Hannah Lindgren is convinced it’s important to share her medical story.
Lindgren, 33, was diagnosed with endometriosis — a disease that can cause extreme pain in the pelvis — in 2017. She suffered several years before her diagnosis.
“Once I got diagnosed, I had a big learning curve on understanding how to deal with the disease. There is not a ton of research,” Lindgren said. “There are not a lot of specialists. There are people that claim to understand but don’t. It’s really taken those seven years since then to learn about the disease and find the right care. It’s always been important for me to be open about my journey and connect with other people about the disease.”
“The Invisible Crown” is a 20-minute documentary that focuses on Lindgren’s journey. It premieres at 12:30 p.m. July 28 at Newfields in Indianapolis as part of the Indy Shorts International Film Festival.
“We do hear from my mom (Brenda Myers) because she has been a huge support system to me,” said Lindgren, a Lawrence North High School graduate.
Myers is a Fishers resident. Lindgren lives in Indianapolis. Amelia Kramer, a Westfield High School graduate who lives in Indianapolis, is the director and editor. They are co-workers at Chop Shop Post, a post-production house in Indianapolis.
“I was honored she trusted me to tell her story,” Kramer said. “From there, we worked together with our team and created our story.”
This is Kramer’s first time directing a documentary.
“I’ve edited a lot of them and I’ve been working in the film industry for six years,” she said. “This film is about empowering yourself and giving validation to your feelings.”
Lindgren said although she has been open about her condition, it was a different feeling to have co-workers come to her major surgery in August 2023.
“It was therapeutic in the way Amelia approached it,” Lindgren said. “The film is about mental health, too. To be able to share that aspect of it as well and the work I’ve been able to do to overcome some of the medical trauma I’ve experienced in my life (is rewarding).”
During the surgery, she got a second diagnosis of adenomyosis, a condition that causes endometrial tissue in the lining of the uterus to grow into the muscular wall of the uterus. The only treatment is a full hysterectomy.
“It’s learning to be at peace with the health journey I’m going to be on for the rest of my life,” Lindgren said. “Chronic illness is chronic illness, and it will be there forever.”
For more, visit tickets.indyshorts.org.
’The Ice Cream Man’
Following the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands during World War II, popular Jewish ice cream parlor owner Ernst Cahn was targeted by Klaus Barbie, the infamous “Butcher of Lyon.” The story is based on Cahn’s choice between resistance and death.
“The Ice Cream Man,” a 35-minute film, will debut July 25 at Indy Shorts. The historical story was filmed in Columbus, Michigan City and Amsterdam.
“(The film’s goal is) to highlight the incredibly outsized effect that one person can have on their community if they are brave enough to stand up and do the right thing,” said Geist-area resident Amy Pauszek, who serves as co-producer. “Ernst Cahn’s actions ultimately led to over 300,000 Dutch citizens going on strike and shutting down Amsterdam, and the German war machine, for three days. It was the single-largest anti-Nazi protest in history, all because of one man.”
The cast includes actresses Jill Jill Burnett, Patricia Kuhn and Mary Kate Temple from Carmel. Jennifer Haire, Carmel, is the line producer. Westfield residents Arlene and Tom Grande are the executive producers.
A July 25 screening in the 530-seat Tobias Theater at Newfields sold out. An encore screening set for July 27 sold out in one day.
“As a producer, I was determined to sell out every show and we probably could sell out more,” Pauszek said. “This is a powerful and important film. I think half of Indiana has had some part of it. I know the audience will be moved and will be talking about it days after they’ve seen it. I have produced several award-winning films in Indiana but this is one I’m especially proud to be a part of. As for the future, our goal is to continue submitting to Academy Award film festivals, make the film available to schools, museums and organizations for free and our director Robert Moniot, from Amsterdam, is working to sell a limited series and start the development and production immediately.”
For more, visit theicecreamman.movie.
