BASED ON A TRUE STORY
A short film by emmanuil morari
"A lonely Latvian orphan and his puppet companion face their greatest adventure yet - surviving Christmas with an American family whose love threatens the fantasy world that's kept them alive."
HARRY POTTER MEETS JOJO RABBIT · WITH THE TOUCH OF PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE FILM
A story of love, loss and the permanence of belonging.
You Let Me Live There is a poignant blend of drama and magical realism: a Latvian orphan's fleeting Christmas with an American family, woven into a portrait of resilience. In just a few weeks, unbreakable bonds form, proving that even brief moments of love can change a life forever.
Genre
Runtime
Format
Camera
Screening
Drama / Magical Realism
20 minutes
4K · 2.35:1 Anamorphic
Red Raptor VV · Atlas Mercury
DCP · 4K
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
"This was a story that chose me. When I connected with Dennis and Michele and heard their true story, I realized I had a voice in creating this film.
I was Dennis. At eight years old I moved to the United States without a word of English, where I experienced American traditions for the first time, surrounded by a culture I didn't understand. It is an intimate loneliness and as children, we escape. Into imagination, into stories, into the worlds that movies build when the real one doesn't have room for you.
That is why I wanted to use magical realism to tell this story. This film is about bringing the inner world outside, making visible what children carry. AL, Dennis' puppet best friend, is a manifestation of the protectors that develop during traumatic moments in youth. It speaks the truth of how a boy survives when he can't express himself.
Dennis taught me that. Or maybe I already knew it and Dennis gave me permission to say so."
-Emmanuil Morari | Director
WHY THIS STORY MATTERS
33,000 children will spend the holidays in an institution this year. Not a family's home.
Dennis was one of them. One month with an American family changed the trajectory of his entire life. This is proof that even brief moments of belonging can be permanent.
Hosting programs like the one that brought Dennis here remain underfunded and overlooked. You Let Me Live There exists to change that.
ON SET
THE MAKING OF
You Let Me Live There: The Making Of
A documentary on the making of the film.
LEAD CAST
Michele
Chelsey Grant
Chelsey Grant is a Minneapolis-based actor, singer, dancer, and voiceover artist with a BFA in Acting and over 15 years of professional experience across film, stage, and commercial work. She has performed in markets spanning London, Paris, and throughout the Midwest, with notable credits including "Frogman," "Sanctified," and "Scare Package."
Dennis
Gus Kolbe
Gus Kolbe is a 14-year-old actor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He makes his short film debut in You Let Me Live There, where he plays the lead role. He has also performed as Oliver in Oliver! at Skylight Music Theatre.
Jim
Seth K. Hale
Seth K. Hale is a Milwaukee-based actor and proud member of Actors Equity Association. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire in theater and music, he has built a career across film, stage, commercial, voiceover, and print. He brings a rare combination of classical training and natural screen presence to every role.
