Grace Painter Koziol
Writer, Director, Producer
Grace Painter Koziol is the director, writer, and editor of “Bad for Me.” Koziol, a Milwaukee native, has always been a storyteller to her core. As a child, she would dream up elaborate, colorful scenes in her mind that were set to music, filled with people acting out some type of storyline; it was practically instinctual for her. While some might call this daydreaming, she realizes it was a lifelong call toward filmmaking. Koziol brings a feminist lens to the world of film, focusing on some of society’s most forgotten heroines: housewives, mothers, and homemakers. She feels passionate to shed light on stories that have been long forgotten or never told.
Brandon Engel
Antoni, Producer
Hailing from Milwaukee, Brandon Engel’s journey in acting and film is deeply grounded in his Midwest upbringing. As the lead actor and co-producer of “Bad for Me,” his storytelling is fueled by a profound passion to inspire and connect with others through his craft, both on stage and on camera. Through “Bad for Me,” he seeks to empower women and ignite vital conversations about generational trauma and hegemony, in hopes to amplify marginalized voices.
Ariya Monet
Donna, Associate Producer
Primarily an actress, Ariya Monet initially joined the “Bad For Me” team to play the role of “Donna” in the film. After working on set, Monet was invited to join the production team as an associate producer; she happily accepted, excited to further help bring such an important story to life. Monet is a firm believer that storytelling is an essential part of humanity, and is honored to have the opportunity to both explore that humanity and allow others to widen their perspectives with her work.
Riley Condon
Associate Producer
Riley Condon is an associate producer of “Bad for Me.” Condon is originally from Rochester Hills, MI, but since coming to Marquette, Milwaukee has become her second home. She is an entrepreneur and aspiring pastry chef who loves to be creative in the projects she brings to life, whether that be culinary world or otherwise. Joining the “Bad for Me” team was a big moment for Condon in pursuing both her love of film making and joy in helping to bring Koziol’s prominent, feminist film to life.
Why Bad for Me?
More than a basic kitchen sink drama, Bad for Meexposes the guts beneath the glamor of the American dream. As a feminist memoir and observation of mid-century life, the film engages viewers with the harsh reality of how love can be manipulated into a destructive force.
For as long as stories have been told, we have been fed the stories of those in power, or the stories that those in power wanted to hear. What happens to the stories of the voiceless, powerless, or those deemed unimportant? They are often lost, stuck somewhere in the world, longing to be told. Powerful, emotional, and meaningful stories trapped by hegemony. This is exactly the premise of Bad for Me. The roles of housewife, mother, and homemaker contain loads of undiscussed trauma; when trauma occurs within the four walls of a home, it becomes shrouded in shame, and often swept under the rug.
Bad for Me depicts how one woman’s high-school relationship turns into a destructive marriage as her husband becomes more manipulative and violent through the years. The drama begins in the 1950s and follows the troubled couple throughout the rest of their lives. It explores the complexity of housewives of that era who were stuck in dysfunctional, unhealthy relationships without the means to leave and support themselves and their children. It also dives into mental health and the poor medical practices of that time that left many in disarray.
While the story of Bad for Meis a period piece, as these issues ran rampant and festered in our past generations, we quickly learned this was not a period issue when making the proof of concept. In the fall of 2023, our social media postings started to go viral. Modern-day women were sharing with us that they recognized our characters Beverly and Antoni in themselves, friends, or family members. We realized that this story exemplifies a women’s issue that has shape-shifted as time has gone on. It might look different in 2024, but the idea is still there.
A story like Bad for Me is even more important today. It works to protect, empower, and educate our current generation of women. It can ignite life saving conversations.