DANGER&ALONE
The short film Danger&Alone tracks a young actor from meeting a director, through her sexual assault by him, to her public reckoning years later with that trauma. The story derives from the experiences of Mary Monahan, one of hundreds to accuse filmmaker James Toback of sexual abuse. The video closes with voiceovers by women from all over the world recounting their own histories, bespeaking the global dimensions of this crisis.
Danger&Alone is a video intervention created by Mary Monahan (actor/producer) and Nicole Costa (filmmaker/actor). The core of the project is a raw, ten-minute video monologue made for traditional screenings. It tracks a young actor from her enthusiasm for a professional opportunity, through her sexual assault by the director whom she trusted and her years of silent shame thereafter, to her public reckoning with that trauma. The narrative derives from the experience of Monahan, who is one of 395 women—and counting—to accuse filmmaker James Toback of sexual assault and/or harassment; to date, he has not been charged for any of these incidents, which exceed the statute of limitations. The video closes with voiceovers by women from Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East recounting personal histories of sexual harassment and abuse at work and at home, bespeaking the global dimensions of this crisis.
The intervention includes a related project in which Monahan and Costa screen a silent adaption of the video in unannounced, guerilla presentations in the streets of New York City, where Toback makes his home. Since May 2018, they have projected the video outside the closing party of the Tribeca Film Festival; on the wall of the Harvard Club where Toback allegedly assaulted at least five women (https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/03/19/women-accuse-director-assault-harvard-club/gjmslFGda71l1PyTpUgXyL/story.html); and on the office of the Manhattan District Attorney, who has thus far declined to prosecute Toback. Monahan and Costa plan more pop-up protest projections on sites associated with him and those who enabled his abuse. Please check the Danger&Alone FB page (https://www.facebook.com/dangerandalone/?ref=page_internal) and Instagram for updates on times and locations. The project is the first production of Trauma 4 Productions, New York.
The intervention includes a related project in which Monahan and Costa screen a silent adaption of the video in unannounced, guerilla presentations in the streets of New York City, where Toback makes his home. Since May 2018, they have projected the video outside the closing party of the Tribeca Film Festival; on the wall of the Harvard Club where Toback allegedly assaulted at least five women (https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/03/19/women-accuse-director-assault-harvard-club/gjmslFGda71l1PyTpUgXyL/story.html); and on the office of the Manhattan District Attorney, who has thus far declined to prosecute Toback. Monahan and Costa plan more pop-up protest projections on sites associated with him and those who enabled his abuse. Please check the Danger&Alone FB page (https://www.facebook.com/dangerandalone/?ref=page_internal) and Instagram for updates on times and locations. The project is the first production of Trauma 4 Productions, New York.
