Being stuck at home during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed some people to channel their creative energies in different ways — baking bread, learning a new language or assembling countless jigsaw puzzles.
Los Gatos teenager Emerson Morley wrote a movie — a story about a Silicon Valley high school student with a learning disability facing stress over her grades and college plans. But the story didn’t end there. She raised money from investors to fund production and worked with first-time director Unni Rav and producer Pratiksha Shah to realize her vision.
The result was a 20-minute film, “The Valley,” which premiered July 22 at the Pruneyard Dine-In Cinemas in Campbell. About 100 people — including friends, family members, backers and some of Morley’s teachers — attended the event, which had all the trappings of an opening night in Hollywood.
Her parents, Eric and Holly Morley, hosted the premiere event, beaming with pride over their daughter. “We just get out of her way,” Eric Morley said.
Emerson Morley, who refers to herself as “almost delusionally ambitious,” was diagnosed with several learning disabilities at a young age and was part of an Independent Education Plan to assist her starting in elementary school. Though she said it’s not really autobiographical, the Los Gatos High School student channeled her experiences into her main character, Elsie, whom she also plays in the 20-minute movie.
“Our goal was to highlight the ridiculousness of the standards that high-achieving academic environments impose on students,” she said. “And moreover, if this system is this difficult to manage and this emotionally damaging to a privileged individual, imagine how difficult these circumstances are for kids with half the privilege that Elsie is lucky enough to enjoy.”
“The Valley” has been accepted at four festivals so far, including the L.A. Shorts International Film Festival (lashortsfest.com), which wraps up July 31. You can find out more about the movie and its future at www.thevalleyshortfilm.com.
“If it makes somebody a little more comfortable, a little happier,” Morley said, “then I’ve done my job as a filmmaker.”.
DANCING DOWNTOWN: Another popular event is making a comeback after a year off with the return of the City Dance series to downtown San Jose.
The fun — which includes an hour of instructor-led lessons followed by live music and dancing — has moved from Plaza de Cesar Chavez to the Circle of Palms, in front of the San Jose Museum of Art. It kicks off with the samba Aug. 6 — coinciding with the South First Fridays art walk — and continues Sept. 3 (salsa) and Oct. 1 (cumbia).
The event, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m., is free and open to anyone who wants to get out and dance.
PURR-FECT TIMING: The Dancing Cat — the cat lounge and adoption center near downtown San Jose — is again open to the public for hourly visits with its furry residents.
Cat lovers can make a reservation to spend an hour with the adoptable felines from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays at 702 E. Julian St. Masks are required — for people, not cats — and more information is available www.thedancingcat.org
