It’s not a movie, it’s a movement. – David King
As delightful as it is imbued with political commentary
— THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
Thier's sensibility offers such a welcome break... inviting audiences to see our modern-day world through fresh eyes
— VARIETY
Played with touching insight and natural beauty
— HUFFINGTON POST
Thier plays the kooky interloper with the same open and unguarded childlike naiveté as Robin Williams’ beloved alien Mork
— LOS ANGELES TIMES more...
S H A P E T H E F U T U R E
Shaina is a historian who lives 600 years in the future. Humans, at this point, have cleaned up the planet. War, poverty, pollution, greed, exploitation, depression, loneliness - these are things that she’s read about in history books. And while she studied this dark period of history, in which money was viewed as more precious than people, she has never, in the flesh, seen humans hurt other humans.
Until now.
While visiting a group of physicists who experiment with time travel, Shaina is accidentally left stranded in our time. Here she involves herself with a group of friends who are as lovable as they are flawed. As the harsh realities of their lives unfold, she learns what no history book could have taught her.
Old habits, however, are hard to break, and Shaina can’t help but assume that everyone around her is honest, generous, and caring, as she works to recruit the help that she needs to get back home.
While most futuristic films depict a dystopia that is even colder and less human than our own, this film takes a bold departure from the sci-fi genre by exploring the possibility of a future in which caring and compassion govern our societies. What if the future of humanity and the planet turns out exactly as we would want it to be?
Director Ela Thier, Photograph by Milton Kam
ELA THIER is the writer, director, producer, lead actor, and editor of Tomorrow Ever After. She has been described by critics as a powerful new voice in independent American cinema.
Thier's award-winning feature, Foreign Letters, is a memoir about her own immigration experience. The film has shown in over 140 film festivals world-wide, and was released by Film Movement and Go2Films (2012). Thier wrote and directed over a dozen short films winning numerous Best Short awards. Her film, A Summer Rain, screened at hundreds of venues world-wide and became a YouTube sensation.
Thier was a writer-for-hire on Puncture, starring Chris Evans, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. She also wrote The Wedding Cow, a romantic comedy produced by a major German TV network (2000), winning eighteen international awards. She teaches popular screenwriting, film directing and producing workshops in New York City under the alias of The Independent Film School. Her workshops are known for bringing artists together in the spirit of support and community rather than competition. VIEW REEL.
Nabil Viñas and Ebbe Bassey in Tomorrow Ever After
Her writing and direction are resourceful and assured, and her performance is as delightful as it is imbued with political commentary …In its sweet but pointed way, saying a good deal with relatively little, and in unpredictable ways, the film is also a critique of art as corporate product, especially in the realm of sci-fi franchise extravaganzas.
— Sheri Linden, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
Played with touching insight and natural beauty ...provided me with a newfound hopefulness and a new sense of wonder for my fellow humans.
— E. Nina Rothe, THE HUFFINGTON POST
Ela Thier brings a fresh perspective …Thier plays the kooky interloper with the same open and unguarded childlike naiveté as Robin Williams’ beloved alien Mork …Ultimately, "Tomorrow Ever After," contains a hopeful message that somehow, the world just might end up a better place.
— Kate Walsh, LA TIMES
Built around Thier's dignity and gentle humor... she emanates charismatic warmth and seems genuinely engaged with the film's theme of compassion in an era of despair.
— Chris Packham, THE VILLAGE VOICE & LA WEEKLY
Thier's sensibility offers such a welcome break... inviting audiences to see our modern-day world through fresh eyes.
— Peter Debruge, VARIETY
"MOVIE OF THE WEEK"
It is a rare film that insinuates itself so gently into your consciousness, and then opens up like a stealth bomb inside your mind and heart. I felt very different after watching Tomorrow Ever After.
— Dorothy Woodend, AWFJ
The human condition in all of its glory and mess comes into sharp focus.
— Pam Grady, AWFJ
written and performed with a tenderness rarely seen in mainstream films. As sweet and hopeful as it is, there is power in it and a call to change our cold, lonely ways.
— Anne Brodie, AWFJ
Original and charming, Tomorrow Ever After achieves what few films manage to: Giving viewers a truly fresh perspective on their current circumstances.
— Betsy Bosdech, AWFJ
Thier’s DIY film delivers its sanguine and timely message like a well aimed punch to the funny bone.
— Jennifer Merin, AWFJ
“witty and outrageously funny screenplay by Ela Thier …[she] gives a spirited performance that’s a joy to watch in every scene. She has terrific comedic timing and panache …one of the most entertaining, provocative and original sci-fi films of the year.”
“unquestionably one of the most personal and singular films I’ve seen this year. Her voice is an original and welcome addition to independent American cinema.”
“This smart, entertaining indie …mixes comedy and science fiction to tell a story that resonates deeply in these unsettled times …Tomorrow Ever After offers a charmingly unique take. Its sharp yet whimsical tone is clearly the work of a singular mindset”
“simultaneously funny and tear-jerking”
“nothing short of extraordinary”
“laugh-out-loud funny and gut wrenching”
“a fantastic movie with an everlasting message”
“An ode to perseverance of the human spirit”
