“When a woman tells you she is in pain, believe her the first time.” -Elinor Cleghorn, UNWELL WOMEN
"SYRINGE" is brought to you by a team of award-winning filmmakers from the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles, voted the #1 Film School by The Hollywood Reporter. Our film was nominated as a finalist for the Roy Dean Short Film Grant.
Format: Narrative Short | Length: 12–15 min | Stage: Late Development
GOAL: top-tier festival premiere & proof of concept for feature / limited series
SYRINGE is a psychological body horror rooted in the lived realities of medical gaslighting. It confronts the systemic neglect of women’s healthcare and asks: if pain is our last form of resistance, what happens when even that is taken away?
LOGLINE:
WHEN A BREAKTHROUGH DRUG TO ELIMINATE WOMEN’S PAIN IS TRIALED IN A CUTTING-EDGE HOSPITAL, A FRONTLINE NURSE BEGINS TO UNRAVEL THE HAUNTING COST OF PROGRESS IN WOMEN’S MEDICINE.
WHY WE WANT TO TELL THIS STORY
A Statement from Writer-Director, TALISHA ELGER
For the past two years, I’ve been on a frustrating journey with my health — navigating issues that should be simple to solve but felt impossibly complex. The best advice I received? “Do nothing.” Disturbingly, that turned out to be safer than the whirlwind of experimental solutions I’d already endured. Am I better? No. I still don’t have answers. This is the heartbreaking reality of women’s health: when “nothing” is the safest option, the system is deeply broken.
My pain, frustration, and confusion led me to write SYRINGE.
SYRINGE is a cinematic response to the lack of research and investment into women’s health. I’m drawn to horror for its capacity to offer an alternative lens for confronting urgent, uncomfortable truths. Through SYRINGE, I explore medical gaslighting, bodily autonomy, systemic control, and the complexities of gynecological pain.
It’s about women’s pain that’s unseen and unheard — and what we risk when relief comes at the cost of control.
- Talisha Elger, Director
WHY NOW?
At 18, I was prescribed birth control and, consequently, developed crippling anxiety. When I finally sought help, no one questioned the birth control. The proposed solution? Antidepressants. Since then, I’ve been caught in a vicious cycle — each new treatment bringing more complications than the last.
This is the reality nearly every woman I know has faced. Friends have spent years battling undiagnosed endometriosis, their pain dismissed as “bad periods” or “low pain tolerance.” Others with PCOS, fibroids, or chronic pelvic pain were told to lose weight or “wait and see.” Emotional pain is dismissed as hormonal. Physical pain is pathologized, misdiagnosed, or ignored.
We’ve grown used to being told it’s all “part of being a woman.”
But this isn’t just a gap in care — it’s a refusal to believe women when we say something is wrong. With Syringe, we hope to spotlight these everyday injustices — and the quiet resilience women show in the face of them.
Because women deserve more than to be told to live with it.
- Lara Marks, Producer
MEET THE TEAM BEHIND "SYRINGE"
Writer/Director - TALISHA ELGER
Producer/Performer - LARA MARKS
Cinematographer - LEO BEHRENS
Production Designer - PAIGE SCHAEFFER
Costume Designer - MILLIE JONES
Composer - NATASHA FRANK
Vocalist - SAMFIRE
Medical Advisor - KATYA MARKS
TEAM BIOS
TALISHA ELGER (Writer/Director)
TALISHA ELGER is an award-winning film director, writer, and photographer from Brisbane, Australia. Her first short film, "THE FEARS OF YOUNG CAROLINE" was a Coup de Coeur favorite at Cannes and won several awards, including Best Drama at the QNFA Awards and Best Foreign Film at Indie Fest. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Television and Writing from the University of Queensland, an Advanced Diploma of Screen, and a Certificate IV in Photo-imaging from Southbank Institute of Technology. Elger completed a quarter at UCLA, concentrating on Screenwriting and Filmmaking, earning a spot on the Dean's Honours List. Her TV pilot, "THE PRINCIPAL" is a Script Pipeline FINALIST and her feature screenplay UTOPIA DYSTOPIA has placed in Austin, Screencraft, and Page screenplay competitions. Recently, she graduated with an MFA in Screenwriting from the AFI Conservatory, where she co-wrote the thesis film "SOME KIND OF PARADISE" which premiered at AFI Fest and has just screened at CAA Showcase and the world-renowned Tribeca Film Festival. Her feature screenplay, "GOLDEN NUGGET", has also just been optioned. She specializes in thriller and dark genres.
