Sexual trauma is a serious situation. In the prolific film Girl On The Edge filmmaker Jay Silverman compassionately focuses on the message that no-one wants to face or talk about. With the instant commands in today’s society & extreme pressure from social media it’s has become an even deeper matrix.
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The script writers Joey Gamache & Joey Curtis (Blue Valentine) captured the authentic moments of life and gentle circumstances. It was an all-star cast with the lead actor (ABC Family sitcom Melissa & Joey) Taylor Spreitler’s performance was rich, so vulnerable and shined in her darkest moments.
JAY SILVERMAN (DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)
Jay Silverman has excelled as a leading Director, Producer, and Photographer for over 30 years specializing in award-winning television, digital, and print campaigns; having worked with renowned celebrities such as Denzel Washington, Beyonce, Quentin Tarantino, Jamie Foxx, and Ray Charles.
Silverman Co-Created and Executive Produced A&E’s “The Cleaner", starring Benjamin Bratt; an hour long drama based on a real life interventionist who uses unorthodox methods to save lives of those who battle addictions.
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Other notable shows include “Roots 30 Year Anniversary Special” for TV One, “The Secret Things of God” for Fox, and “D’Jango Unchained”, a one hour special for Weinstein Company.
A graduate of Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara with a Master of Science Degree, Jay founded Jay Silverman Productions in 1979 in Hollywood California, and built a 40,000 square foot facility including 3 sound stages.
Though its hard to believe that I began this journey nearly five years ago, Girl on the Edge was—and remains—a deeply personal project for me, as well as everyone whose hard work and dedication helped it come this far. Among those deserving of my thanks and gratitude is my daughter, whose poem is what originally inspired me to make the film. I remember reading it for the first time very clearly, as it described a rape as only a survivor could, which was devastating enough to read as a father, but it wasn’t until I found a program where she could receive treatment—a place I never even knew existed—and realized the potential our story had to help others liker her that I was convinced that it was also a story worth sharing. It is my hope that whether you relate to this story as a survivor or an ally of one that you will find Girl on the Edge as healing and empowering to watch as it was for me to make. - Jay Silverman
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Maheo Academy, the fictional facility where Girl on the Edge protagonist Hannah Green receives treatment for post-traumatic stress, is loosely based on the Residential Treatment Center (or RTC) Uinta Academy in Wellsville, UT, and the Wilderness Therapy Program Pacific Quest in Naalehu, HI. Both facilities are focused on treating adolescents struggling with a wide variety of behavioral, mental, and emotional health issues, and take a holistic approach to recovery.
In addition to its overarching philosophy and the portrayals of individual staff members, the on-screen depiction of Maheo drew extensively from the practices of its real-life sources. For example, Uinta Academy uses a warm homelike environment, Equine- Assisted Psychotherapy, and Parelli Natural Horsemanship much like Maheo does in the film, and the depictions of its Social Horticultural Therapy, model of sustainable living, and three-day “Solo” rite of passage were inspired by Pacific Quest. These methods, while drastically different from the clinical and pharmaceutical standards, have high rates of success in its young patients, the majority of whom transition back into society without returning and lead happy, healthy lives.
Silverman and his family are raising awareness and support for organizations like Uinta Academy and Pacific Quest which foster nurturing, positive environments for their young residents.
Watch the Trailer HERE.
Girl On The Edge premiered on SHOWTIME stream it HERE
Kyriaki Chonacas xo
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