Mona's North Beach Noir (2024)

It's San Francisco in the 1950s and post war paranoia is at its height. Mitch Marlowe (niece of detective Philip Marlowe) lands in town to start a new life.... passing as a man. She's brash, confident and very comfortable presenting as a man. What she discovers in North Beach is a vibrant world of artists, criminals, corrupt cops, jazz clubs and the LGBTQ+ shadow world. But is it safe for her anywhere?

It was a dangerous time. LGBTQ people were hunted and blackmailed and forced into hiding for the most part. Mitch would have been labeled as a butch lesbian or ‘male Impersonator' and probably would have consider themselves transmasc or transman in the modern vernacular.

This film is based on North Beach Noir, an award winning feature film script by Kip Pearson. Also an episodic series is in the early stages of development.

Trigger warning: guns

Director Biography - Kip Pearson

Director Biography - Kip Pearson

Kip Pearson is a San Francisco based screenwriter/filmmaker finally getting her chance to pursue her love of film after a checkered adulthood of other endeavors. She grew up in the Midwest but found her home and tribe in San Francisco. Her stories all feature strong female characters, their sometimes marginalized lives and the historical challenges of being LGBTQ+ in America.

Kip has written a number of award winning screenplays. In addition to writing, she has produced and directed three of her own short films as well as worked on a number of other films and pilot projects as production assistant, script supervisor, assistant director and 2nd unit AD.

Hyde Street is her second short film and she is currently working on a tv pilot and feature film based on a detective story set in 1950s San Francisco. For more information about her work please go to www.crashingpicturesllc.com

Director Statement

Mona’s North Beach Noir is intended as a salute to the historical struggles of the LGBTQ + community in general and masculine-of-center lesbians whose true expression of their personhood could not be repressed. They have always existed throughout history despite the societal limitations of being female. They found their freedom by walking the world as men.

Please tell us your motivation for making your film:

I am an avid student of LGBTQ history and wanted to bring to light the repression of the 1950s and to honor the courageous women who could only survive if they could 'pass'.

What is the theme of your submission?:

It is a classic noir story with a queer twist set in 1950 queer epicenter of San Francisco.

What was the message you wanted to convey with this project?:

I want the world to understand that we have always existed, adapted and survived the worst that society could throw at us, despite being driven underground.

Any further comments about your submission:

Mona's North Beach Noir is part of a larger feature film/ episodic series in development. the audience generated by Mona's will help us gather the financial support to make the feature film and/or promote the series. Let's put the North Beach Story on Netflix!!

Credits:

Kip Pearson - Director (Hyde Street)

Kip Pearson - Writer (Hyde Street, I'm FIne)

Kip Pearson - Producer (Hyde Street, I'm Fine)

Ezra Reaves - Key Cast "Mitch Marlowe"

Specifications

Project Type:

Short

Genres:

Crime, Drama, LGBTQ

Runtime:

20 minutes 45 seconds

Completion Date:

February 29, 2024

Production Budget:

25,000 USD

Country of Origin:

United States

Country of Filming:

United States

Shooting Format:

digital

Aspect Ratio:

16:9

Film Color:

Color

First-time Filmmaker:

No

Student Project:

No

Website: http://www.crashingpicturesllc.com/