The Pick Up

Mason Film Lab The Pick Up, Fall 2016

Synopsis

Sullen teen Melanie’s unexpected trip home from swim practice takes her on a bumpy ride toward adulthood. The Pick Up was written and directed by Giovanna Chesler. It premiered at the 2018 Wicked Queer Festival in Boston.

Cinematography student Tara Tung pulls focus with director Giovanna Chesler

Cinematography student Tara Tung pulls focus with director Giovanna Chesler

Giovanna Chesler, Director

Giovanna Chesler, Director

Giovanna Chesler, Director, Film at Mason

Professor Chesler is a Director and Producer of documentary and fiction film through their production company G6 Pictures. Chesler earned an M.F.A. in Cinema from San Francisco State (Most Distinguished Graduate) and a B.A. from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. Professor Chesler directs documentary and narrative films addressing themes of the body, sexuality, and gender. Chesler's films have been exhibited at over 300 film festivals worldwide and in museums and gallery spaces. Chesler is an active member of Film Independent and University Film and Video Association and is a 2019 Media Arts Fellow - D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Full Bio.

Students on set:

Awards and Screenings:

Best Short Fiction Film, Cineffable, Paris, France

Best Short Film, image+nation, Montreal, Canada

Jury Award, Screenwriting, Big Muddy Film Festival, Carbondale, Illinois

Film Fest DC, Washington

London Lesbian Film Festival, Ontario, Canada

Festival Lesbian Printemps, Toulouse, France

Immaginaria International Festival of Lesbians and Other Rebellious Women, Rome, Italy

Spring Out! Middle Tenneessee LGBT Film Festival, Murphreesboro, Tenessee

Outfest Fusion, Los Angeles, California

Lesbian Looks, Tucson, Arizona

Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival, Indiana

DC Shorts Film Festival, Washington, DC

North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Durham

Pridefest Seattle, Washington

Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, India

Wicked Queer Film Festival, Boston, Massachusetts 

The Pick Up Festival Selections

Wicked Queer Boston Film Festival logo

Behind-the-scenes working on The Pick Up