Against the backdrop of Purim in Los Angeles, an Orthodox Jewish teen spends his first night alone guarding a body awaiting burial and ends up fighting for his own life.
Schmoolie the Deathwatcher takes place against the backdrop of Purim in Los Angeles, other wise known as Jewish Halloween. Since the death of his mother Schmoolie suffers debilitating morbid fantasies. He has only two friends DJ, a Persian boy, born male, who longs to be female, and Mothball an African American Albino. Schmoolie is desperately in love with, Yael who works at the Kosher bakery. To help Schmoolie overcome his fears, a Rabbi prescribes overnight Shomerim duty at a multi-faith funeral home. At the funeral home Schmoolie befriends the hovering spirit of the deceased, Mr. Lee. The two decide to leave the Jewish section to explore, and are drawn into a dark and magical odyssey of survival when they witness henchmen attempting to incinerate the body of a young woman in the crematorium. At the shocking realization that the body is that of Yael, Schmoolie and Mr. Lee find the opportunity to snatch her corpse from the henchmen. The three embark on a dangerous game of cat and mouse in a quest to preserve Yael’s honor.
This film is a dark comedy with elements of magic, where we see greatest fears come to life and witness the super natural powers that reach out to help along the way. This is a story with a Jewish hero that’s not about war or stereo types. It’s a human story with a broad audience with themes of religion, death, sexual identity, race, anxiety and depression.
The Filmmakers
Theresa Burkhart Gallagher – Writer/Producer
Theresa is a writer, producer and actor based in Los Angeles. She is in preproduction with her feature film Schmoolie the Deathwatcher, with Bridget Stokes set to direct and producing alongside Josh Bachove and Diana C. Zollicoffer. Theresa produced the feature film Swamp Lion written and directed by Torben Bech ( Oscars Short List, Sundance Grand Jury Prize Nominee for feature film NUUMMIOQ). Swamp Lion premiered at Austin Film Festival and is now available on Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu. Her most recent short, Nana Dara is Gay, premiered at the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at Cannes before moving on to DC Shorts Inter’l, AGLIFF Prism Austin, Out on Film, Atlanta, and OutReels Cincinnati. She wrote/produced and starred in the short, Honey and Clover: A Recipe for Disaster which screened at Cannes Short Film Corner Cannes Court Metrage, Diversity in Cannes, Bentonville and Dances with Films. Theresa also wrote and produced the short film Schmoolie the Deathwatcher directed by Michael Ray Escamilla, which was praised as “a stunning gem” (Huff Post) and screened at over 20 festivals internationally including Dances with Films, Vail Film Fest, and Rome International. Prior to film, Theresa wrote and produced theatre including Feeding the Monkey in Hollywood which opened at the Red Room Theatre NYC before moving to a Hollywood run, and was voted, “Best Play in LA” Los Angeles Times Magazine, and Backstage West Critics Pic.
Diana C. Zollicoffer – Producer
Diana C. Zollicoffer was born in Seychelles Island. She is an LA-based independent filmmaker focused on strong dynamic characters and original, emotional stories in a variety of genres. Currently, she is producing the feature films Schmoolie the Deathwatcher with Bridget Stokes set to direct, and Harlem 58 with Toil Films and Foxxhole Entertainment. Diana co-wrote Harlem 58 with Marc Furmie. Her award-winning films have been screened at numerous international festivals most notably, “Nana Dara is Gay” (American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase, Cannes) “Bridget and Iain” (Short Film Corner, Cannes Court Metrage / Manchester Film Festival), “Honey & Clover” (Short Film Corner, Cannes Court Metrage, Bentonville, Dances With Films Festival), “Dreamer” (Diversity at Cannes Film Festival/Bentonville Film Festival) and “Forgotten Bayou” (New Orleans Film Festival.) Diana was a Finalist for the Sundance Institute Producer’s Lab. In 2017, she was the first woman of color to direct for the Australian Theater Company in Los Angeles. She produced the well-received and NAACP Theater Award-nominated play “innocentFLESH” about teen sex trafficking which premiered in Los Angeles before running in New York. In addition to her creative endeavors, Diana’s also a founding member of City of Service Angels a community volunteer group and she served terms on the Board of Directors for Journey Out and The Charlotte Maxwell Clinic of Integrative Cancer Care where she was also Board President.
Josh Bachove – Producer
Josh is founder and president of Pocket 7 Films, a production company focused on guiding independent projects from development through distribution. Every film he has produced has been acquired/distributed by some of the largest studios in the industry: Lionsgate, Netflix, Apple, Universal, Sony, MTV/Viacom, A24. Most recently: The Sky is Everywhere – A24 for Apple TV+, A24 feature Minari, nominated six Academy Awards, 2021 Golden Globe Award Best Foreign Language Film, Grand Jury/ Audience Awards Sundance. The Nowhere Inn – SUNDANCE The Little Hours -SUNDANCE Joshy – SUNDANCE Life After Beth – SUNDANCE The Weekend – TIFF/SXSW Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets and Welcome Home.
The Team
Bridget Stokes – Director
Bridget Stokes’ masterful direction won her an Emmy for HBO’s, A Black Lady Sketch Show, making her the first woman to win in the category. In addition to her win, Bridget has received four Emmy nominations for her directing work on Apple’s Hello Jack and producing work on A Black Lady Sketch Show. Stokes received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Directing on ABLSS and won the award for producing.
As a feature director Stokes’ second feature, Boy Genius, starring Rita Wilson and Miles Brown was an award winner at Bentonville and Newport Film Festivals before being acquired for domestic theatrical distribution and streaming as well as selling internationally in Africa, Asia and South America. Stokes has directed two feature films and 30 episodes of television in addition to helming the award-winning short film, Think Fast.
As a producer, Stokes has co-executive produced seasons 1 & 2 of Hello Jack and seasons 3 & 4 of A Black Lady Sketch Show as well as six feature films, including Netflix’s The Lost Husband and documentary, The Rachel Divide. Stokes lives in Los Angeles with her family and sits on the boards of the Independent Shakespeare Company in Los Angeles and Parity Productions in New York City.
Yaron Scharf – Cinematographer
Born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel. Yaron is a graduate of the Tel Aviv University film school, and of the school of visual arts in New York. In the past twenty years his work in feature films, television series, documentaries and commercials has won high praise and awards. Yaron lensed the Academy Award nominated film Footnote, Award of the Israeli Film Academy nominated film Bethlehem, HBO’s Possessions and Our Boys. His work has screened at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Tribecca and South by Southwest film festivals.
Composer – Craig Richey
Hailed by Film Music Magazine for his ‘effortlessly gliding melodies’, Craig is a Sundance Fellow, an alum of the Composers Lab, and has returned as an Advisor at the Sundance Film Music and Sound Design Lab at Skywalker Sound. He has scored over 30 feature films working with notable directors including Miranda Bailey, RJ Cutler, Seth Gordon, Nicole Holofcener, and Jeremy Leven. Craig is the composer of the Apple TV + series ‘Dear…’ and is currently working on Season 2.
Feel free to reach out to us at SchmoolieMovieLLC@gmail.com
