ARLENE IN 5B
Ursula Ellis, $50,000 Short Film Grant Winner
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LOGLINE
Darkly comedic drama short film
New York septuagenarian Arlene’s daily routine of “doing the research,” terrorizing her AA group, and harassing service workers is upended by the arrival of party girl neighbor, Audrey. But when Audrey brings home an unexpected pet, an even more unexpected bond is formed.
SYNOPSIS
ARLENE IN 5B is a darkly comic slice-of-life story set in Manhattan Valley - an unglamorous corner of the Upper West Side. It follows the unlikely friendship between Arlene, an unnervingly caustic woman in her seventies, and Audrey, an optimistic grad student who has just moved into the building with her boyfriend, Joe.
After a rooftop party sparks a hostile first encounter, the women are unexpectedly brought together when Arlene discovers that Audrey has secretly adopted a strange pet. As Audrey reveals her growing loneliness and the emotional reasons behind rescuing “Vito,” Arlene gradually lowers her defenses. Their shared curiosity towards the animal becomes the foundation of an unlikely bond.
In the film's final moments, Arlene quietly asks for a favor (heretofore unheard of), marking the beginning of a genuine friendship. Blending acerbic humor with warmth, ARLENE IN 5B explores urban isolation, intergenerational connection, and the unexpected ways people find community… just next door. :)
FILMMAKER STATEMENT
For all the years I lived in New York, I was at 782 Amsterdam Avenue, apartment 5C (top of the walk-up) - in a one-bedroom under 400 square feet with my partner, our cat, and at any given time 5-6 aquariums between 2.5-65 gallons. And yes, I do know how that sounds. We were broke, existentially adrift, and the unit was rent-stabilized. With each passing year, we considered ourselves lucky - despite a carbon monoxide scare, leaky roof, and the occasional vermin.
Across the hall was a woman named Arline (with an “i”) - though she went by Lee. Lee was a New York icon and institution - if only to me - the classic curmudgeonly yet lovable (again - only to me) “starter” neighbor. She was well into her 70s, wore a full face of haphazard make-up every day, and had a conspiracy theory for every occasion. The Fresh Direct truck loading zone? Obviously ushering in the New World Order.
Much to my surprise, we became friends. I walked her up all six flights after her hip replacement, and she came to my Columbia MFA thesis premiere at Lincoln Center. When I decided to move to LA after grad school, she returned the goodbye card I wrote her, opened and presumably read. My departure was unwelcome, and we never spoke again. Not long ago, I looked her up, only to learn she had passed away. Her online obituary had no comments, and it seems no service was held - an Upper West Side phantom slipping into obscurity, who probably wouldn’t have cared either way - but not on my watch.
We live in a time of incredible division and disparity. As “eccentric” as Arline might have been, she made a large, often lonely place feel like home. Chosen community is vital, but so are the people thrust upon you by physical proximity. The people you find when you embrace your “given circumstances.” We didn’t have to agree on really anything for me to accept Arline as community - desperate for agency, worthy of care.
The world has felt especially heavy these past years, and I would like to make a film that is genuinely optimistic in whatever small way - through absurdity, humor, and vulnerability between neighbors - inspired by Arline. HARD TRUTHS meets PARTY GIRL, MIDNIGHT COWBOY meets HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, with a little bit of OKJA thrown in (yes, I really did buy a turtle off the street).
MOOD BOARD
Ursula Ellis, Writer and Director.
Ursula Ellis is a writer-director based in Los Angeles. Born in Germany to Army parents from West Virginia and moving between ten US states, she considers many places home. With a literary inclination, she tells stories about outsiders on the margins, incorporating regional and genre elements.
Her sci-fi short AVA IN THE END premiered at Fantasia and was widely released on Shudder, Tubi, Omeleto, and DUST. He eco-thriller MFA thesis, CRICK IN THE HOLLER, received an Alfred P. Sloan Production Grant. Horror short OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD lives on Hulu as part of 20th Digital Studio / Disney's BITE-SIZE HALLOWEEN (S02E07). She directed a staged performance of dark comedy pilot NEPO DADDY at Dynasty Typewriter, starring Tawny Newsome (SPACE FORCE) and Matt Walsh (VEEP).
Her work has been supported by the Museum of the Moving Image, Catwalk Institute, Maine Media Workshop, and the NYC Mayor’s Office. She was a fellow in the Destroy All Boundaries Directing Partnership for Women Genre Directors, and received the Lisa Rubin Award for Best Dramatic Teleplay at the Columbia University Film Festival. She studied Radio/Television/Film at Northwestern University and received an MFA in Screenwriting & Directing from Columbia.
Ben Gojer, Producer.
Ben Gojer is a Los Angeles based producer working across elevated genre, dark comedy, and character-driven independent films. His producing credits include 10 feature films, like the SXSW dark comedy $POSITIONS. He is a co-producer of upcoming feature TRASH MOUNTAIN (dir. Kris Rey, prod. Colin Trevorrow, starring Caleb Hearon & Zooey Deschanel). His work has been released theatrically and through distribution partners Cineverse/Screambox and Dark Star Pictures. Through his company Forkback, he is developing a slate of director-driven projects spanning surreal horror, comedy, and contained thrillers.
Katie White, Executive Producer.
Katie White is an Emmy Award-winning producer. Her credits include Amanda Kramer and Magdalena Bay's IMAGINAL DISK and Lindsay Calleran's CAITY, both of which premiered at Tribeca 2026. Drawn to the space where brand meets cinema, she produced BRIDESMAN for Grindr, a bold queer comedy that earned an Emmy nomination and a Tribeca X Awards nomination. Her short films, including ILY, BYE and SHE RAISED ME, have played festivals worldwide, including Palm Springs Shortfest. She is an alum of Through Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Women's Filmmaker Program, the Sundance Producers Lab and Catalyst programs, and the Gotham Institute.
Lauren Guiteras, Director of Photography.
Lauren is a Cuban-American cinematographer devoted to independent, world, and repertory cinema. She is a graduate of the AFI Conservatory, a member of IATSE Local 600, and one of Variety’s Cinematographers to Watch. Her films have premiered at festivals including Sundance, IFFR, SXSW, and DOC NYC. Most recently, she wrapped production on Killer Films’ PRETTY BABIES, directed by Tyler-Marie Evans and produced by Christine Vachon and Jordan Wagner. Credits include MA BELLE, MY BEAUTY, Marion Hill’s debut feature (Sundance 2021); IFC Films’ DANDELION, shot on Super 16mm, directed by Nicole Riegel and starring Kiki Layne & Thomas Doherty (SXSW 2024); and ZIWE (Showtime, A24).
Erica A. Hart, CSA, Casting Director.
ERICA A. HART, CSA was born and raised in Washington, DC. She graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and began her career at ABC Primetime Casting before working as Meredith Tucker's associate, starting Hart Casting in 2020. TV/streaming credits include BLACK MIRROR, A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW (2024 ARTIOS AWARD winner), THAT DAMN MICHAEL CHE, THE GIRLS ON THE BUS, and SURVIVAL OF THE THICKEST. Broadway: CHICKEN & BISCUITS, PASS OVER, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, and JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING. Film: THE SURROGATE (2021 ARTIOS AWARD winner), WE STRANGERS, FUCKTOYS, and LAPSIS. Erica is an active board member of the Casting Society, a member of Local 817, and a member of the Television Academy. In 2025, BWF named her a Woman to Watch on Broadway.
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