Providence native's short film will soon debut at the Tribeca Film Festival. Her mentor: Spike Lee.
It's called 'How I Learned to Die,' and it's a 20-minute comedy-drama based on her own life that she's hoping to turn into a feature. It's executive produced by legendary director Spike Lee.
I asked Glassman to tell us more about the project and her career.
Q:
Your latest film, 'How I Learned to Die,' will be featured at the Tribeca Film Festival next month. Tell us more about the film.
Glassman:
'How I Learned to Die' is a short comedy-drama about 16-year-old Iris who finds out she has a 60 percent chance of dying in four days, so she's gotta live it up. This is my NYU graduate thesis, which I'm turning into a feature film. This story emerges from my own experience when doctors discovered a tumor inside my third vertebrae. As a freshman at a new school, I had to navigate teenage life (trying to look pretty at prom with a neck brace!) while facing a life-threatening situation. Coming-of-age humor mixed with the exploration of mortality and profound awareness of the beauty of life.
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Q:
The film is executive produced by Spike Lee and was shot in Providence. What's your connection to Spike?
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Glassman:
I had the amazing opportunity to be Spike Lee's teaching assistant at NYU and worked with him on an upcoming Netflix documentary. He suggested I make 'How I Learned to Die' as a 'proof of concept' for a feature. I obviously took his advice! He read multiple drafts of my script, awarded me with a production grant, agreed to be executive producer, and reviewed the final cut. He is an incredible mentor. I shot all the scenes in Rhode Island (Moses Brown, East Side) and yes, the hospital scenes at Providence College's nursing facility; PC was incredibly supportive. I am extremely proud to be a Friar and from Rhode Island.
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Q:
Can you describe what your life looks like as a filmmaker? Are you always juggling multiple projects?
Glassman:
I love working on multiple projects. Along with writing and directing my own films, I've produced 11 shorts and a feature film. I like switching it up and being a producer, which helps me balance the imaginative with the achievable. I also like various genres beyond the narrative medium. For example, I just produced another Emeline Easton's
(another Providence local)
music video, shot on 16mm film, which was very fun.
Q:
What's next for Manya Glassman?
Glassman:
Well, first is to make the feature of 'How I Learned to Die!' We're in development on the feature version of the short (that's premiering at Tribeca), currently looking for financing and producing partners. The short takes you one place, and the feature goes even further. I'm really excited about the ways the story elaborates not only on my own personal experience, but in general about teenhood. Then after this film, I have at least 2 more feature scripts written and a TV pilot
–
so the plan is to keep making movies!
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