Dear Lemon Lima
Encyclopedia
Dear Lemon Lima is a 2009 family comedy feature film written and directed by Suzi Yoonessi
. Based on her short film of the same name and developed with the support of Film Independent and its Filmmaker Labs, this film is about a 13-year-old half-Yup’ik girl navigating her way through first heartbreak and the perils of prep school
in Fairbanks, Alaska
. In learning the meanings of love, friendship, and community, Vanessa Lemor finds her voice by embracing her heritage and reclaiming the spirit of the World Eskimo Indian Olympics
(WEIO) at a private school
where her narcissistic sweetheart’s family is legendary.
, working at an ice cream shack and obsessing over the heartbreaking tragedy. After numerous unsuccessful attempts at erasing fond memories, she resolves to win Philip back at Nichols Academy (named after Yoonessi's alma mater, Nichols School
), a close-minded preparatory school where the Georgey family is legendary.
Awarded the only minority scholarship, Vanessa’s new life is a nightmare. Back from the summer abroad and fluent in French, Philip is elevated to popular status, while Vanessa is relegated to the bottom of the prep school caste system with the rest of the FUBAR
s. Rounding out the rest of the FUBARs are Hercules, a loveable, but socially inept boy with wildly overprotective parents, Samantha, a 14-year old who claims her father is a rapper, and Nothing (formally known as Madeline), whose family owns a funeral parlor. Vanessa’s consolation prize is Philip’s decision to honor Vanessa by being her student advisor. Philip, wishing the best for his pupil, reinstates the values that once brought them together – the pursuit of individuality and embracement of a social consciousness: an alternative lifestyle for a better world. Unfortunately, Vanessa misinterprets his preaching, and alienates herself by presenting an anarchist essay at the opening school ceremony. To make matters worse, she is the only freshman captain selected for the school’s infamous Snowstorm Survivor competition, an event inspired by the Native events in the World Eskimo Indian Olympics
.
Vanessa believes that a victory in the Snowstorm Survivor championship is the only way into Philip’s heart. She quickly forms a quirky team with her fan base in the weight room. Team FUBAR prepares for the event, driven by Vanessa’s plight for her true love. Unlike the Native Olympics that brings together people of all sizes and shapes to celebrate Native Alaskan culture, Nichols’ Snowstorm Survivor simply perverts the traditional Eskimo games in order to foster an antiquated class system.
After the tragic loss of a beloved teammate, Vanessa discovers the true meaning of love and must embrace her Native heritage to reclaim the spirit of the World Eskimo Indian Olympics.
Actor Shayne Topp won the LAFF award for "Outstanding Performance" in the Narrative competition for his performance in Dear Lemon Lima. In bestowing Shayne Topp with Outstanding Performance recognition, the Jury stated:
"For his sophisticated and nuanced comic performance in a role that is often played in less subtle ways by more experienced actors, the award goes to Shayne Topp from Dear Lemon Lima."
Dear Lemon Lima received the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at their U.S. East Coast premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival and premiered internationally at the Rome International Film Festival.
Dear Lemon Lima is distributed by Phase 4 Films and by HBO/Cinemax in Eastern Europe.
Suzi Yoonessi
Suzi Yoonessi is an Iranian-American filmmaker living in Los Angeles, CA. She wrote and directed the award-winning feature film Dear Lemon Lima, and The Spring of Sorrow for the Independent Television Service online FutureStates series...
. Based on her short film of the same name and developed with the support of Film Independent and its Filmmaker Labs, this film is about a 13-year-old half-Yup’ik girl navigating her way through first heartbreak and the perils of prep school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
in Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
. In learning the meanings of love, friendship, and community, Vanessa Lemor finds her voice by embracing her heritage and reclaiming the spirit of the World Eskimo Indian Olympics
World Eskimo Indian Olympics
The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics is an annual event held over a four-day period in July or August, designed to preserve cultural practices and traditional survival skills essential to life in circumpolar areas of the world...
(WEIO) at a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
where her narcissistic sweetheart’s family is legendary.
Plot
Vanessa Lemor, a lonely 13-year old Yup’ik (Western Eskimo) girl with a vivid imagination, is dumped by her true love, über intellectual Philip Georgey, 14. Vanessa spends the summer in Fairbanks, AlaskaFairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
, working at an ice cream shack and obsessing over the heartbreaking tragedy. After numerous unsuccessful attempts at erasing fond memories, she resolves to win Philip back at Nichols Academy (named after Yoonessi's alma mater, Nichols School
Nichols School
Nichols School is a private, non-denominational, co-educational college-preparatory day school located in Buffalo, New York, USA. The average enrollment is 570 students with an average Upper School grade/class size of 98 students...
), a close-minded preparatory school where the Georgey family is legendary.
