Becoming Kelly
The doors are closed. There are no more screenings of this film.
Synopsis: Kelly is a vanilla young woman tired of being stuck in the box society created for her. After a bad break-up, she isolates herself from her friends and spirals into a Machine Gun Kelly obsession. The transformation leads her on the path to her own life-changing rap career.
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Starring
Lisa Baron Ray (Lyla)
Malin Barr (Grace)
Mimo Magri (Susannah)
Anthony Hull (Noah)
Directed by
Written by
Produced by
Director's Statement
This project comes from years of being put in “boxes.”
The girl I grew up as.
The girl I was in high-school.
The girl I became in my 20s.
We get lost in there.
There’s many boxes. And we all have them. Whether we choose to fit into them or not, that’s our own decision. But I felt like no matter what I was doing, I was shoved back inside. “Do this, be that; Don’t be that, don’t do this.” My creativity was stifled. I always felt judged. And I accepted that as my reality. Until I had enough.
Then one day, Machine Gun Kelly appeared. Like light shining through a crack in the box.
MGK was the very archetype of what I needed in my life. His influence, his energy, his tattoos, his “I don’t give a f*ck” attitude. He’s the opposite of who I am, but still resonates 100% with me. Everyone has their own idea of him, and still he constantly breaks free from what people think he is.
He created the “Lace up” movement of hope. He calls his fans the EST Family, which stands for ‘Everyone Stands Together.’
“Becoming Kelly” is very much in line with my own personal experience of breaking out the box and finding out who I am. The concept is a metaphor for my own journey.
My message for the audience is to be the person you want to be. To not wait for anyone to give you permission. To be the person you wish you had as a role model when you were younger.
Hopefully Kelly/Montrelle can be a source of inspiration for people, young and old, to be unapologetically proud of who they are.
-Valery Lessard
Director's Bio
“Becoming Kelly” was a co-directorial collaboration.
Valery Lessard is an actress, writer, and director who has appeared in numerous independent U.S. and Canadian films and television shows including LET’S NOT PANIC (short film, Tribeca ’15, USA), THE EQUALIZER (NBC), THE BLACKLIST (NBC), and TRUST (feature film, USA). She was born in Montreal, Québec, and lives in New York City. www.valerylessard.com
Lisa Baron is writer, director, actress, and owner of Baroness Films, a production company based in Central New York. Her first short film, “Hedda Needs Help”, was licensed to DirecTV’s ShortsTV in 2018. Lisa edited the feature-length media-project with Christopher Carter Sanderson of the former NYC Guerrilla Rep Theatre. www.baronessfilms.com
Bryan Fitzgerald is producer, director, writer, actor, and founder of Sow the Seeds Productions. The team’s next short film “Donut Chase” is currently on the festival circuit. www.bryanpmfitzgerald.com