OFFICIAL SELECTION of 56 film festivals
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS must be made payable to Fractured Atlas only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Lisa Gold is a filmmaker, screenwriter and novelist.
As a filmmaker, Lisa has directed, written and/or produced eight award-winning short films. She has written award-winning screenplays, a produced documentary and a children’s novel. Lisa has a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from UCLA.
Lisa’s feature screenplay drama THE POKER WARS was a Finalist in the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting and won the CineStory Screenwriting Awards. Lisa is revising the novel version of her family action/adventure feature script THE SECRET OF SHANGRI-LA, Grand Jury Prize Winner for the 2017 Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition, 2023 and 2022 Finalist in the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, and 2018 Quarterfinalist in the Nicholl Fellowships. Lisa’s sci-fi feature FOREGLOW was a 2021 Finalist in the PAGE Awards, 2020 Austin Film Festival Semi-Finalist in both Drama and Sci-Fi categories, as well as a 2018 Nicholl Quarterfinalist. Her pilot BONDAGE was a Finalist in the CineStory TV/Digital competition; her pilot YONGE STREET STRIP was a Finalist in the 2022 Cinequest Screenwriting Competition, 2017 Script Pipeline TV Writing Contest and in the 2018 Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition--also a Semi-Finalist in both the AMC Drama Pilot and Humanitas categories of the 2019 Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition.
As a Fellow in the AFI Conservatory Directing Workshop for Women, Lisa participated in a competitive program and made the short film THE DEATH OF TOYS, an official selection of 39 festivals. Her AFI short won Best Director, Toronto International Film and Video Awards; Best Narrative Short, Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival; Best Actress (Kim Rhodes), Winter Film Awards; Groundbreaking Filmmaker, HATCH Asheville.
TERRY ROSSIO has co-written on franchises PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, NATIONAL TREASURE, MEN IN BLACK, MASK OF ZORRO. In 2001, he received a BAFTA Film Award and Academy nomination for co-writing the Dreamworks animated feature SHREK. He also co-wrote the highest grossing film of 1992, the Disney animated feature ALADDIN.
Terry wrote the 2021 release GODZILLA VS. KONG.
First Assistant Director | Megan Powers | Production Manager Kenny Hargrove | Consulting Producer Jessica Hobbs | Producer’s Assistant Ben Layman | Production Assistants Brandon Deutsch Hannah Ulmen Alex Goransson Sam Ross Charlie Almanza Tom Lam | Art Director | Paul Dement | Art PAs Alyssa Gutierrez Jessie Butera Cheyenne Ochoa Mark Parq | Assistant Camera Carol Kim | Steadicam Operator Koji Kojima | Grip Joseph Frye | Swing Nick Kovalenko | Set Photographer Ericka Kreutz | Make-up Kimberly Distel Sheena Joshi| Script Supervisors Lana Marks Gaby Gomez | Assistant Editors Cameron Dunbar Elizabeth Saltzman David Kabisch Franzeska Dickson Maria Freire | Sound Mixers George Tataje Tom Pieczkolon | Sound Editor Vickie Sampson | Boom Operator Ivan Copelli | Re-Recording Mixer Jamison Rabbe | Titles Brian Abel Benjamin Greenberg Christine Douglas | Poster Designer Reagan Conley | Studio Teacher Sam Kline | Colorist Jenn Gittings | Music Supervisor Jacquie Shabel
What if…it was actually possible to get excess guns off the streets?
What if…we had the power to make that happen?
These are the questions I ask myself every time there is another mass shooting—which is sadly very often. I decided it was time to take action.
I’m a strong believer in the power of film to touch us all. So I wrote an anti-gun violence short and was about to shoot when famous writer Terry Rossio offered me his clever script for THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. What a gift! I had to make that film—even though I was shooting in five days. Somehow, my team made it happen, and I am so grateful. The finished film is provocative yet also entertaining. Still--
In 2021, there were nearly 49,000 gun deaths in the U.S. Gun deaths have risen over 20% since the pandemic. Every day, 110 Americans are killed by guns; 200 are shot and wounded. More than 311,000 school children have been exposed to gun violence since Columbine. Nearly 3,500 children and teens die by gun homicide every year. And almost one million women alive today have been shot or shot at by intimate partners (stats: Washington Post, Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords Courage to Fight Gun Violence).
