The Lonely Isles

A new short film written and directed by Max Hakim

Produced by Sean Doucette & Sydney Clark

Cinematography by Juli Alonso

Story

Andrew, an awkward 16-year-old, spends his free time writing poetry on a Central Park bench. Stuck in his own head, Andrew is blind to the world around him including Gene, an 85-year-old man who sits next to him on the same bench every day. Unapologetically honest, shameless, and effortlessly clever, Gene forms an unlikely friendship with Andrew that helps him open his eyes to the poetic inspiration found in a simple day at the park.

Our Costs

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOUR HELP.

*Benefit Tiers*

$10 — Shoutout on our socials

$25 — Personalized thank you note

$50 — Behind the scenes lookbook

$100 — Early access to the film on a password-protected website

$200 — Your name in the credits and a personalized poem by our resident poet, Irene

$500 — An invite to our NYC screening and an opportunity to be an extra if you are local to NYC or in the area during the shoot

$1000 — Executive producer credit

Directors Statement - Max Hakim

As an artist, it’s hard to identify what my inspirations are. Am I inspired by the films I see? My family? A random experience on the subway? At a certain point, I realized the answer was: D.) All of the Above.

Andrew’s journey in this film is personal to me. Like Andrew, I’ve learned that opening myself up to the world around me (and the people in it) is what being an artist, and a human, is all about. Especially in a post-pandemic world where connecting with strangers still feels out of the ordinary, I've been trying to push myself out of my comfort zone. After so much time being cooped up in our homes and being restricted from the outside world, I find that staying in or keeping to myself is all too easy.

You never know the value one can offer to your life, whether it be a close friend or a complete stranger. Allowing myself to hear and understand different perspectives on life is what helps me to continuously discover my own. Even though Andrew and Gene are polar opposites, they are still able to develop a unique friendship and learn from one another.

The process of making this film is a great example of pushing my comfort zone and connecting with new people. As the writer and director of this piece, I like to think I have a full grasp on understanding the film I’m making, yet every single person who has joined our production team has pushed me to think of the film in a new way, in some form or another.

Inspiration comes from everywhere, you just have to allow yourself to find it. Step out of your comfort zone, you never know what may happen or who you may meet.

Our Team

Director - Max Hakim

Max grew up in Allentown, PA where he turned a love of watching movies into making them! He cultivated this passion at Boston University, where he graduated in 2022. Since graduation, Max has worked as a production assistant in New York City on Law & Order, as well as the upcoming Ghostbusters installment. His latest film, “La Bella Vita”, just finished a successful festival run and can be found on YouTube. Max is so excited to bring “The Lonely Isles” to life. He promises you will be moved and entertained by this coming-of-age story, but, most importantly, he promises you’ll laugh.

Director of Photography - Juli Alonso

Juli was born and raised in New York City. She went to college up in Boston to study Film Production with a concentration in Cinematography. Since her return back to NYC, she’s been working freelance Camera department as Director of Photography, Operator, and Assistant Camera. She’s worked on narrative, commercial, and music videos as a DP and operator and loves the creativity of camera and getting to work with a team, especially on The Lonely Isles. Being able to be in a line of work that is fulfilling and creative in her hometown is endlessly exciting. Especially having grown up in the city, this was instantly a very relatable script.

Producer - Sean Doucette

Originally from Newburyport, Massachusetts, Sean Doucette’s passion for film production flourished at Boston University, gathering numerous awards and accolades, most recently for his senior thesis film, "La Bella Vita", which ended its festival run with too many laurels to fit on the poster. Now based in New York, Sean's portfolio boasts acclaimed projects including Law and Order, The Gilded Age, and an upcoming Melissa McCarthy film. Sean is excited to take a break from the corporate world and focus on exploring our new indie film, The Lonely Isles, along with his talented and quick-witted team. After missing out on the joy of poetry growing up, he has found a new appreciation for the art through this project. Luckily for our audience, we left the writing to the professionals.

Co-Producer - Sydney Clark

Sydney is a producer and location assistant originally from Ventura County, CA. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Film & TV at Boston University, Sydney moved to New York to work full-time in production. She has written, acted, directed, and produced music videos, shorts, docs, and her first feature film "Things We Like" in 2020. Sydney's credits as a location assistant include Joker: Folie a Deux, And Just Like That, and American Horror Story. She's excited to work on something about the little things, especially in a difficult time for folks in the entertainment industry.

Original Art by Charlie Hanes and Poetry by Irene Christodoulakis