, click here.

 
SELECT CREW BIOS
George Ellzey, Jr. is an actor, writer, and producer. Credits include Wait, I’m a Racist? (Rogue Shark Pictures), and Off the Rails (Artigianale Films). George served as a Producer on the TV series Desperate (RGE Entertainment), is a member of the Agency Theater Collective, and with his production company ROME Production Group, is expanding the narrative of minorities in film and television. Training: BFA in English & Theater from Bowdoin College.

Cara Winter is a writer, director, and producer. As a screenwriter, Cara’s original TV pilot, Evolution, won 1st Prize in the 2015 People’s Pilot, and is now represented by Bohemia Group management firm in LA. Cara was named one of ISA’s Top 100 Emerging Screenwriters of 2017. Training: BFA, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Leonardo Fallucca is a director and cinematographer from Milan, recently relocated to the United States. His most important works as a director are Ladri di papere (Duck Thieves), a short comedy shot in 16mm and presented at Milano Film Festival, two Video Poems presented at Pordenone Festival of Literature, and a documentary, 118: Anatomia di un’emergenza (118: Anatomy of an Emergency), which was broadcast on Espansione TV. Training: Milan School of Cinema and Television.

Scott Jacobs is a professional film editor based in Los Angeles. He has worked on major network TV shows such as Person of Interest (CBS) and Parks and Recreation (NBC) as well as feature films The Bourne Legacy, Keanu, and Despicable Me 3, among others. Training: MFA in Film Editing from the American Film Institute.

 
Send your indie film news to Reel Chicago Editor Dan Patton, dan@reelchicago.com.