Lilly Lion's You & Me (& Chaz & Rodney) begins with a plan and quickly becomes something more honest. After two curious teens arrange to hook up with boys for the first time, they find themselves confronting each other instead — the friendship between them, and the quiet, mounting pressure to grow up on schedule. It is a coming-of-age story set at an age most films skip past.
Drawn from Lion's own adolescence and her years working with teens as a teacher, tutor, and counselor, the film treats its thirteen-year-old characters with a rare seriousness. It sits in the discomfort of growing at different rates, and finds both humor and ache in the ways close female friendships get tested.
Key Takeaways
- A coming-of-age short about two teen girls whose hookup plan gives way to a reckoning with their own friendship.
- Inspired by Lion's childhood friendships and her work with adolescents, the film centers female sexuality at an age rarely shown on screen.
- Selected by a festival that uplifts female and non-binary filmmakers, it aims to open conversations about how young people can ask questions without shame.
Below, Lion talks about the friendships behind the film, the scene she cut, and why you can make something true with a shoestring and a potato.
Interview
What drew you to make this film, and why this story, why now?
This film is inspired by the close friendships I had growing up. As a teen, I had two best friends who were practically my sisters. We were inseparable, spending weeks at each other's homes, learning to navigate life together in the large world of our small-town bubble. We were family in a world where we could not relate with our own.
As we grew, however, I began to find loneliness in the ways they were growing and having sexual experiences quicker than I was. The pain and discomfort this brewed caused me to shame the friends I'd been so close with. Growing at different rates is common for adolescents, and the way it affects our deepest friendships, particularly as women, fascinates me. I'm interested in the intense pressures at this age, and how we each respond to them at our own pace. As someone who has worked with teens as a teacher, tutor, and counselor, I have seen these dynamics play out time and time again. I'm interested in the longevity and strength of female friendships, the ways they are tested, and how this is what forces us to truly grow.
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process, creatively or logistically?
I was surprised by how much care and dedication goes into each shot from each department. Most everything was intentional, and everyone was so on top of it. This allowed us to play more on the day and left room for improvisation, which created some of my favorite moments in the film.
What moment in the film feels most like you, or like something only you could have made?
There's this moment where Elisa and Chaz are walking past the table and it is terribly loud and so cringy. I love sitting in those uncomfortable moments because they are so relatable and hilarious, and often the moments in life we wish to hide from or gloss over.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making the film?
We had to cut a full scene mostly due to budget. There was this whole through line of Elisa being self-conscious of her feet after Valerie calls them "hobbit feet." Initially, once they got to the boys' house, Elisa secretly escaped to the bathroom to try and shave her toes and make her feet smell better. We were crunched on time, though, and I think the film still does great without it.
What do you hope audiences take away from this film?
The kids in this story seem young, and they are. While these subjects can feel uncomfortable or taboo, especially as adults, I think it is important to recognize that stories like this happen every day. The more we look away from them, the more taboo they become, and the more challenging it is for teens to learn what is healthy for them and feel less alone. With this film, I hope to start a conversation about how we can create more open spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and able to ask questions without shame.
What tool or mindset shift helped most during production?
This was my first time using a crane. I was initially against it because the scene we were using it for was emotionally intimate and quiet, with just two people. I was worried it would distract or intimidate the actors. But it ended up being incredibly useful and saved so much time between setups, without taking away from that intimacy at all.
What is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into it here?
You don't need a lot. Just a great story, a few collaborators, and a drive to tell that story. Part of filmmaking is being creative with what you have. My first few films were made on practically nothing, and while it is great to have resources (something I wish for all of us), it is not a prerequisite to great storytelling. A lesson I would share is to believe in your story and find ways to make it work, even with a shoestring and a potato.
What does it mean to have your film selected for The Reel Champions Shorts Fest?
It's a huge honor to be selected by a festival that uplifts the voices of female and non-binary filmmakers, particularly in this climate. I'm proud to bring a story about young female friendship and sexuality into that space, and I hope it can inspire the audience. At the core of all my work is a desire to find humor in difficult moments, create empathy, and help people feel less alone.
Main Cast & Crew
- Yang Qian — Producer
- Lilly Lion — Director and Co-writer
- Ceci Cerijido-Bloche — Co-writer
- Nicole Baroudi — Production Design
- Jess Hayes — Cinematography
- Elise Beers — Editor
- Patrick Kennedy — Sound
- LerFilm — Post Sound Facility
- Alex Doherty — Colorist
- Lacey Burdine — Elisa
- Brenna Maas — Valerie
- Brady Gagne — Chaz
- Aaron Chang — Rodney
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