ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
When newcomer Alexis joins a group therapy session and plans to write a TV series about it, the groups members are thrown into charged waters that will change them forever.

SYNOPSIS
“Every person must choose how much truth he can stand” -Irvin Yalom.

Group therapy makes you bare your soul in unpredictable ways. It is raw, comical, sexual, pugnacious. It liberates conflicts, explores connection, all within one room, all in words. Compared to individual or couples’ psychotherapy, it feels like therapy on steroids.

This film tells the story of Alexis, a filmmaker joining a group to research a TV series inspired by the novel The Schopenhauer Cure by Irving Yalom. He’s committed to a seemingly absurd goal: filming without a script, in real time, with a real psychoanalyst. It’s a prequel to the existing web-series GROUP, released on YouTube and PBS, with more than 350K views and strong responses.

This feature will make spectators experience group therapy vicariously, and be touched by it, engaging in a form of voyeurism and thriller of the psyche - a new cinematic experience.

Session 1: Alexis joins group, an irritation to Karina, Rebecca is welcoming. He’s developing a series set in group, wants to cast Doc. All are against the project. Doc reveals he had a heart attack. Karina thinks Doc has become less protective, she’s decided to leave.

Session 2: Doc announces he’s closing shop, next session will be the last. Pam reveals she had sex with Manny. The topic of boundaries becomes hot. Alexis shares news: a producer wants to buy his project but doesn’t want him to direct.

Session 3: The last meeting. Alexis says he has given up on casting Doc against the will of the group, but Pam suddenly changes her mind. A change of tide?

Epilogue: They meet (without Doc) at a café. Tilda suggests they shoot a pilot playing fictionalized versions of themselves. One by one, they warm up to the idea.

PROJECT TYPE Hybrid Narrative Feature

DIRECTOR Alexis Lloyd
SCREENWRITER Alexis Lloyd
PRODUCER Alexis Lloyd, Molly Conners
cast Thomas Sadoski, Dr. Elliot Zeisel, Cara Ronzetti, Ezra Barnes, Teresa Avia Lim, Gabriela Kohen, Elisha Lawson, Bernardo Cubria, Lucy Walters

The Film Collaborative (TFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing programs and services for independent filmmakers. TFC’s federal tax ID number is 32-0295081. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Support a TFC Fiscal Sponsorship Project

Please help support this project with a tax deductible contribution. The “donate” button below will take you to PayPal, but a PayPal account is not required to make a donation. You can check out 2 ways:

1. Use your PayPal account
2. Check out as a guest by selecting “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card” (no PayPal account is required)

Transaction Fee

Please consider covering the PayPal transaction fee by selecting the “I’d like to add to my donation to help offset the cost of processing” box on the next page. This will ensure your intended full donation amount will be received for the project.

Alternate Donation Payment Methods

If you prefer to donate by check, Zelle, ACH, or wire transfer, please email us for instructions.

Stock Donations

TFC accepts stock donations. By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are giving 20% more than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation, since you will not pay capital gains taxes on the donated stock. Learn more here.

Please email us for instructions to donate stock to a fiscally sponsored project.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Donations

A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations. TFC accepts DAF donations and is on file with most major DAF companies. Provide your DAF TFC’s Tax ID: 32-0295081. If we are already on file with your DAF company, they will process the donation.

Tax Receipts

In compliance with IRS rules, tax receipts for your charitable gift are issued for the amount The Film Collaborative receives after payment processor fees are deducted. The Film Collaborative emails tax receipts in PDF format within 30 days of your online donation. The “receipt” that is immediately sent to you from PayPal after you donate is just a payment receipt, not the tax receipt.

Matching Donations

Many companies have matching gift programs and can help you double your donation to a project of your choosing. Sometimes these programs will match a donation up to a year after it was originally made! Check with your employer—if they have a matching gift program, they will provide you with instructions.

End of Year Giving

November, December, and January are big giving months each year. Donors top up their annual giving in November and December. January is a new fiscal year, and some donors start their giving for the next fiscal year early. Some donors even give at the end of the year and again in January since these donations fall into different fiscal years.

Donors tend to make their large year-end donation decisions before the holidays start. In 2024, that means before December 20. TFC can accept donations by wire, ACH, and Zelle until 5:00pm Eastern Time on December 31. Online donations by credit or debit card can be made until 11:59pm Pacific Time on December 31.