LARA MARKS (Producer/Performer)
LARA MARKS is a British-Greek filmmaker and actor from London, now based in Los Angeles. She completed her MFA in Film Producing at the American Film Institute Conservatory and trained as an actor at the East 15 Acting School in London. At the University of Oxford, she founded Gold Thread Productions, producing and starring in various shows in Oxford, London, Berlin, and at the Edinburgh Fringe. Her notable works with Gold Thread include "DYING LIGHT", "FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS", "THE REAL THING" and "NIGHT, MOTHER". She used these productions to raise funds for charities like Clean Break and Papyrus. At AFI, she produced "CHERRY KOMPOT", which won awards at AFI Fest, the Eastern Europe Film Festival, and London Independent Film Awards. She also produced and starred in "TELL ME SOMETHING TRUE" and produced three other short films. Recently, Marks directed, edited, and produced the music video "POSSIBLE STRANGER", which premiered in Wonderland magazine and won multiple awards, including at the Los Angeles International Indie Short Fest, where she was nominated for 'Best First Time Female Director.' Marks draws inspiration from actor-filmmakers like Greta Gerwig and Issa Rae, focusing on stories with nuanced female characters.
LEO BEHRENS (Cinematographer)
LEO BEHRENS is an award-winning Norwegian trans cinematographer & director, based in Los Angeles. In 2023, Leo earned his cinematography degree from the American Film Institute Conservatory. Shortly after his graduation, he was selected for The ASC Vision Mentorship Program 23-24. Leo’s short film "SKIN" won the Gold Medal in the alternative/experimental category at the 2023 Student Academy Awards, where he served as the writer, director, and cinematographer. In addition, "SKIN” was selected for AFI FEST and Oslo Fusion Film Festival. His recent cinematography contributions to the documentary “EVAN EVER AFTER” earned the Audience Award for “Best Florida Short” and the Jury Award for “Best Short Doc” at Out On Film Atalanta in 2023. It gained recognition at notable film festivals, including, Outfest, HollyShorts, InsideOut Film Festival Toronto, and NewFest New York. Leo has a deep love for stories that showcase unique angles and provide fresh perspectives. He holds a special fondness for drama, thriller, magical realism, and science fiction. Being a transgender filmmaker, Leo is also passionate about exploring LGBTQ themes across different genres, but his creative pursuits span a wide array of storytelling genres.
PAIGE SCHAEFFER (Production Designer)
PAIGE SCHAEFFER is a Los Angeles based production designer, art director, set decorator and visual artist. Originally a studio artist from the Chicago suburbs, Paige has found a passion in creating worlds that live on the screen. After studying architecture and fine art at the University of Kansas, she decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film. She has designed multiple stage designs for theater, as well as production design for short films, commercials and online mini series. She received an MFA in Production Design from the American Film Institute, graduating in 2023. At AFI she was the Production Designer for "WE MET AT CAMP" a comedy narrative short which premiered at AFI Fest and screened at the CAA Showcase, as well as being nominated for a student EMMY award. She also did the Production Design for alt-pop artist Samfire’s new music video, "POSSIBLE STRANGER", for which she was awarded Best Production Design in the Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival and the Eastern Europe Film Festival. Seeing something missing in the film industry, Schaeffer is passionate about using production design to amplify stories of those who are often underrepresented.
