congratulations, amy

LOGLINE

Katherine, a photographer with a history of self-harm, gathers with friends at an island cabin. As she rekindles a connection with her best friend Amy, she succumbs to the guilt of a shameful secret.

GENRE

Heartwrenching Dark Comedy

BUDGET

$350,000

CONGRATULATIONS, AMY follows a reunion weekend of old high school friends as they get together for one last stay at one of their parents’ properties, where they spent many of their adolescent summers. The estate has been sold after the death of Ben’s father, and the group comes together to reconnect and celebrate the deceased, as well as the time they all spent together at the cottage. Over the course of the trip, old tensions reemerge as they struggle to navigate complex and sensitive social dynamics. At the story’s centre is the relationship between Katherine and Amy, lifelong best friends who have lost touch over the last year.

The film is set against the atmospheric backdrop of British Columbia’s coastal temperate rainforest. It revolves around Katherine (30), a highly sensitive photographer with a history of mental health issues and self-harm. She comes into the weekend anxious; she hasn’t seen her friends since she was hospitalized for self-induced wounds and knows that they’ve been speculating about whether it was a suicide attempt. She’s especially nervous to see Amy as they’ve drifted apart over the last year. Longing to reconnect, Amy reveals that she and Ben are engaged but isn’t ready to tell the group. Katherine vows to keep the engagement a secret from the group but unbeknownst to Amy, the development deepens Katherine’s guilt and drives a greater wedge between them.

As the weekend transpires, Katherine and Amy engage in an emotional push and pull of longing, reconnection, secrecy, and guilt. Katherine’s deeply rooted tension with Ben rises, and the entire group plays a tender-footed game of speculation and prodding. Old wounds run deep, and despite their half-asserted efforts, they all fall back into old dysfunctional dynamics. 

CONGRATULATIONS, AMY is a story about loss, friendship, love, and the unconditional ties that bind us to those we love, even when we don’t want them to. It’s about the roles we cast each other in and how we react when our narratives are challenged or defied. It’s about unrequited love, the secrets we keep to hold on to those we can’t let go.

KRISTINA HAJDUKOVIC, DIRECTOR + WRITER + PRODUCER

Kristina Hajdukovic is a Croatian-Canadian Writer and Director based in Toronto. She is a Vancouver Film School Screenwriting graduate and has worked a variety of positions in the film industry, including as a Producer’s Assistant, Freelance Story Editor, and Extras Casting Director. 

Her ethos as a filmmaker is informed by several years of experience in the film industry. She’s worked in various capacities on high budget studio features, television series, as well as shoe-string budget independent films. She has written three features, a television pilot and countless shorts. 

Primarily identifying as a storyteller, Kristina is passionate about pushing the boundaries of visual communication and narrative through her work in film. As a director, she’s drawn to stylized, honest, and darkly comedic stories that explore the private and uncomfortable aspects of our lived experience. 

She is the founder of Moon Blue Film, a boutique commercial and narrative production company. She works in Toronto as an Independent Filmmaker, Freelance Story Editor, Producer, and Director. 

WEBSITE

KENNY MCDONALD, DOP + WRITER

Kenny McDonald is a Vancouver-born filmmaker and exhibiting artist. He has worked as a cinematographer, editor, and director on documentaries, feature films, short films, and an anthology series and has exhibited in galleries throughout Vancouver and Toronto. 

His work addresses the complexity of interpersonal relationships, notions of personal and social memory, and the nuances of storytelling. Kenny recently completed the 2-year MFA in Documentary Media at Ryerson University. 

WEBSITE

TRIXIE PACIS, PRODUCER

Trixie Pacis is a writer, producer, and visual storyteller drawn to stories exploring the connection between people and their environment. She brings 8 years of film industry experience between Los Angels and Vancouver in a diverse variety of roles including Executive Assistant at Trisko Talent Management and Script Development Coordinator at Drive Films. Trixie’s on-set experience includes producing, unit videography, and production assistance.

Trixie was one of the Producers behind Walk With Me and wrote Dil Rakh and Vile & Sweet. Ashe has additional experience as an Assistant to Producer on The New Romantic, Motel Acacia, and Foragers. She also writes, directs, and consults on screenplays, short films, and commercial projects scripts for clients globally.

WEBSITE