ShowBizzBuzz: Actress Justine S. Harrison Survives Two Zombie Movies
ShowBizzBuzz = Entertainment News…here’s the latest:
Who is Buzzworthy?
Actress Justine S. Harrison, who appears in the documentary film, Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie, about two friends with Down Syndrome fulfilling their filmmaking dreams and the original scripted short-film they created, Spring Break Zombie Massacre.
What is the premise of Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie?
The documentary film chronicles how Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt, two teenage friends with Down Syndrome, were able to convince their town to help them make a zombie movie.
Within this docufilm, audiences will also get to watch the narrative zombie horror short film the determined friends created, Spring Break Zombie Massacre. The original storyline follows two badass bionic bros, Sam and Mattie, as they save the world from a zombie apocalypse and defeat Satan.
Justine appears in both films, not only as herself in the documentary, but also portraying two different characters in the scripted short. First, she portrays the seductive teacher Mrs. Fox, and then as her daughter Elizabeth, who later becomes the love interest of Mattie.
What else do we know about these two films?
The original short film turned into a cult-hit on the festival circuit and gaining attention for the filmmakers, who were profiled in People Magazine, Buzzfeed, PBS, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, and on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
The project also caught the eye of iconic filmmaker Peter Farrelly, who came aboard as an executive producer, and Gravitas Ventures who agreed to release the documentary film on Apple+.
What does Justine S. Harrison have to say about working on these projects?
“I was excited and intrigued to work with down syndrome performers. Working with Sam and Mattie was such a special experience because I got to be friends with people who some may deem as ‘different’, but are truly special and unique. I always felt like their outlook on the world is to be admired. Working closely with them opened my heart more to being close friends with differently abled people. It was a truly moving experience for me.”
Where else can we see Justine S. Harrison?
Currently, Justine can be seen in another Gravitas Ventures release, the mobster action film, Circle, directed by Bekir Kulozu. She also appears as Nurse Barbara Hopson in the horror-comedy Wait, Wait, Don’t Kill Me, screening at the popular LA arthouse venue Laemmle Theaters; and is set to return to the celebrated dramatic web series, Broken at Love.
What other projects has Justine S. Harrison worked on?
Justine wrote, produced and starred in the short, Graceless, earning Best Actress & Best Short Film nominations at Love Sick Film Festival, Best Acting Duo at LA’s Indie Short Fest, TMFF Winner, Honorable Mention at Independent Shorts Awards, and an Award of Merritt at Global Shorts (LA).
She co-produced, wrote and starred in the short, Next Seat App, receiving ‘Official Selection’ at the Chain NYC Film Festival and Semi-Finalist at Guerilla Moviemaking Awards (GMMAs).
Justine is currently co-creating a new project, Growth, in which she will also star.
How did Justine S. Harrison get into acting?
Originally from Long Island, New York, Justine learned about the arts from her grandmother, who owned a theater company, and her parents, who took her to arthouse and foreign films. She went on to study at the New School University, HB Studios, Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing Arts, and The Barrow Group.
How can you keep up with Justine S. Harrison?
Visit her website at: JustineSHarrison.com
Or find her on social media
Instagram: @JustineSHarrison
Twitter: @justinesharriso
Facebook: /justinesharrison
