We often talk about how Fort Wayne is full of talent and art, but this time it’s on the big screen. 

Cinema Center will be premiering the psychological thriller Under the Influencer on Saturday, Jan. 4.

The film is produced by Fort Wayne native Jill Bennett, who will be on hand following the screening for a question and answer alongside her wife, and star of the film, Lauren Neal. 

Being pushed too far

Under the Influencer follows the artistry of Lex Carre, whose mental health is portrayed through her art. 

She shares her creations online anonymously until Andrea Caulfield (Erin Matthews), an art curator, begins mentoring her. Their relationship quickly comes to a head when Andrea begins pushing Lex to a point of a psychological break. 

The film is created by an all-queer, all-female core team and has been recognized and awarded by multiple film festivals.

I had the opportunity to speak with Bennett Neal, who along with portraying Lex is also an editor and director of the film, about their creation and the challenges and victories of making this film, which came with a lot of hard work. 

“We both took on multiple roles, which is a basic requirement for micro-budget projects,” Bennett said. “When you cannot afford to pay people, you have to do it yourself.” 

Growing up in Fort Wayne

Bennett, a 1994 graduate of Canterbury, is a producer, writer, and actor based in Los Angeles. 

She found herself in acting at a very young age when she got to play as Dracula in an eighth grade play. 

As she continued with her career, she began getting roles in major shows such as Beverly Hills 90210. 

In 2005, Bennett came out as gay in an interview. Although she had been out, this was the first professional statement about her sexuality. 

“At the time, being openly gay wasn’t as widely accepted, particularly in the entertainment industry,” she said. “I paid a price for my openness — I lost two pilots specifically because the network was nervous about sponsors. 

“Ultimately, though, it became a blessing in disguise. It pushed me to take control of my narrative and start creating my own opportunities. I began writing and producing, telling stories that reflected my truth and the experiences of people like me. Those challenges shaped my perspective and my voice as a storyteller.”

She went on to become the creative director of Fair Play Films, a production and distribution company focused on high-quality films primarily empowering female, BIPOC, and queer filmmakers. 

Creatives during pandemic

I spoke with both of them about the creation of their film and the process of making it. 

“Under the Influencer started as an idea that Lauren, our screenwriter Skye Emerson, and I came up with during the pandemic,” Bennett said. “Like many creatives at the time, we were searching for ways to stay productive despite the constraints of lockdowns. 

“We initially imagined it as a small, contained story — a two-character film that we could shoot in our garage with minimal resources. However, life got in the way, and the project was temporarily put on hold. 

“The following year, we saw an opportunity when We Make Movies, a local independent film collective, announced a “Make Your Feature” contest. Believing the concept could be executed effectively on a micro-budget, we decided to submit. We were thrilled to be one of three winning projects chosen from 135 submissions. We were invited to present at the Cannes Film Market this past May. That milestone launched our festival run, which has since earned us three Best Feature awards.”

For Neal, what she witnessed during the pandemic played a major role in the film.

“The pandemic expedited our collective dependence on social media as a tool for human connection,” she said. “As we all know, social media can be constructive and essential, but it also has a dangerous and outsized influence on our self-perception. We wanted to explore the seductive nature of that influence — especially when wielded by someone as charismatic and convincing as Andrea Caulfield. 

“Furthermore, in 2021, there was an explosion of new technology that claimed to offer artists a path to protect their intellectual property and enjoy financial autonomy. We were interested in how NFT and web3 culture might simultaneously empower and harm artists.” 

I further spoke with them about the representation of the LGBTQ+ community in media. 

“Under the Influencer features numerous LGBTQ+ characters without being an explicitly queer film,” Neal said. “My character, Lex, is a lesbian, but that is far from her sole defining attribute. Lex is a data-savvy artist who struggles with her mental health. Rather than focus on her sexuality, we opted to dig into the innermost workings of Lex’s psyche. We wanted to tell a story that explored relationships of all types between women: familial, platonic, romantic… toxic.”

They are both looking forward to the premiere at Cinema Center. 

Bennett is particularly excited to showcase her art in her hometown.

“This city and its people played a huge role in shaping who I am today, and it’s incredibly meaningful to bring this work back to where it all started,” she said. 

They are also excited to reach the creative community that we live in and hope to make connections.