Awarded the only minority scholarship, Vanessa’s new life is a nightmare. Back from the summer abroad and fluent in French, Philip is elevated to popular status, while Vanessa is relegated to the bottom of the prep school caste system with the rest of the FUBAR
FUBAR
FUBAR is an acronym that commonly means "fucked up beyond all recognition/any repair/all reason".-Etymology and history:The Oxford English Dictionary lists Yank, the Army Weekly magazine as its earliest citation: "The FUBAR Squadron.....
s. Rounding out the rest of the FUBARs are Hercules, a loveable, but socially inept boy with wildly overprotective parents, Samantha, a 14-year old who claims her father is a rapper, and Nothing (formally known as Madeline), whose family owns a funeral parlor. Vanessa’s consolation prize is Philip’s decision to honor Vanessa by being her student advisor. Philip, wishing the best for his pupil, reinstates the values that once brought them together – the pursuit of individuality and embracement of a social consciousness: an alternative lifestyle for a better world. Unfortunately, Vanessa misinterprets his preaching, and alienates herself by presenting an anarchist essay at the opening school ceremony. To make matters worse, she is the only freshman captain selected for the school’s infamous Snowstorm Survivor competition, an event inspired by the Native events in the World Eskimo Indian Olympics
World Eskimo Indian Olympics
The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics is an annual event held over a four-day period in July or August, designed to preserve cultural practices and traditional survival skills essential to life in circumpolar areas of the world...
.
Vanessa believes that a victory in the Snowstorm Survivor championship is the only way into Philip’s heart. She quickly forms a quirky team with her fan base in the weight room. Team FUBAR prepares for the event, driven by Vanessa’s plight for her true love. Unlike the Native Olympics that brings together people of all sizes and shapes to celebrate Native Alaskan culture, Nichols’ Snowstorm Survivor simply perverts the traditional Eskimo games in order to foster an antiquated class system.
After the tragic loss of a beloved teammate, Vanessa discovers the true meaning of love and must embrace her Native heritage to reclaim the spirit of the World Eskimo Indian Olympics.
Release
Dear Lemon Lima premiered on June 20, 2009 at the Los Angeles Film Festival and was released theatrically on March 4, 2011.Actor Shayne Topp won the LAFF award for "Outstanding Performance" in the Narrative competition for his performance in Dear Lemon Lima. In bestowing Shayne Topp with Outstanding Performance recognition, the Jury stated:
"For his sophisticated and nuanced comic performance in a role that is often played in less subtle ways by more experienced actors, the award goes to Shayne Topp from Dear Lemon Lima."
Dear Lemon Lima received the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at their U.S. East Coast premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival and premiered internationally at the Rome International Film Festival.
Dear Lemon Lima is distributed by Phase 4 Films and by HBO/Cinemax in Eastern Europe.
Cast
- Savanah Wiltfong as Vanessa Lemor
- Shayne Topp as Philip Georgey
- Zane HuettZane HuettZane Alexander Huett is an American child actor.Zane is most famous for his featured role on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives playing the role of Parker Scavo, the younger son of Lynette and Tom Scavo. He plays the youngest Scavo boy, yet is older by six months than the actors Brent...
as Hercules Howard - Melissa LeoMelissa LeoMelissa Chessington Leo , is an American actress. After appearing on several television shows and films in the late '80s, her breakthrough role came in 1993 as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street for the show's first five seasons from 1993 – 1997...
as Mrs. Howard - Beth GrantBeth GrantBeth Grant is an American actress. She is known for often playing characters who are conservatives, religious zealots or sticklers for rules....
as Principal Applebomb - Elaine HendrixElaine HendrixElaine Hendrix is an American actress, producer, singer, dancer, and activist. She is best known for her roles in the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap, Inspector Gadget 2, and the 2004 documentary What the Bleep Do We Know!?....
as Coach Roach - Eleanor Hutchins as Terri Lemor
- Meaghan Jette MartinMeaghan Jette MartinMeaghan Jette Martin is an American actress and singer, who is known for her role as Tess Tyler in the Disney Channel original movies Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam...
as Megan Kennedy - Kari NissenaKari NissenaKari Nissena is an American actress, director, and producer. She both produced and starred in the award winning 2006 film Cats on a Plane . She won the Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Feature awards at the 2009 Oceanside International Film Festival...
as Norma - Vanessa MaranoVanessa MaranoVanessa Nicole Marano is an American actress. She has appeared on the TV series Without a Trace, Gilmore Girls, Scoundrels and The Young and the Restless, among others. She is currently a main character on Switched at Birth, where she stars as Bay Kennish.-Personal life:Vanessa Marano was born...
as Samantha Combs - Maia Lee as Madeline "Nothing" Amigone
- Jada Morrison as Emmaline Chin
- Taylor Finlon as Lynne Chin
- Chase Vanek as Jon Mongory
- Emma Noelle Roberts as Kellie
- Dusty Sager as David
External links
- Teen readies to walk the red carpet at film premiere at Alaska Star
- Vanessa Marano in Dear Lemon Lima at Crushable.com