Director's Statement
Told through the perspective of a meek, paranoid teenager, Fender explores feminist themes of self-censorship, intuition, and the vital role of female friendship in confronting the expectations imposed by a patriarchal society. Our psychological suspense story examines women’s universal experience of internalized doubt, fear, and paranoia in a world where we are constantly questioning our own instincts. In developing Fender, we made the deliberate choice to assemble an entirely female and non-binary crew. We did this not only to ensure that the story was told through the same marginalized lens as our main character, but also to carve out space for underrepresented voices behind the camera where scant seem to exist. On a shoestring, crowd-funded budget, we tackled the technical challenge of filming a story that unfolds largely inside a moving vehicle. Our team built an innovative, makeshift soundstage using projectors, plates footage, dedicated PAs to simulate motion, and a skilled G&E team rotating lights to mimic the rhythm of a car speeding down a six-lane Texas highway. At this pivotal cultural moment, we believe Fender offers both relevance and resonance. As women co-writers, directors, producers, and actors, we are committed to creating work that sparks dialogue and helps shape the future of women and non-binary people in cinema.
Crew & Cast
Jy Prishkulnik (Co-Director, Co-Writer, Producer, and Cast) Jy is a First-Generation American storyteller who began acting professionally at age 11. Earning her BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a double minor in Theater and Film from UCLA, she then developed her film production company, Rhymes With Pie Productions in 2022. Her goal as a young artist is to portray authentic, raw, and socially impactful stories about women that will expand and evolve cinema as we know it.
Director's Statement
Told through the perspective of a meek, paranoid teenager, Fender explores feminist themes of self-censorship, intuition, and the vital role of female friendship in confronting the expectations imposed by a patriarchal society. Our psychological suspense story examines women’s universal experience of internalized doubt, fear, and paranoia in a world where we are constantly questioning our own instincts. In developing Fender, we made the deliberate choice to assemble an entirely female and non-binary crew. We did this not only to ensure that the story was told through the same marginalized lens as our main character, but also to carve out space for underrepresented voices behind the camera where scant seem to exist. On a shoestring, crowd-funded budget, we tackled the technical challenge of filming a story that unfolds largely inside a moving vehicle. Our team built an innovative, makeshift soundstage using projectors, plates footage, dedicated PAs to simulate motion, and a skilled G&E team rotating lights to mimic the rhythm of a car speeding down a six-lane Texas highway. At this pivotal cultural moment, we believe Fender offers both relevance and resonance. As women co-writers, directors, producers, and actors, we are committed to creating work that sparks dialogue and helps shape the future of women and non-binary people in cinema.
Crew & Cast
Jy Prishkulnik (Co-Director, Co-Writer, Producer, and Cast) Jy is a First-Generation American storyteller who began acting professionally at age 11. Earning her BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a double minor in Theater and Film from UCLA, she then developed her film production company, Rhymes With Pie Productions in 2022. Her goal as a young artist is to portray authentic, raw, and socially impactful stories about women that will expand and evolve cinema as we know it.
