Arnold, CA…Last week Calaveras County played host to a group of up and coming young filmmakers shooting “The Phoenix”. They were led by Writer & Director Regina Pigsley. This young director grew up in the Bay Area, Studied Film at UC Berkeley and abroad in Denmark. She recently made the move to Hollywood and the next item on her todo list is conquering the movie industry. We hope the young Writer/Director and the rest of her crews careers soar like the character in “The Phoenix”. We also thank them for choosing our area as a film location. Our conversation is below…

About the Story of The Phoenix.

“The story
Inside a working class home in 90’s America, eight year old Charlie wants nothing more than to be a superhero. Her overworked parents are drifting apart, and their arguments just keep getting worse. Charlie’s only escape is her dream of being super. Eventually, the toxicity around the house boils over, and Charlie watches as her mother throws a frying pan at her father. BAM! Charlie freezes time, her arms outstretched in a gesture of protest. She has finally unlocked her super power! Instinctively, Charlie discovers that she can not only stop time, but turn it back. Immediately, Charlie turns back time just before her parents’ most recent fight and tries to avert it through her innocent, eight year old diplomacy.

What unfolds is Charlie’s growth to realizing that her powers may not be the solution to solving the problems of her broken home, but rather the answer to finding that her strength to rise above hardship, lies within herself.”

The Writer/Director Statement on the Project.

“My greatest role models or friends I had in my childhood were those in books, films, or tv shows, and all I ever wanted was superpowers so I could make sure that nobody else would ever feel as terrible and lonely as I did. I did everything in my power to ensure a better future for myself – I tried to excel in everything I did.

Not only does this story shed light on what broken households look like, it is also meant to empower children, especially young girls, to stay strong and know that their situation is not their fault.

I want this film to be an inspiration to young women to find and embrace their own individual superpowers, and use them to fight their way to a better life.

Regina Pigsley
Directer & Writer, “The Phoenix”

They hope to have shooting and editing in time for Film Festivals in 2022!