Synopsis
Dirty Water Dogs is a feel-good family drama focused on Amelia, a second-generation hotdog cart owner in New York City, who dreams of something more. She had once dreamed of being a baker like her mom, but life and fear got in the way. She wants more for her wife Bianca and their two children, and to make her dad Dominick proud. However, she’s starting to lose hope that life will ever be any different. And when Bianca’s health is impacted, the pressure really starts to mount.
That’s when Amelia learns of the city’s lottery for a lucrative new food vending spot in the Central Park Zoo. The new location will allow Amelia’s hot dog cart to make it big, and then she can give her family the life they deserve. Determined to win, she makes a deal with a shady player in NYC street-food world.
Amelia has one week to get all the money, and she’s pulling out all the stops. Between run-ins with the police, turf wars with the other vendors, and even a hoard of hungry Santas – nothing is going to stop Amelia. But it’s a dog-eat-dog world, and Amelia’s luck seems to be running out.
Key Personnel
Wendy S. Wilkins is a filmmaker and producer and director whose work focuses on stories of perseverance, family, and hope. She owns Wilkidoos Productions, a company dedicated to supporting women in front of an behind the camera. Wendy is passionate about elevating narratives that reflect everyday struggles and triumphs with authenticity and heart. Wendy is the Vice President of Women in Film and Video New England, Vice President of Women in Film US and the Co-Executive Director of the Mystic Film Festival.
Terri Coduri Viani is an award-winning writer whose work explores the pursuit of the American Dream and the daily struggles of everyday heroes with warmth, wit, and resonant emotional truth. Terri is repped by James Moorer of One Moorer Entertainment.
Cardinal Flix, an independent film production company, joins the project as a key production partner. With a focus on bold, character-driven storytelling and socially relevant themes, Cardinal Flix supports projects that spotlight underrepresented voices and meaningful human stories — aligning perfectly with the vision behind Dirty Water Dogs.
Paige Williams of Helmet Fire Productions also joins as a producer and the team’s legal counsel.
