Magnificent Girl

A story about an unlikely friendship between a troubled family from Harlem and young woman from Moldova who narrowly escapes a kidnapping.

Lena, a single mother, works for meager pay in a sausage factory in a bleak Moldovan town. She is desperate to earn more money to make life better for herself and her daughter. When a friend offers her a lucrative job opportunity as a nanny, she recklessly leaves her child behind and journeys to New York City. Instead, she becomes a victim of human trafficking.

With luck, Lena escapes and ends up in Harlem, in search of a shelter. T.K., a rough neighborhood fixture, takes pity on her and offers her a place to stay. When his alienated ex-wife drops off his estranged five-year-old blind son, T.K.’s broken life suddenly becomes Lena’s reality. Left to care for the boy while T.K. works, Lena and the child develop an unlikely friendship. When the boy is hurt in a freak accident under Lena’s watch, T.K. and his ex-wife are forced to unite. Together, finally understanding Lena’s desperation, they help her find a way back home.

In the end, MAGNIFICENT GIRL is a story of disparate people forging an unlikely bond that forces them to look beyond their own flawed lives and find the humanity needed to overcome the tragedies that brought them together.

Cast: Theophilus London & Ana Ularu

Director: Tatia Pilieva

Producers: Jenny Schweitzer & Brian Bell

Genre: Dramatic Thriller

Cinematographer: Andre Lascaris

Budget: under 1M

Location: NYC, Moldova