IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER... MORE POST

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2025 is off and running and we're doing our best to keep up with it, in spite of having a paired down team. There's a lot to update you on (both joyful and somber), so let's get to it...

Executive Producer, MPI Co-Founder, Friend, KURT MAYRY

Motion Picture Institute Co-Founder and LOVE & VODKA Executive Kurt Mayry back in May 2024, prior to sound ADR at MPI

Executive Producer, Motion Picture Institute Co-Founder and friend Kurt Mayry passed suddenly from leukemia in late 2024 and left a gaping void in all of our lives. Kurt was Producer/Director Heidi Philipsen's mentor and LOVE & VODKA would not have been made if not for his generosity.
A beautiful memorial was held at the Motion Picture Institute and it was amazing to see how one person could have a rippling effect on generations of filmmakers in Michigan and beyond.

We miss him dearly.

Director/Producer Heidi Philipsen, Assistant Editor Max Meissner, Executive Producer Judy Philipsen, Shawano Cinema Owner/Operator/Creative Director Zeke Heling and Wisconsin Relatives

Holiday Test Audience Screening in Shawano, Wisconsin

In order to gather more private audience feedback on LOVE & VODKA and test it out in various ARTHOUSE theaters around the Midwest, Heidi went on the road to visit her relatives and screened the indie before an audience of 20.

The feedback was exceptionally positive (and not just because they're relatives -- you filmmakers out there will agree, FAMILY tends to be the hardest to win over sometimes!)

We DID notice that the character voices were competing a bit heavily with the background soundtrack music and thus, decided to look into that deeper. And so...

Sound Post Team: (from left to right) Sound Supervisor Claudia Mattai Del Moro, Sound Dialogue Mixer, Andre Reichow, Sound Designer & Mixer, Sabrina Naumann-Reichow, Producer (p.g.a. mark) Niko Meissner and, holding the camera, Director/Producer (p.g.a. mark) Heidi Philipse at the University of Babelsberg School of Film & Television

Test Screening at University of Babelsberg School of Film & TV in Babelsberg, Germany

We held ANOTHER test screening at Babelsberg U., where Heidi is now a bonafide MBA in EUROPEAN FILM BUSINESS graduate student! This time, however, the screening was just for SOUND DESIGN & MIXER Sabrina Naumann-Reichow, Dialogue Editor Andre Reichow, pga mark Producer Niko Meissner, and Heidi.

Thus, we've decided to -- yep, you go it -- open the film back up and make more tweaks on the film sound.

Sound post is one of the hardest nuts to crack, when it comes to films, and yet also the most important. A film lacking top production value in sound post will kill it when it comes to exhibition and distribution.

We're scheduled to go back into the sound studio in early February, just before the Berlinale and European Film Market kick off. This is the stage that can be so difficult, especially for MICROBUDGET Indies, because everyone thinks that as soon as it hits its first screening, the film is done. But even BIG budget films do test screenings and head back to "fix it in post."

In the meantime...

An on screen shot of LOVE & VODKA with actors Sara Wolf, Dale Dobson and Zach Bradley at the University of Babelsberg School of Film & Television. Copyright Love & Vodka LLC 2025 All Rights Reserved

The End of the MOVIEMAKING Marathon

The end of the LOVE & VODKA journey doesn't end there; in fact, it's just the beginning.

We're looking into a limited release arthouse theater screening journey across America in strategic cities where non-profit organizations helping Ukrainian diaspora and refugees are located, so that we can partner with them, spreading the word about our film and raising funds to assist. More news on that to come, so stay tuned to our website: www.love-vodka-movie.com and social media (Facebook & Instagram) @loveandvodkamovie.

Poster created by Sean Strong Copyright Love & Vodka, LLC 2024 Do not reprint or use without explicit permission in writing from Personae Entertainment Pictures.

NYWIFT Fiscal Sponsorship Donations Help Keep Us Afloat!

And if you have some extra cash lying around or would like to make a contribution in honor of a friend, family member or colleague, we would so appreciate your donation to our fiscally sponsored film.

It helps us with our continued expenses (Post Production Ain't Cheap and Neither are Film Festival Entry Fees!), please consider either donating to our film via New York Women in Film & Television's Fiscal Sponsorship program, or our GoFundMe, by visiting the fundraising page of our website: https://www.love-vodka-movie.com/donate.html

If you don't, your support via a "like" or "follow" to one of our social media pages is also mighty nice -- it let's us know you care and see us -- kinda like cheering a marathon runner on as she nears the last few miles before the finish line. Truly, it means the world.

Thanks, again, for all of your support!

Sincerely,

Heidi
Producer/Director (and additional writer)
LOVE & VODKA