Petits Salons Presents: A Pity, a CMP Original Film
CMP has been co-hosting Monday Night Music & Film Salons at Petit Ermitage with Darby Gaelle Hannon, and BLKBRD Films. On Monday March 3rd, we featured our very own Cheshire Moon and Bartholomew Clever Production, A Pity.
We gathered at 7pm for live music in The Wiggle Room from David Agranov, who both stars in and produces the film alongside Sarah Carter and Alex McCarthy. At 8pm we moved onto the fire deck to watch the screening of A Pity, directed by filmmakers Kevin Barth and Alec Barth. After the screenings we had a Q&A with the cast and crew.
A Pity follows a disgraced politician who takes a vow of silence after a public scandal abruptly ends his campaign. In self-imposed exile at a former monastery on a lake, he is confronted by the women in his life, and as night descends, a mysterious visitor from another time.
Petit Salons is a collaboration between James, Darby, and Sarah in partnership with Cheshire Moon Productions, BLKBRD Films, and Petit Hermitage — a space for artists, filmmakers, investors, and friends to connect. Each evening begins with live music inspired by the film and closes with a Q&A designed to spark meaningful conversations and encourage fellow filmmakers to follow their creative instincts despite the challenges.
As part of our mission to support independent artist, this event includes an opportunity to donate to licensing the music for A Pity. Something filmmakers don’t talk about is how expensive it is to buy the rights to the music so intentionally chosen to elevate the story. This brilliantly curated soundtrack by Kevin Barth has slowed the distribution process despite great interest. You can help us keep the integrity of the film in tact by donating.
CMP takes on One For The Team, a new series pilot from Silas Howard, Rain Valdez, Kyle Puccia
One For The Team, a new television pilot from Silas Howard, Rain Valdez, and Kyle Puccia, has picked up Cheshire Moon Productions as a producing partner. CMP will be supporting the project through their festival run, and aid in acquiring further development.
One For The Team follows a charismatic trans teen who transfers to a new school in hopes of securing a lacrosse scholarship and more acceptance from his peers. He becomes fast friends with two outsiders, but when he suddenly falls in with the popular kids, he gets so caught up in his own hype that he risks losing his new besties, his spot on the team, and his entire sense of self.
Silas Howard is an Emmy-nominated transgender director, writer, and producer known for his groundbreaking work in television and film. With a career spanning over two decades, Howard has directed episodes of popular series like Pose, Transparent, and Dickinson, where his nuanced storytelling highlights underrepresented voices.
Rain Valdez is an Emmy-nominated transgender actress, writer, and producer known for her dynamic presence both in front of and behind the camera. She gained recognition for her role on Razor Tongue, a web series she created, wrote, and starred in, earning her a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series. Valdez has also appeared in hit shows like Transparent and Lopez, and previously worked with CMP on In Her Name.
Kyle Puccia is a multi-platinum songwriter and award winning composer, celebrated for his contributions to TV, pop music, and theater. His music has been featured in popular shows such as Pretty Little Liars and Lucifer, while his work with artists like Kygo and David Archuleta highlights his versatility in the pop music world. He is a writer and producer on One For The Team and a dear family friend.
Tribeca Films’ New Streaming Releases
CMP is proud to be in association with Tribeca Films, the distribution label that we partnered with for In Her Name. Tribeca Films brings acclaimed films from Tribeca Festival and other top film festivals to audiences everywhere. They showcase independent films rooted in the New York Spirit on the Tribeca Channel and other major streaming platforms including Apple TV and Amazon Prime.
New to the platform this month are Suze and The Graduates, which you can learn more about below. Check out Tribeca Films’ full catalogue below.
Previously at Petit Salons: My Dead Dad
Our last event on February 17th featured the HBO Max film, My Dead Dad.
We gathered at 7pm for live music from PJ Costello in The Wiggle Room before moving to the fire deck for the screening, followed by a Q&A with co-writer and star Pedro Correa, and actor Booboo Stewart.
MY DEAD DAD focuses on the complexities of grief and finding one's own way following an estranged parent's death. The journey from idea to script to set to distribution is an admirable one we would love to share and honor. The discussion afterwards was lead by co-host James Oliver, where we dove into the current state of men's mental health and how we can heal through creation and shared mythology.
Correa has also spear-headed an incredible organization to help with the aftermath of the fires, LA FAMILY RELIEF. Be sure to check out their website for ways you can help their cause.
**This screening included a Q&A with Pedro Correa and Booboo Stewart.
Up Next: PROOF Film Festival Showcase
On Monday, March 17th we will be screening shorts from PROOF Film Festival, a short film festival in Los Angeles dedicated to showcasing the best in proof-of-concepts.
Providing a highly competitive and unique festival experience, as well as opening the door for fruitful future filmmaking opportunities, PROOF is a one-stop-shop for the newest emerging talent. PROOF defines a proof-of-concept as a smaller version of what a larger future project might look like. It is a short film that best represents the concept, story, tone and themes of a potential feature film or television series.
PROOF is powered by the American Cinematheque. The American Cinematheque is a member-supported 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization, programming cinema at the Los Feliz 3, Aero Theatre, and Egyptian Theatre. The AC believes that cinema is a communal experience with the power to entertain, enlighten and inspire, building a diverse and engaged film community through immersive film curation, conversation, and presentation. The American Cinematheque bridges the filmmaker to the audience and film history to its future.
PROOF was founded by Imani Davis, programmer at the American Cinematheque. She’s programmed screenings and moderated Q&As for countless American Cinematheque events, interviewing filmmakers and actors like Jordan Peele, Sofia Coppola, Rachel Sennott, Sebastian Stan, Sarah Paulson, and more. In addition to her work with the AC, Imani hosts Film Girlz Brunch, a monthly meet-up, event & workshop organization for women & non-binary folks in the film industry.