In 1906 Tsarist Russia, a courageous, young, Jewish woman flees a violent attack on her village and embarks on a perilous journey across the mountains, where she forges a wary alliance with a wounded Russian soldier in a desperate, all-or-nothing bid for survival.
FREIDEL is a historical adventure set in 1906 Russia. We find 18-year-old Freidel sprinting toward a distant treeline, determined to escape the oppressive and violent attacks that have plagued her as a Jew in Tsarist Russia. Soon, however, she discovers an injured soldier, Anatoly, left to die in the forest. Unable to abandon him, Freidel sutures his wound and nurses him back to health. Once he’s recovered, she sets off again, but Anatoly insists on joining her. She resists but he proves himself by shooting a wolf and saving her life. From there, an unlikely and wary alliance is born as they undertake the arduous and perilous trek across the mountains to escape Russia. The pair make friends (a Hutsul shepherd) and enemies (an antisemitic toymaker,) battle raging rivers, and outsmart drunken peasants. But nothing prepares Freidel for the betrayal she feels when she learns Anatoly took part in the pogrom that killed her family. Desperate to redeem himself, Anatoly is determined to help Freidel cross the well-guarded border.
Originally from upstate New York, Ann first worked as a singer in theaters and clubs and on film/television soundtracks. After working closely with multiple directors, she realized she wanted to be a filmmaker and attended the USC School of Cinema where her first short film, TRUST, won the prestigious Women in Film Crystal Award. Her next film, THE DAY BEFORE garnered the James Bridges Award for Excellence in Directing. Ann’s feature script “Picking Up Porter Douglas” was a Top Ten Finalist in the Final Draft Big Break Competition and has been optioned by Triangle Pictures. Ann wrote and directed the award-winning feature film THE PARK BENCH which has won Best Feature at six festivals around the world (including Toronto, Barcelona, Los Angeles & Queens) and the Audience Choice Award at two more (Veracruz, Mexico & Argentina.) THE PARK BENCH is currently distributed by Dreamscape Entertainment and is now available on Amazon, GooglePlay, iTunes and in libraries across the country. The LA Times calls it “a sweet tale with a smart storytelling device and charming performers!” It recently aired on PBS. Ann has worked as a Writer/Producer for National Geographic, Discovery, A&E, The History Channel, and Game Show Network and has produced documentaries including The True Story of the 761st, Standing Tall at Auschwitz, Heaven: Beyond the Grave, and Inside Opus Dei. Ann received a B.A. from Colgate University and an M.F.A. from the USC School of Cinema.
American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition - Top Ten Winner
Final Draft Big Break Competition - Semi-Finalist
