Dead In Love (2023)

Sofia, a shy struggling writer, dies suddenly from a brain aneurysm one night while on the phone with her devout mother. Relatively inexperienced in terms of love in her short life, Sofia begrudgingly agrees to cooperate with her overbearing mother and deceased father, who want to help her find a partner or partners to love in her afterlife. Sofia’s mother finds various candidates for her corporeally-challenged daughter by renting out Sofia's former home. After a few duds move in and out, Sofia finds herself drawn to Maria and Marcos’ lust for life and one another. Learning she can communicate with Maria, who is also bisexual, Sofia explores her new state of being and sexual identity with Maria and Marcos.

Director Biography - Nicole de Meneses

Nicole De Meneses is a freelance Writer, Director, Producer working in the Bay Area. She makes independent regional genre films that showcase and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

She has a background in Media Arts and Animation from the Art institute of San Francisco and is the founder of Dark Rainbow Films.

Director Statement

Not knowing if that last kiss really was my last or when I would be able to hug or hold my friends and family again, I channeled all my feelings of loneliness and my frustration around being isolated during the pandemic into the script for Dead in Love. Written during lockdown, Dead in Love is a comedic exploration of modern queer love.

It was really important to me that the leads be queer latin performers. I reached out to the Theatre Collective Latinx Mafia in Oakland and with the help of Casting Director Letitia Duarte I was introduced to Linda Maria Girón and Livia Demarchi.

Dead in Love explores themes around family and grief in a humorous way. Our main character Sofia is isolating herself from her controlling mother and married sister because she thinks they will judge her for not being more established in her career and for not being in a serious relationship. Sofia is still finding her voice as a writer and as a woman. As she prepares for a romantic evening she suffers a brain aneurysm and dies suddenly wearing her little black dress dolled up in full hair and makeup.

Our film is about being queer... and learning how to follow your heart when it comes to work and love. Coming out is a continuous process. You constantly come out over and over again in your personal and professional life and for some even in death.