MANIFESTED

A short film by Marie Cecile Anderson

Margot is new to Lakewood and desperate to make friends. When two women she barely knows invite themselves over for a super moon manifesting party, she ignores her better judgment for a chance to fit in. But Margot quickly discovers that this new friendship may come with a price.

MANIFESTED is Marie's directorial debut. For more than a decade, she has co-written, co-produced, and co-directed comedy videos with her longtime creative partner, Katy Frame, as part of their musical comedy duo Reformed Whores. Manifested marks their first narrative short film together, with Katy serving as cinematographer and co-starring in the project.

CAST

Behind the scenes…

A true comedy collaboration with comedians Emily Fleming, Katy Frame, and Marie Cecile Anderson on set.

Cinematographer Katy Frame, setting the picture before she hops back into frame.

Directed by Marie Cecile Anderson and Cinematographer, Katy Frame.

Emily Fleming and Katy Frame, bringing their witchy vibes, while Marie Cecile Anderson directs off camera.

Cinematographer and actor, Katy Frame, getting her makeup done while checking the picture.

Writer and director, Marie Cecile Anderson, with assistant director, Jessica Pearson.

Marie cecile anderson: Director’s Statement

A few years ago, I went through a phase where it seemed like all of my girlfriends were manifesting their dream lives. Whenever I was feeling down on myself, the advice was always the same: have you tried manifesting? At the same time, I had moved back to my hometown of Nashville and found myself lonelier than ever, wishing I could reset my life. Making friends in your 40s can feel surprisingly difficult, and it was so hard not to compare my life to everyone else’s. As a single, childless woman in the South, I found myself wondering if the women who seem to “have it all,” a career, a loving partner, and children, are actually happy. Should that be the ultimate goal, or did my life have a different plan for me?

Those questions became the foundation for Manifested, which I developed with the support of a short film writing class at The Porch in Nashville.

My writing has always existed at the intersection of comedy and the unrealistic standards society places on women. I love exploring the female experience through satire, especially the bizarre rules and expectations we place on ourselves and each other. This film is about friendship, loneliness, self-judgment, and the fantasy that one perfect night of manifesting your dreams could magically fix everything.

Stylistically, Manifested is a love letter to the campy, female-driven films I was obsessed with growing up: Practical Magic, The Witches of Eastwick, Death Becomes Her, and Hocus Pocus. These stories featured women who were powerful, flawed, funny, and always longing for something more.

My hope is that audiences leave laughing, reflecting on their own lives, and perhaps feeling a little less pressure to manifest a better one.