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Grim Whimsy: Feature Film

About The Film:

Esteemed psychiatrist, Dr. Nicholas Sommers, has spent his entire career taking on clients others would consider too violent and untreatable. If someone is crying out for help, then it is his obligation to help them, no matter their afflictions.

After receiving a tip from an unknown assailant that an ex-patient of Sommers’ went missing, the good Doctor has three days to find her to avoid irreparable consequences.

Inspiration For The Film-as written by Alissa:

“I've always been fascinated by certain characters in film. Characters that leave you questioning their ideologies and leaving you in awe of who they are, or who they've become. You find yourself trying to understand them and even reason with their motives for doing what they do. The Joker from Batman is one of those characters. One night, I thought, "Wouldn't it be fun to play a female villain as unhinged and complex as the Joker?" From that, "Trixie" was born.

The story of Grim Whimsy came to be what it is today after years of re-working the initial concept. I needed to break the script open and make it into something that people could relate to, while taking them for a ride that they'd find new and inventive. I feel that I accomplished that when I nearly doubled the length of the film and broadened the story. In turn, this created a juicier tale, with depth and true purpose. This film has been long in the making and it's an incredible feeling to finally say that it's ready to make and share with the world. I hope the audience will appreciate what we've tried to accomplish as a team when all is said and done.

Behind the scenes, women only consisted of 28% of all creators, directors, writers, producers, editors, and directors of photography working on film and television for 2017 (Boxed In 2016-17: Women On Screen and Behind the Scenes in Television). While this is a slight increase from 2016, going from 2% to 4%, the scale remains out of balance. Change can be achieved when we highlight and support female-directed projects. As a humanist and feminist, I would like to add myself into the mix to increase these statistics. I hope to inspire other women out there to join a male dominated field in the efforts to change an unequal market. On we march, sisters!”

Meet Our Team:

Alissa Kulinski (Director, Producer, Writer, Actor)


Alissa Kulinski is an actress, writer, and model from northern WI. Born with an innate drive to perform, Alissa has acted in many theater productions over the years and found her way into film shortly after moving to Madison, WI. From 2011 to the present, she has acted in an array of local films, including — the web series “Chic: The Series” as Gwen Angel/Starla Jones, Madison's award winning 48 Hour Film Festivals short films “Babel" and "A Fairly Normal Love Story", and the feature film "The Reason for Jim Season,” to name a few.

Alissa's latest role will be her portrayal as the villainous, "Trixie" in the feature film, Grim Whimsy. In addition to acting, Alissa co-wrote the screenplay and will be making her directorial debut in this production. She is also the owner, producer, and head of Hungry Lioness Productions, LLC.

Chris Fontaine (Actor)


Chris Fontaine started chasing his childhood dream of being an actor in 2005. Since then he has been in about 40 theatrical productions and several videos. He has played iconic characters such as Scrooge, Rumpelstiltskin, and Aslan as well as many other dramatic and comedic roles. His acting is his passion in life, and he strives to bring that passion to each performance. His goal is to affect every audience in an important way. While Chris currently works as a database administrator, his schooling was in education which helped fuel his budding interest in psychology. Playing Dr. Nicholas Sommers allows Chris to bring to life his enduring interest in psychology.

Use of Funds:

Your generous donations will go towards securing locations, the purchasing of costumes and props, craft services, set decorations, and any essential production necessities for the film itself. With your help, Grim Whimsy can finally be created with the highest production value and in full to its well-deserved completion. This is a story that’s aching to be told, and every single donor will be responsible for bringing it to the screen if we successfully raise the necessary funding.

For every contribution, every backer will receive a Grim Whimsy pen as a thank-you for supporting our film!
***Aside from the pen, all Grim treats will be provided to backers once the film is completed.
Photo Credit:  Heidi E. Johnson/Blue Umbrella Arts

Future Plans After Production:

Once we wrap principle photography and finish post-production, we’ll have a local screening in Madison, WI to show everyone the finished product. Then, submissions to film festivals shall ensue within Wisconsin and across the nation.
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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
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Organizer

Alissa Kulinski
Organizer
Madison, WI

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