Beyond The Thing With Feathers
... "The Addiction of Hope" is a great feature film about midlife reckoning
When I saw The Addiction of Hope on a big screen in New York City, I felt a thrill of recognition. Although our films are totally different and our protagonists are women in different life stages—Ramona is a working mom and writer reclaiming her dreams, Jo is a TV actress whose sister’s cancer diagnosis forces her to re-examine her own choices—here are two small films about women over 40 made lovingly by creators who put hopes, dreams and personal relationships (and savings) into realizing a vision. Both films were made using locations we had access to and featured talented friends and neighbors.
If you happen to be in Bellingham, WA, The Addiction of Hope will be screening at The Pickford Film Center, Bellingham, WA, on June 7, 2025. And in LA on 7/14 at the Laemmle Royal at 7pm in Santa Monica as part of the Reel Talk series. Go see it and let me know what you think!
In the meantime, I am so excited to share this film and its married creators, Anne-Marie Johnson (actor and producer) and Martin Grey (writer, director, and actor), with you! Also, I just like them so much. Here are Marty and Anne-Marie:
BB: Where did The Addiction of Hope come from?
MG: As actors, you think every audition can be the one that changes your life. That’s the hope. And it’s addictive. And hope is no different than any addiction. It can mask the truth and cloud our judgement. Whether it’s a career choice or a health choice, which is what our two lead women have to navigate.
AMJ: I think the theme of our film is a universal one. But it’s truly Marty’s vision. We worked closely to make sure that Jo and Lynnie are as authentic as possible. It’s not uncommon for female characters, created and written by male screenwriters, to miss the authenticity mark. But Marty would often come to me to discuss a certain passage, line or even word to make sure his female characters stayed “real.” Especially when it came to the day-in-day-out existence of a female actor.
BB: I think I heard you say you made it during the pandemic? What was that like?
MG: Being able to write and immerse myself in the story was a great escape. We weren’t really venturing out anywhere, so I was able to travel, just in my head. It was a gift.
AMJ: The pandemic was tragic. On so many levels. Marty and I decided that we were going to remain on the same page with regard to how we were going to survive as a couple. We were fortunate to have found our way and actually thrived as a team. Working on the screenplay was just one of the many things we did together.
BB: What are you learning about your film on the festival circuit, and how do you think that might influence distribution strategies?
MG: The one thing that’s been constant is seeing how well our film plays with an audience. Sending a link is always a crapshoot, because you know how hard it is to get someone’s attention, especially if they’re watching at home with the dogs barking, the phone ringing, the kids tugging or whatever it may be. So our priority is to try for a limited theatrical release that will hopefully carry over to a streaming platform so we can share the story with as many people as possible.
AMJ: Our film is a hit when viewed by audiences. Especially in theatre settings. We’ve been blown away from the positive response. We’re confident we’ll get a distribution deal which will include a limited theatrical run. With regard to our festival experience…that’s a completely separate story to be shared at the right time.
BB: Watching the film, I often thought about the way life squeezes and pushes us into becoming the next version of ourselves. I’d love to hear your thoughts on midlife transformation. I love that you don’t tell us what the character will do at the end, only that she’s found her way.
MG: I feel like at our age, and I’m older than Anne-Marie, but I feel like I’ve left acting behind and don’t care if I’m ever in front of the camera again. The only reason I was in The Addiction of Hope is that it was cheaper! And I think this happened because I was getting less work as an actor but still wanted to be creative. So yeah, life kind of squeezed me into focusing on a different area of the business. And regarding Jo at the end of the film, I had written three endings and as we progressed in the shoot, it became clear to me that we only needed one. And Anne-Marie nailed that moment when she barely smiles and walks off down the hill. I’m getting goosebumps as I recall it!
AMJ: I’m an extremely positive person. but I’m also a realist. I’ve had a fabulous career and look forward to what may be coming down the road. But this is a horrible business for women over the age of 45. Especially women of color. Fortunately, my physical appearance usually wasn’t what got me jobs, so aging on camera hasn’t been as daunting or “career-ending” as it has been for some of my peers. But Jo’s experiences are similar to mine.
BB: What’s next for you two?
MG: We love working together and we’re prepping a new story idea that I can sit down and write. We have a couple people in mind that would be perfect to help us secure some financing because honestly, to self-finance again at this point would be tough. But if we can get some help, we’d love to make this film. It’s another drama which scares me a bit. I don’t know—maybe I should write a comedy again!
AMJ: We are in the early stages of prepping our next story. We’re looking forward to working together again
BB: Anything else you’d particularly like to talk about?
MG: The only thing I want to say is that hope is a wonderful thing because it can get us out of bed in the morning and push us to do great things. But it’s not a plan. And false hope is dangerous because it can fool us and hold us back. So I think it’s critical for all of us to evaluate our paths as honestly as possible. Ask friends and family for input, sure. But in the end, sometimes you have to choose a path when you’re standing at a crossroads so be clear about what you want and what you’re prepared to give up for that.
AMJ: I’m very proud of The Addiction of Hope. My work in our film is the best work I’ve ever done. Or that I’ve been “allowed” to do. Marty’s a wonderful director, which made it very easy and safe to be as exposed as I am.
MARTIN A. GOTTLIEB – Director/Writer/Producer
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Marty graduated from the University of Colorado and eventually moved to Los Angeles. He is an award-winning actor/writer/producer and photographer. As an actor (Martin Grey) he has worked in film and television for almost 40 years. On stage, he was honored with a Los Angeles Drama-Logue award for Best Actor in Friends. He made his writing/producing and TV directorial debut with his original comedy pilot On and On, and his first film, About Fifty, (Co-writer/producer/actor) was bought and distributed by Screen Media after winning several festival awards including the Audience Favorite at the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival. The Addiction of Hope marks his feature film directorial debut.
ANNE-MARIE JOHNSON – Producer/Jo
Anne-Marie, a 2nd generation Angeleno, starred in classic films including Hollywood Shuffle and I’m Gonna Git U Sucka. And on the small screen, Anne-Marie starred in hundreds of t.v. episodes including In The Heat of the Night, In Living Color, So Help Me Todd, Melrose Place, JAG, NCIS LA, and So Help Me Todd. She is most proud of her work in THE ADDICTION OF HOPE.
If you are in New York City on Monday June 9, join me and a few truly incredible Ramona-adjacent writers in an author’s panel on Writing Midlife moderated by the wonderful Alysia Reiner. Link for reservations here.