MILLIE JONES (Costume Designer)
MILLIE JONES is an LA-based visual artist, graphic designer, costume designer, and textiles-maker with a diverse and dynamic portfolio. She has contributed to the art department on numerous films, including "We Met at Camp," which was nominated for a student Emmy among other accolades. Her work has been showcased at prominent galleries across Los Angeles, such as ShockBoxx Gallery and Tiny Art Gallery, and featured at festivals like the Kansas City Underground Film Festival. As a costume designer, Millie has created intricate, hand-made costumes for award-winning music videos like "Possible Stranger" (premiered in Wonderland Magazine) and "Cherry Kompot," which have garnered awards at international festivals and received special mentions for their costumes. Additionally, Millie is a graphic artist and designer for a wide range of musicians and albums, including TwinnFlame, represented by Kansas-based Wavelength. Her unique blend of visual artistry and design expertise has established her as a versatile and innovative creator in the industry.
NATASHA FRANK (COMPOSER)
NATASHA FRANK is a multi-award winning composer from London, based in Los Angeles. She is a two-time BAFTA scholar and in May 2023 she won the coveted BMI Composer Award, which is regarded as the most prestigious prize for young composers in the Western Hemisphere- previous winners have included composing legends such as Phillip Glass and John Adams. Natasha has worked on the music team of numerous large-scale projects for Sony Playstation, Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, Disney + and Meta. In addition she has composed for a multitude of independent films with prominent directors from all over the world, most recently (2024, Some Kind Of Paradise dir. Nicholas Finegan (2024), Deep Into The Forest dir. Violet Liu (2024) which both were featured at Tribeca 2024. Furthermore, she has been featured on CBS News and New Music USA for her work, and her music has been performed globally; from St. Petersburg to San Francisco. Natasha is a graduate of The University of Oxford and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In her spare time you will find her drinking tea and playing the banjo!
SAMFIRE (VOCALIST)
SAMFIRE is an alt-pop, synth-obsessed artist and producer. Her musical history in orchestra and choir is evident, as she layers her songs with dreamy harmonies and textures that add a touch of melodrama. Samfire's first EP ‘Time’ was released in 2021, and her second EP ‘Possible Strangers’ in 2023. 'Possible Strangers' was made with support from Help Musicians, The Fenton Arts Trust, and the Francis Chagrin Award and its music video churned up attention with features in Wonderland Magazine and Ninu Nina. She also performed the single live on the radio for BBC Introducing and was named one of BBC Introducing Suffolk’s ‘Ones to Watch’ of 2023. Samfire has provided original tracks and vocals for several productions, including London-based stage show ''Night, Mother', and short films 'A Room of Her Own' and 'Tell Me Something True'. She also collaborated with Marks, Behrens, Schaeffer and Jones on her music video for 'Possible Stranger'. Most recently, she performed at The Hanwell Hottie Music Festival and Latitude Festival. Her newest single 'I'm With You' is out now.
KATYA MARKS (MEDICAL ADVISOR)
KATYA MARKS is a junior doctor working in East London with strong interests in women’s health and health equity. She studied medicine at Oxford University, before completing a Masters in Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, where she focused her study on issues of health equity. She found a love for surgery during time spent as a student with the neurosurgery department at Oxford and with the trauma surgery department at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg. She is currently applying for surgical training. Katya has also been closely involved for a number of years with the International Student Surgical Network, who advocate globally for equity in surgery, including specific focus on women’s issues. Throughout her years spent in clinical settings, Katya has been keenly aware of and angered by the health injustices and prejudices facing women, both subtle and completely blatant, so she is thrilled to be able to lend her support to this important project, and is eagerly awaiting the release of the film.
WHERE WILL THE FUNDS GO?
We have raised $20,000 so far and need another $5-10,000 to bring this film to life.
WHAT YOUR DONATION WILL MEAN?
$50 - One day Truck Rental
$100 - One Day Craft Services
$250 - Day rate for crew member
$500 - Day rate for Production Designer
$800 - Set Decoration for full shoot
$1000 - Film Permit
$1500 - One day Hospital Standing Set Rental
$2000 - Production Sound Mixer & Boom Fees
Any donation you can give would be immensely appreciated to help us bring this story to the screen.
We are exceptionally grateful for your support.