MAGDA, A Film by John Eric Steiner and Kasia Pilewicz
Academy Award® Nominee Abigail Breslin (“Little Miss Sunshine”) Stars in MAGDA, A Timely New Film Shedding Light on the Fight for Women’s Reproductive Rights
Crowdfunding Aims to Raise Over $20,000 for Post-Production by April 17, 2023
A crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo has launched and is set to raise over $20,000 for post-production, exhibition and distribution costs by April 17, 2023 for MAGDA, a short film about a devout nun who is forced to question her beliefs when her younger sister has life threatening complications with her pregnancy. The film dramatizes the type of stories that are happening worldwide because of the attack on women’s reproductive rights that began in 2020 in Poland and continues in America, which is grappling with the recent overturning of Roe vs Wade. “Magda” is written and directed by John Eric Steiner and Kasia Pilewicz, who also stars alongside Abigail Breslin, one of the most sought-after actors of her generation since rising to prominence with the film “Little Miss Sunshine” (for which she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award®), and so many incredibly versatile roles in both comedy and drama since. View the IndieGoGo campaign at MagdaTheFilm.com.
On playing the titular role of Magda, Breslin says, “I feel really lucky to have portrayed such a unique character in such an important piece.”
Magda (played by Breslin) is pregnant in current day Poland where the near-total abortion ban means that she has no choices. She lost the love of her life while he was fighting in the war in Ukraine, and the child they were going to have, the only thing she had left of him, isn’t going to survive. She’s devastated, and because of medical complications, her life also hangs in the balance. The only family she has left is her estranged sister, Ewa (played by Pilewicz), a Catholic nun, whose religious beliefs create further issues. Ewa must choose between the vows she took as a nun and her sister's life, as Magda's health rapidly declines. Throughout these complex circumstances, Ewa gets mixed messages from her parish Reverend Mother and the harsh reality from Magda's nurses. Deeply engrossed in massive grief and loss, Magda attempts to reconcile the sisters' relationship before it's too late. At the core of this story is the relationship between two sisters. Even though they have gone into completely opposite worlds, we feel the intense connection and bond between them when they're reunited. The heartbreaking situation Magda is in complicates their opposing viewpoints, until slowly their guards are stripped away, leaving them to face their common humanity.
Inspired by horrific current true events - Magda’s story is a microcosm of what has been happening since abortion bans are tightening and women don’t have choices or access to safe abortions. “Magda” presents a cinematic snapshot of the kind of impossible decisions women worldwide are being forced to make as their rights are being taken away. Countless women are dying preventable deaths because of laws that allow them too little healthcare, too late. “We feel enraged,” says Pilewicz. “We decided to use our platform as filmmakers to put a face to these headlines through this personal story of two sisters.” Steiner says, “The urgent fight for women’s rights affects us all. We want to shed light on important stories that are typically left untold in Hollywood.”
Pilewicz adds, “The film industry is starved for more diverse voices, and women’s stories are still drastically underrepresented. As an actress, I gravitate towards complex roles in high-stakes, character-driven stories.”
The creative team behind “Magda” includes: Writer/Directors John Eric Steiner (Hulu, MIT) & Kasia Pilewicz (Immanence, America’s Next Top Model); Executive Producers Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, August: Osage County) and Yvette De Vito; Producers Betty Buckley (Cats-Broadway/Tony Award Winner, Carrie) and Mike Mckee (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Licorice Pizza); Cinematographer Diana Matos (Doctor Strange, Jane); Composer Joseph S DeBeasi (The Revenant, American Sniper); Sound Designer Cameron Steenhagen (Joker, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness); and stars Breslin and Pilewicz alongside supporting cast: Lucy Walsh (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mother’s Day), Charrell Mack, De Vito, Paula Vanlandingdam, James Leo Ryan (Law & Order: SVU, The Blacklist) and Collin Carter.
The filmmakers have submitted “Magda” to many top festivals with plans to do an extensive, international festival run to get the film seen as widely as possible. After that, they are hoping to find means of distribution that will further broaden the film’s reach and message.
To read more about the IndieGoGo campaign, which includes incentives being offered by the filmmakers for production credits at various levels, visit MagdaTheFilm.com.
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