Woodbridge Native Rachael Kliman Directs New Short Film

When she was a student at Amity High School, Woodbridge native Rachael Mira Kliman saved up enough money to buy her first video camera. She spent weekends making short films with friends around town, never imagining those homemade projects would eventually lead to a career in filmmaking.

Today, after graduating from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and building a career in Los Angeles, Kliman is inviting the community where it all began to help bring her latest short film, Normans, to life.

Normans is a dark comedy about a painfully average office worker who has spent his life feeling invisible until he discovers a secret support group made up entirely of men named Norman—who share in his condition. As he becomes drawn deeper into the group's strange philosophy, the film explores themes of belonging, prescribed identity, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of the world.

The film recently announced Ryan Perez (Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat) in the lead role and is scheduled to film this August in Los Angeles.

Although she now lives in California, Kliman has remained connected to Woodbridge, volunteering at Massaro Community Farm and returning to Amity High School to speak with students in Brian Flinn's art classes about careers in filmmaking.

"I don't think I would have had the confidence to pursue filmmaking if it weren't for my high school art teacher, Brian Flinn," Kliman said. "Having someone show me the power of art and encourage me at that age made all the difference. You never know what one teacher believing in someone can lead to."

The production is currently raising funds through Seed&Spark to help bring Normans to the screen. Friends, neighbors, alumni, and community members interested in supporting the project or learning more can visit: www.seedandspark.com/fund/normans

Follow the film on Instagram: @areyouanorman