2024 was a rough year for many of us. And yet here we are on Thanksgiving and there are a whole bunch of things I’m fucking grateful for and some of them include some of you. So here goes:
See these people above? This is the crew (and some Department Heads) of Ramona at Midlife after our first week of production in lovely Shelley Salamensky’s house. I am grateful for each and every one of them as we near our digital launch (Feb 11, my friends!) I couldn’t have made a movie without them.
Speaking of Shelley, it was the day she volunteered her home for our shoot that gave me the green light. Once we had this vital location locked down (Ramona’s house, the entire first week and change of production!) I knew we could make the movie. Thank you, Shelley!
Next to me, above, see Kristen Vaganos, my fearless partner in crime and producing partner. We talk a lot about midlife here and women over 40, but when I met Kristen she was just 25 and yet so committed to this project and the central dramatic arguments inside of Ramona At Midlife — Kristen said, at the time, she felt strongly about supporting this film so that she and friends could see a future in which women at every life phase are respected and seen — and might love ourselves all the way through the messy process of adulting. Kristen is an actor who plays Tammy in our film and Molly on ABC’s General Hospital (also the launchpad for Robert Beitzel who plays Mansbach. Rob was a toddler named PJ on GH — Devon’s son, maybe?)
Our post team, most especially our editor Michelle Botticelli who keeps returning our calls and does what is necessary. Thanks, Michelle!
Extra shoutouts to Anthony Argento (a post about him alone will come some time in the new year) and Tara Sheffer whom you will be hearing more about in the future. Tara is taking indie film by storm, I feel blessed that she was part of our team.
And then, Ramona aside, I’m grateful for all of you. I started a Substack newsletter on a whim after reading a post by Ted Hope. I followed the guidance of stellar and inspirational Sari Botton (whose name I always hear in the sing-song tones of my former roommate and Sari’s childhood buddy Huck Hirsch; he had a way of singing her name that has stayed with me for 25 years!) What I discovered on this platform was not only community (albeit digital) but a chorus of voices I want to sing alongside. THANK YOU for writing and sharing and posting and commenting and feeling it all together.
Lastly, the unsung hero of all this is my intrepid and brilliant husband Gordon Haber who has been editing this newsletter all along (except this issue! Are my commas ok, Gordon?) He is an amazing writer and a kind man (unless you get on his bad side and then he goes full Scorpio; don’t say I didn’t warn you.) I love him and am so happy to have married a man with a better vocabulary than mine. (No easy feat, my friends!) He also plays guitar and speaks French.
Stay tuned here for more news about Ramona’s launch in February. Have a beautiful weekend. Happy Thanksgiving!
Love,
Brooke
And I am fucking grateful for you my friend. 🙌
Happy Thanksgiving to YOU!!! (Clearly already in progress!)