New Jersey Stage published its 25,000th story in December 2021. As the site approached the milestone, we posed the question on social media as how we should celebrate.  One response was to highlight our favorite stories from over the years.  We liked this idea, but could not narrow things down to just 25 favorites so we will present a favorite each day from different genres.  Every Wednesday will feature a story about film.  This week's choice is a feature on the film Inez & Doug & Kira in which we interviewed the film's director, Julia Kots.

The interview was published on September 22, 2020 and is available here. There are films about important subjects, films that bring characters to life, and films that are challenging for the viewer - Julia Kots’ debut full-length film, Inez & Doug & Kira is all three.  It features great acting performances, superb character development, and enough mystery to keep viewers glued to each scene,

The film largely involves a trio of characters: Inez (Tawny Cypress), her sister Kira (Talia Thiesfield) and Kira’s fiancé, Doug (Michael Chernus) who are part of a rather unique love triangle. It begins after Inez has committed suicide following a long struggle with bipolar disorder and drug addiction.  Inez didn’t leave a note—only a pile of old photos strewn about her bed, which leaves Kira and Doug with many questions. Doug, who befriended Inez from Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, embarks on a self-destructive quest to decipher the significance of the photographs and understand what pushed Inez to slit her wrists. Driven by a series of flashbacks and increasingly haunting dreams, Doug’s investigation grows more obsessive; while his relationship with Kira begins to unravel, as does his sanity, until he finds himself face to face with his own demons.