The Magic Rat Film Showcase is excited to present a Women in Film program Wednesday, March 18. Held at The Magic Rat inside The Elizabeth Hotel, the evening will feature two projects at different stages of development, offering audiences a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to bring a film from its earliest draft to picture lock.
As part of the showcase’s season two theme, “The Year of Collaboration,” the program is designed to center the creators and illuminate the realities of filmmaking—not just the final product, but the process itself. Unlike a traditional screening, the evening intentionally pulls back the curtain. Audiences will experience both the polished final cut of a completed short and the vulnerability of its earliest pages, an approach rarely presented in a single program. The showcase invites audience members into the fragile, often unseen stages of storytelling, where uncertainty, risk and collaboration ultimately shape the final frame.
“This series is built to shine a light on the creators,” says Shantel Hansen, curator of the showcase. “We’ll have a live table read with most of the original actors from the completed scripted short, ‘Mike & Danny,’ then follow with a screening of the completed film. With ‘Before Us,’ we’ll explore what it’s like to be in the trenches of making a film. Audiences rarely get to witness both the polished final cut and the fragile first pages in the same room. That vulnerability is where the magic and the power of storytelling truly lives.”
The event begins at 6 p.m. with a social hour. The screenings will take place from 7-8 p.m., followed by a Q&A. Tickets are available through Eventbrite. The event is donation-based, with all proceeds directly supporting the Boys & Girls Clubs Youth Filmmaker Program, helping cultivate the next generation of storytellers.
The evening will open with “Before Us,” which is currently in production. The project follows five women—strangers on a collision course charted by the meddling spirits of their ancestors—as they wrestle with motherhood, purpose and identity. The program will include a screening of the trailer and selected clips highlighting the film’s progress. Director Meredith Palomo, producers Hanna Olson and Ryan Kerwin and editor Gabriella Harris will discuss the challenges, pivots and creative decisions involved in filming in real time.
“It’s hard to put into words how wonderful the process of making this film has been,” Palomo says. “Our cast and crew are so incredibly talented, driven, kind and creative, and everyone’s focused on making the vision come to life as effectively as possible while having as much fun as we can.”
The second featured project, “Mike & Danny” (13 minutes), was directed and produced by first-time director Maya Jairam. The short follows two brothers confronting addiction recovery and family trauma in the wake of unspeakable tragedy and unimaginable loss.
“‘Mike & Danny’ has been an absolute dream to work on, from the actors to the crew and production team,” Jairam says. “I learned so much before, during and after filming. I’ve grown not just professionally, but personally, and I look forward to the next stages this experience has set me up for.”
Before the screening, actors will participate in a live table read of early script pages, offering audiences a rare look at how the story evolved from its early drafts to the final locked version of the film.
“We’re honored to host this series at The Elizabeth,” says Carl Pratt, general manager. “Each showcase highlights the work of independent creators while opening the door for meaningful engagement between artists and audiences. It’s more than a screening; it’s a community space where conversation and connection happen in real time.”
