Don’t Be Afraid

As a young man drives through the night with his pregnant fiancé, his gaslighting manipulates her into submission until a mysterious, ghost-like woman appears at a dark curve on the road ahead. DON’T BE AFRAID is an allegory based upon a Spanish urban legend about the manipulative power of gaslighting and glimpses into the weakness that harmful people exploit to perpetrate it.

We intend to make an Oscar worthy short film about how gaslighting is used to dominate and control, and then reach the broadest audience possible by offering the film to organizations working toward championing mental health, positive relationships, and victim support.

Writer • Co-Director
Eric D. Howell is an internationally award-winning writer, director, photographer, author, and McKnight Artist Fellow. Nicknamed by Shoot! Magazine “as one of the industry directors to watch,” he has won top writing honors at Fade In Magazine, Final Draft’s Big Break, and Stage 32. His shorts have won awards around the world, including two films shortlisted for Academy Award nomination, one of which is part of the AMPAS permanent film collection.

In 2022, his work was nominated for an MTV VMA Best Rock Video Award for Evanescence’s USE MY VOICE. His screenplay CASSANDRA’S REVOLUTION will be released as a graphic novel in 2023. His first feature film was VOICE FROM THE STONE, starring Emilia Clarke, and he is now casting for two feature films with Millennium Media and Zanuck Independent. He is represented by United Talent Agency.

Co-Director
Marta Milans graduated from New York University with a double major in Art History and Acting. She began working in New York in series roles such as LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT (2011) and films like THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY (2014) and SHAME (2011) with Michael Fassbender. In 2011, she starred in the film DEVOURED, for which she received two awards, best actress at the Molins International Film Festival in Barcelona, and also at the New York Horror Film Festival. In 2013, she was one of the protagonists of the series KILLER WOMEN, broadcast in early 2014 on ABC. In 2018, she starred in Michael Caton-Jones’s ASHER and has played the role of Rosa Vázquez in SHAZAM! (2019) by David F. Sanberg and SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS. In Spain, she stands out in leading roles such as LA PIEL AZUL (2010) for Antena 3, VALIENTES (2010) for Cuatro,EL EMBARCADERO (2019-2020), EL MINISTERIO DEL TIEMPO (2020) for TVE and Midas’ FAVORITES (2020) and WHITE LINES (2020) for Netflix. Her latest film work is the fantasy film STOYAN (2022), where she plays the role of Maika and for which she has won 9 awards for best actress at festivals in Venezuela, USA (Los Angeles, New Jersey and Austin), Brazil (Sao Paulo), Italy (Rome and Milan), Ukraine (Odessa) and Spain (Madrid). 

Executive Producer

Producer & Story Consultant
Amy Matthews is a remodeler, TV personality, and activist whose work threads together architecture, design, transformation, and education in a spirit of empowerment and renewal. For close to two decades, Amy has inspired by example, with hands-on renovation projects that rejuvenate homes and workplaces. Her television shows on HGTV and DIY Network have included RENOVATION RAIDERS, SWEAT EQUITY, BATHROOM RENOVATIONS, BLOG CABIN, Esquire Magazine’s BACHELOR PAD OF THE YEAR, and THIS NEW HOUSE. 

Amy’s work has been featured in such publications as the New York Times, the New York Daily News, People, Esquire, Country Living, Real Simple, Men’s Health, Good Housekeeping, USA Today, US News and World Report, and Parents Magazine. She has also made numerous appearances on national networks including ABC and CNN, and programs such as the TODAY SHOW and CBS MORNING NEWS. 

Most recently, Amy co-founded And Now She Rises, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women reclaim and transform their own narratives after experiencing domestic violence and abuse. Amy’s public speaking across the country encompasses talks on construction and design, and how they contribute to spacious, inspired, and authentic living. She’s spoken to audiences at universities, the Epcot Center, Master Builders Association, Professional Women in Building, national Home and Garden Shows, and at fundraisers for service organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. 

Producer •  First AD

Miguel Ángel Poveda is CEO of Coco Films S.L. and CEO of Gold Tower Producciones S.L. He has worked as Head of Production for Filmayer S.A., (1989-1992), Production Director for Movierecord Television (1992-93), Creative and Technical Director for the Walt Disney Company (1993-2003), Post-production Supervisor for Universal Pictures (2004-2010), and Producer for El Paso Producciones Cinematográficos S.L with more than 50 short films and 17 feature films. Being a Producer for Gold Tower Producciones S.L. films such as FUTBOLÍN (dir: Juan José Campanella, 2014) as Director of Post-production and SOLO (dir: Hugo Stuven, 2018) as Executive Producer. In 2021 he produced two feature films STOYAN (dir. Roberto Ruiz Céspedes) and 8 AÑOS (dir. JD Alcázar).

 

 

Producer

Nuria Sáez Torres is CEO and Producer of Coco Films. She studied Audiovisual Communication and specialized in the production department. She has produced several short films and has been part of the production department for the feature films: STOYAN (dir. Roberto Ruiz Céspedes) and 8 AÑOS (dir. JD Alcázar). Today, she is working on several fiction feature films together with Miguel Ángel Poveda for Gold Tower Producciones: LA VOZ FRÍA (dir. JJ Serrano) and VIDAS ROTAS (dir. JJ Serrano).