IN THE LAND
OF MOONSTONES
(2018)
A story about first love, first loss, and The Little Prince, as seen through the eyes of an 11-year-old girl. While visiting her beloved Russian grandmother in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, our protagonist falls in love for the first time with a boy her age. Then, she experiences the joys and sorrows that follow. Told partly in live-action, partly in drawings, this film is an ode to friendships, memories, and the first loves that never really leave us. (38 min.)
REVIEWS
"I adore writing that sticks in your mind, words that grasp onto your heart when you least expect it; Rose’s writing undoubtedly ties a soft, gentle ribbon around the hearts of viewers. ... Young actors Natalie Keating and Rand McAvoy are absolutely spectacular; their onscreen presence is incredible."
— Alicia Moore, UK Film Review
"This charming short ... touches so delicately on first love, coming of age [and] an affectionate grandmother ... It's woven together so sweetly as a memoir to a turning point in this young woman's youth."
— KIDS FIRST! Coalition for Quality Children's Media
"In the Land of Moonstones brings a nod and a light to not only the structure of immigrant families, but the dual assimilation their children experience both in our society and within the familial unit ... As [Moonstones] ends, you will find yourself swept away with emotion ... What moments do we have stored away ... [that leave] a mark so deep we can never shake it off, but rather absorb it into our future?"
— Stephanie Archer, Film Inquiry
FESTIVAL SCREENINGS & AWARDS
Midnight Film Festival (Winner: Best Featurette)
Oaxaca Film Festival
KIDS FIRST! Film Festival
Garden State Film Festival (Honorable Mention: Best Short Film; Nominee: Best Supporting Actress — Valeriya Korennaya)
Boulevard Film Festival (Winner: Audience Choice Award)
BLOW-UP International Arthouse Film Festival (Finalist, Charlie Chaplin Award)
World Music & Independent Film Festival (Winner: Best Director, Best Supporting Actress + 5 nominations)
Franklin International Independent Film Festival
DUMBO Film Festival
Queen Palm International Film Festival
Female Voices Rock Film Festival - Film of the Week