Céline Roustan
When Louie’s boyfriend wants to introduce him to his mother, he is stunned… their relationship isn’t going so well. He is even more shocked when he meets her and realises that he is dating the son of his all-time favourite actress! S/W alum Ben Lewis (Apart From Everything) is back on the website with She Raised Me, a comedy that takes a surprising turn. Full of heart, Lewis builds a delightful narrative with real depth and a mother-in-law voiced by none other than Rosie O’Donnell.
“A celebration and a cautionary tale about the lasting power of our idols”
“Queer kids need lifelines,” Lewis candidly shared, before discussing fandom culture and how, as kids, female celebrities are often looked up to not just as “beacons of fun and fabulousness, but as beacons of acceptance”. On a personal note, he also added that childhood nostalgia remains his security blanket in times of need, even as an adult. He cites The Muppets and The Rosie O’Donnell Show as sources of comfort and joy, but also inspiration for the film, which he penned as a “celebration and a cautionary tale about the lasting power of our idols”.
Lewis plays the lead, Louie, crafting a complex role for himself in which struggle and hope are intertwined and finding the perfect balance to make his character relatable and easy to root for. Despite the unconventional premise, the narrative is grounded in emotions that make the film compelling and its suspension of disbelief remarkably easy. Sharply written, the dialogue effectively conveys the relationships between the characters and how they evolve as the film progresses.
Writer/director Ben Lewis (L) stars opposite Zane Phillips in She Raised Me
Shot by DP Chris Westlund, whose work has been featured on S/W many times (Boomerang, Write a Song about Heartache, Still Wylde), the film’s visual flair brings an energy that enhances its comedic elements and makes the tonal shifts all the more entertaining and convincing. Editor Simone Smith also amplifies the film’s different genres by playing with the pacing, adapting the rhythm to maximise the impact of each scene.
Puppet builder Amanda Maddock brought Marilyn Muff to life from Lewis’s vision, working “from early sketches to wig fittings and wardrobe-shopping”! Puppeteered by Alice Dinnean, Marilyn is pushed to her full potential, giving her a human dimension while preserving the comedic possibilities of each scene. Rosie O’Donnell is unsurprisingly amazing, breathing life into the character as we, alongside Louie, get to enjoy her superficial side before discovering who she really is.
She Raised Me had its World Premiere at Aspen Shortsfest before going on to play at multiple festivals, including SFFILM and the Palm Springs ShortFest, and winning awards at Oak Cliff and Cleveland. Lewis is currently developing Time Release, a short-form series he created with Apart From Everything producer Lauren Collins.