​

Director's Statement

Classic comedies often feature difficult men behaving badly. Jack Nicholson, Bill Murray, and Seth Rogen have all played flawed but beloved romantic heroes. But can an audience empathize with a woman who made the ultimate betrayal, a mother who slept with her daughter's boyfriend?

I say the answer is yes! As a woman in her early 40s who has engaged in compulsive relationships with the wrong men and struggled to break free, I know the war between desire and common sense—or as I like to call it, the battle between the head, the heart, and the vagina—is ripe for drama. And I’m excited for the audience to explore this struggle from a woman's POV onscreen in “Katie’s Mom.”

“Katie’s Mom” was inspired by writer Meryl Branch-McTiernan's ex-boyfriend, who had an affair with a recently divorced mother while simultaneously dating her college-aged daughter. His illicit affair went on for several years, unbeknownst to his young girlfriend at the time. This love triangle represented the most extreme example of that battle between logic and passion, something I was drawn to explore on screen.

​

This imbroglio also offered a juicy lead role for an underserved actress in her 50s. Dina Meyer, who has starred in films like “Starship Troopers” and shows like “All American,” was game to take on this challenging part. She delivers a performance that not only makes our female lead relatable, but has the audience rooting for her every step of the way on her messy journey towards self actualization.