Ellie

Ellie is the 2016 short film by 16 year old filmmaker Morgana McKenzie.

Info

Film Title
- Ellie
Runtime
- 7:16
Synopsis
- Desperate measures are taken to escape a violent world concealed within an isolated cottage.
Genre
- Suspense

Director’s Statement

“Ellie” included so many “firsts”. It was my first time using my new Canon C100 camera (after saving up for a year); it was my first opportunity to work with a casting director; and my first experience hiring professional (ACTRA union) actors.

Ellie was only possible because of the generosity of so many people. Instead of a summer vacation, my parents rented the cottage that serves as the location for Ellie. A successful Kickstarter campaign paid for equipment rentals and the actors’ wages. And my casting director provided her services for free.

With the exception of my mom and dad (who provided catering, transportation, encouragement and support), the Ellie crew were all teenagers — my classmates and friends.

Bio

Short Bio

Morgana McKenzie is a 16 year old filmmaker living in Ottawa, Canada. In the past four years Morgana’s films have screened at nearly 100 festivals internationally and won 25 awards, including: Best Director Under 25 in 2015 by the Ottawa Independent Video Awards; and, Best Emerging Female Filmmaker in 2014 by NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth).

Detailed Bio

Morgana McKenzie is a 16 year old filmmaker living in Ottawa, Canada. In the past three years, Morgana has created short films screened in the U.S.A., Canada, and Europe. In April 2015 she was honoured to receive the Best Director Under 25 Award at the Ottawa Independent Video Awards.

In 2015 Morgana created two short films. “We All Go the Same“, a narrative music video for the song of the same name by Radical Face, has screened at over 40 festivals and won ten awards including Best Music Video, Best Cinematography, and Best Makeup. “Kurayami no Wa“, a dark thriller set in winter, won Best Thriller (Junior Division) at CineYouth in Chicago and Best Film at the Ottawa High School Film Festival.

Morgana’s 2014 short film “GIFTS” was accepted to over twenty film festivals, and won ten awards, including: Best Emerging Female Filmmaker at NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth); the top prize of the Future of Cinema Film Festival at the Interlochen School of Arts; the Best Narrative award at the Calgary International Film Festival youth division; and, Best Thriller at CineYouth in Chicago.