THE THINGS WE DO WHEN WE'RE ALONE follows a depressed punk fan and her supportive friend hit upon a rare opportunity to see her favorite band perform.
What happens when you don't just love music, but live by it. Crestfallen punk fan, Cassidy lives and breathes by the songs of her favorite band Slim Hitter. When a rare opportunity arises to see them play in her hometown, she plans an impromptu weekend back down to reconnect with her best friend, Elena. On a mission, Elena plans a few surprises in hopes to cure her friend's depression. The Things We Do When We're Alone is a refreshingly subtle coming-of-age anthem that celebrates the relationship between music and mental health, and the lifeline of friendship.
Chanel Monét James (she/they) is a filmmaker, editor, and archivist. They create stories that explore human experiences, foster understanding, and highlight the link between music and mental health.
Graduating with a BFA in Digital Filmmaking from the Art Institute of Atlanta in 2009, Chanel has since had the opportunity to work on the festival circuit at Brooklyn Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival and with the digital archiving teams Condé Nast and MTV as well as study sketch, improv, and comedy screenwriting at UCB and The Pit.
In 2012, they released her first original narrative short “Lie Awake” on Vimeo. Her debut original narrative feature, “The Things We Do When We’re Alone” (2017), won Best American Feature Film at the Cape Verdean American Film Festival and premiered at Black Cinema House in Chicago in 2018. In 2021, Chanel made her co-directorial debut with the feature film “as of yet”, executive produced by the Duplass Brothers.
Premiere - NewFilmmakers NY 2017
Y'allywood Film Festival 2017
Cape Verdean American Film Festival 2017
Chicago Premiere - Black Cinema House 2018
Cape Verdean American Film Festival 2017 - Best American Feature Film
