It’s hard to imagine a story more emotionally charged — or more unexpected — than this: a dark true story of abuse, survival, and forgiveness reimagined as a musical. But for writer, director, and comedian Camille Solari, contradiction is where the art lives.
Solari has signed on to write and direct a feature film inspired by Stacey Lannert’s bestselling biographical novel Redemption: A Story of Sisterhood, Survival, and Finding Grace. The project, set to begin production in late 2026 with Luna Zhang producing, tells the remarkable true story of a young woman who endured years of abuse, took desperate action to protect her sister, and ultimately discovered forgiveness and self-worth through art.
Rather than retelling the story as a straight drama, Solari envisions something more daring — a music-driven cinematic experience that fuses gritty realism with stylized dream sequences, choreography, and original songs.
“This story has haunted me for years,” Solari says. “It’s dark, raw, and human — but it’s also about resilience, forgiveness, and the courage to keep living. Turning it into a musical isn’t about softening the truth; it’s about using music to show the heartbeat beneath the pain — a Broadway Bob Fosse–style fantasy that lets the audience escape the trauma right alongside her.”
Camille Solari first place at The Saskatchewan International Film Festival For film “A Very Strange Day” and musical television episode “Don’t Pop My Bubble”
For Solari, the project represents a natural evolution of her work — one that unites her sharp comedic voice with her growing fascination for visual storytelling through music and movement.
After earning critical acclaim for her experimental feature film Double Blade (official trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17UrhCgmwIQ) — winner of Best Experimental Feature at the Berlin Women’s Cinema Showcase (2025) — Solari began charting the path toward her next major feature. Over the past several years, she has built an impressive global footprint across the festival circuit, with her films and music videos honored at the LA International Music Video Festival, Global Music Video Awards, Europe Music Video Awards, Florence International Film Festival, Sicilian Film Awards, Beverly Hills Film Festival, Vancouver International Movie Awards, California Children’s Film Festival, and the Hollywood Discovery Awards, among many others.
Her family comedy series Charlie TV continues to reach audiences worldwide, while her self-directed music videos — including Don’t Pop My Bubble — have earned top honors at the London Music Video Awards, Europe Music Video Awards, and the LA International Music Video Awards, as well as accolades from the California Music Video Awards, Nubes Music Video Awards, and the Children’s Cinema Awards (CCA). Don’t Pop My Bubble youtube.com/watch?v=Ir2MNw2FE2U.
“Every piece of my work — from comedy to music to experimental film — has been leading to this,” Solari explains. “The Redemption story feels like the culmination of everything I’ve learned — the rhythm of comedy, the emotion of drama, and the surrealism of musical fantasy.”
Backing Solari’s vision is producer Luna Zhang, a rising force in international cinema known for championing boundary-pushing female storytellers. With roots in both Asia and North America, Zhang has carved out a reputation for bringing global stories to life — projects that merge emotional depth with striking visual worlds. Her producing work spans independent art films and high-concept dramas, with a focus on stories that amplify women’s voices and cross-cultural perspectives.
“Camille’s vision for this film is fearless,” Zhang says. “It takes pain and turns it into art — that’s what great cinema does. Redemption is a film that dares to find beauty in the hardest truths.”
Known for breaking boundaries, Solari made history as the first visibly pregnant woman to perform stand-up comedy on late-night television, appearing on The Arsenio Hall Show eight months into her pregnancy. Her career has since spanned continents and genres, from stand-up stages to television sets to film festivals around the world.
With Redemption, she’s once again defying expectations — this time blending tragedy with art, turning survival into song.
“It’s a story about what happens after the breaking point,” she says. “About finding the light, even in the darkest corners — and dancing your way through it… and even throwing in a few belly laughs along the way.”
Pre-production begins in 2025, with filming slated for late 2026.
