‘Chicago Fire’ Alum Monica Raymund, Lisa Cordileone, Shaan Dasani Lead LGBTQ+ Drama ‘Crazy As a Loon’

History has a way of resurfacing, and a new independent short film is reminding us that the struggles of the past are never as distant as they seem. In today’s political and social landscape, echoes of the Lavender Scare – a mid-20th century moral panic that led to the mass purge of LGBTQ+ individuals from government jobs – are unmistakable.

Crazy As A Loon was directed by Monica Raymund (Dexter, Chicago Fire, Hightown), written by Lisa Cordileone (Freelancers Anonymous), and produced by Cordileone, Shaan Dasani (Witness, These/Thems, Agents of Change), and Morgan Marcell (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Half, Hamilton). This short serves as a proof of concept for a TV series called Committed.

This suspenseful drama interrogates a family’s matriarch, hunted down by an underground government unit the night of their son’s birthday, exposing more than her perpetrators bargained for.

During this time in history, government files were created to track individuals deemed to have “weak morals.” Then, lists were made. Suspected gays were on those lists. Black and Native Americans were on those lists. Scientists. Intellectuals. Feminists. This family was on those lists. This is a story about one family—simply trying to exist.

Cordileone, an actor, writer, and producer, has long been drawn to developing high-concept, socially relevant narratives. Her focus lives at the intersection of history and modernity, where technology, ethics, and societal norms inform compelling character-driven stories.

Raymund states, “I wanted to take on the role of director for this short film because I was moved by the story of a family trying to live in peace during the Lavender Scare. As a queer woman, it was important to learn more about this era and explore the emotional fabric of what it means to be the target of a cruel policy while trying to live authentically in the arms of a chosen community. I thought deeply about the questions within these characters: Can we choose our families? Where do we turn for safety and authenticity? How far are we willing to go to protect the ones we love?”

Raymund, Cordileone, and Dasani all have deep ties to Chicago, a city known for its vibrant independent film scene and history of elevating diverse voices. Raymund’s work on NBC’s hit series Chicago Fire solidified her presence in the city’s television industry, while Cordileone filmed Freelancers Anonymous in Chicago, recognized with Hollywood’s ReFRAME Stamp for gender-balanced production, and Dasani’s film Agents of Change was released in partnership with OTV.

This reflection – how far are we willing to go to protect the ones we love? – has never been more relevant. In an era where LGBTQ+ individuals still face systemic threats, telling these stories serves as an act of resistance and preservation.

Is history repeating itself? And if so, what lessons do we still have to learn? The Lavender Scare is a chapter in American history rarely taught and the hope for this project and its continued development is to fill a gap at a moment that could not be more relevant.

What’s next for Crazy As a Loon? The film is currently submitting to festivals, with a world premiere announcement expected later this year. And as for the series-in-development Committed: If and when the series moves forward into production, Cordileone envisions principal photography in Charlotte and/or Wilmington, North Carolina, where Crazy As a Loon was filmed. That said, Cordileone tells SCREEN that “Chicago is always in the mix. The depth of talent and production infrastructure there has made it possible to bring past projects to life, and if the right partners emerge, filming in Chicago could be a natural fit.”

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