This has to stop.
Our little short film has now been an official selection of 55 film festivals.Once the festival run ends, we will release the film online. Our top goal is to create a bigger dialogue about gun safety measures. First order of business: to advocate for renewal of the federal assault weapon ban. Honestly, why can’t we get that done? We all need to be working towards this—yes, even gun owners. I will soon post specific action items we can take to help advance this important legislation.
Thank you to my cast and crew for giving freely of their time and talent to get this little film made. Special thanks to Terry Rossio for his kindness and generosity.
If you’d like to help support THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, please click here.
Narrative Shorts Program 4
October 5, 2019
Regal Hollywood Theatre 9
12:30 p.m.
October 12, 2019
Regal Hollywood Theatre 9
3:30 p.m.
Comedy Shorts Program
March 27, 2020
Vintage House
9 a.m.
March 29, 2020
Burlingame Hall
9:15 a.m.
**POSTPONED UNTIL JULY 30 - AUGUST 2, 2020 ONLINE - PASSHOLDERS ONLY
April 18, 2020
11:00 a.m. CST - purchase pass at https://kcfilmfest.org
August 9, 2020 1 p.m. EST https://globalimpactfilmfestival.org/festival/schedule/
September 24, 2020 7 p.m. EST https://fmbifilmfest.com
September 27, 2020 3:00 p.m.
Zeiders American Dream Theater, Main Stage
Virginia Beach, Virginia
https://newportbeachfilmfest.com NOT Short-Sighted shorts block
October 3, 2020
2:00 p.m. PST - purchase tickets at https://www.awarenessfestival.org/event/thoughts-and-prayers/#tribe-tickets
October 15, 2020 2:30 p.m. EST and 10:00 p.m. EST https://adkfilmfestival.org
October 22, 2020
Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center
2301 First Street. Fort Myers, FL 33901
6:30 p.m. EST https://sbdac.vbotickets.com/events
November 8, 2020 7 p.m. and November 9, 2020 1 p.m. PST https://ojaifilmfestival.com/thoughts-and-prayers/
November 14, 2020 3:15 p.m.MDT St. George, Utah
Sunshine Mill Winery And Drive-Up Theater 901 E 2nd St, The Dalles, OR 97058
New Haven, Connecticut
Greek Peak Mountain Resort
2000 NYS Rt. 392
Cortland, NY 13045
Harlem, NY
Piermont, NY
Harkins Theatres - Auditorium #1
Monday June 14th 1 p.m.
and
Wednesday June 16th 7 p.m.
June 19, 2021 6 p.m.
Artists’ Exchange Theatre 82 * Program: Short Films 7
Providence, Rhode Island
Fox Cineplex
Banning, CA
Producer’s Club
358 W. 44th St.
New York, NY 10036
August 27, 2021 1:20 p.m. and August 28, 2021 7:50 p.m.
Dixie Convention Center - Entrada C
St. George, Utah
Laemmle NoHo 7 - 5 p.m.
5240 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Laemmle NoHo 7 – 7:30 p.m.
5240 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
The Fargo Theatre 7:00 p.m.
314 Broadway N
Fargo, North Dakota 58102
Laemmle NoHo 7 – 1:00 p.m.
5240 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
The Grand 14 Theatre - The Market Common 6:30 p.m.
Myrtle Beach, SC
The Brooks Theater – 11:00 a.m.
217 N. Coast Hwy
Oceanside, CA 92054
Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas – 4:30 p.m.
Shorts 9
Auditorium 6 (2nd Floor)
260 W. 23rd St.
New York, NY 10001
Glendale Community College Auditorium– noon
1500 N. Verdugo Road
Glendale, CA 91207
The Grand Illusion Theatre – 11:00 a.m.
1403 NE 50th Street
Seattle, WA 98105
College of Lake County - 3:15 p.m.
19351 west Washington street
Grayslake, IL. 60030
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THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS must be made payable to Fractured Atlas only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Your support of the film will help us publicize the important issue of gun violence prevention.
