Small-Town Roots Inspire “Memphis, MO” Short Film
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By Emily Bontrager
Memphis native Kendra Middleton is excited to be creating a short film titled “Memphis, MO.”
Kendra, 24, now lives in Columbia, Missouri, after moving there from New York City a year ago. A graduate of Scotland County High School and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), she has taken on multiple roles in the project as creator, lead actress, and executive producer.
The film will be directed by Kaylin Allshouse and produced by Devon Tayman and his production company, Delicious Monstera. Kendra met them this past June while working in Los Angeles on another short film.
“All three of us have worked so wonderfully together, creating a really well-rounded project,” Kendra said. “Devon brings such a professional energy into the conversation and has really been our rock through it all. He controls the contracts, the meetings, the budget, equipment rentals, etc. Kaylin brings my ideas to life. I express what I’m envisioning, and she creates a plan for it.”
The short film “Memphis, MO” is a coming-of-age story that follows Sophia, a chef in her thirties, through a single day in the bustling kitchen of her restaurant. The rhythms of the kitchen trigger memories of her adolescence in rural Missouri—dreams of culinary school crushed by debt, awkward teenage nights with friends, and the encouragements that pushed her forward.
The story moves between the intensity of the kitchen and the humor and pain of growing up, until both timelines converge as Sophia finally realizes her dream. Told with sharp detail and small-town humor, “Memphis, MO” is both an ode to perseverance and a portrait of ambition meeting memory.
Kendra said the setting was an easy choice.
“They say ‘write what you know.’ Well, I know Memphis, MO. I know the people I grew up with and, well, they’re entertaining. They’re real. They’re authentic,” she said.
“A few more things I know about are cooking, restaurants, ambition, and grit. So, I combined all those things and got this heartwarming, inspiring, authentic, fast-paced coming-of-age story that provides breaks of humor.”
She has been working on the script for about six months, exploring adulthood and memory through the lens of a single day in the restaurant. Filming will take place in Memphis and at Sophia’s restaurant in Columbia. The schedule includes two to three days of filming with long production hours.
To get the project off the ground, the team has a fundraising goal of $11,000 to cover labor, equipment, and production costs.
“We’re fortunate enough to have the support of the Memphis community for things like the use of locations, permits, catering costs, and several other key elements of a typical film production,” Kendra said.
“You’re donating in order to be able to view a finished project that you’ll be able to say you helped create. Nothing is too small.”
Donations can be dropped off at Memphis Lumber Company with Jason Middleton or made through GoFundMe, Zelle, or Venmo (@Kendra- Middleton-1). Those interested in larger donations or becoming an executive producer can contact Kendra directly.
This is Kendra’s first short film as creator, though she has appeared in several projects across the country, including The Lamb, Dinner and a Mystery, Till Death, Waiting for Divine Intervention, and My Mom’s Violin. She’s also appeared in background roles for Mr. Harrigan’s Phone (Netflix), Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix), Kinda Pregnant (Netflix), and Billions (Hulu).
Locals may even appear in the film, as Kendra plans to include community members in production. She also hopes to premiere the film in Memphis next spring.
Kendra said the local community has already shown excitement for the project.
“They’ve definitely offered online support since sharing the pitch deck. That’s another reason why I wanted to film here and inform the town of the project first. They have always been supportive,” she said.
She remembers that same encouragement when she first left home for AMDA in New York City.
“I was terrified to go, but the town supported me in ways I could have never imagined. I got pep talks from my teachers, reference letters from remarkable people, and so many donations to a yard sale where I sold the majority of my things to fund travel and school supplies. I am blessed to come from such a selfless and cheerful community.”
The film holds special meaning for her as someone who once worried that growing up in a small town might hold her back.
“For a while I was upset because I wasn’t born into a city with endless opportunities in my backyard or nepotism. In this industry, I’ve definitely competed with people who got a much further head start than me,” Kendra said.
“But as I’ve grown, I realized that being from a small town gave me so much more than most people. It gave me stories, inspiration, insight, and grit.”
She went on to receive one of the highest scholarships in her AMDA class and was the first in her class to gain SAG-AFTRA eligibility at just 19 years old.
“I never intended to be a screenwriter, but Memphis, MO offered me so much humor, complexity, and small-town gossip that makes for the best stories. I’m so thankful to be able to use my experiences to entertain others.”
Kendra hopes that small-town audiences come away from this film inspired by the idea that creativity and determination can emerge from even the smallest communities.
“You are not limited by your funds, your locations or even your support,” Kendra said. “There are alternative paths to take to be successful.”
She wants people to feel encouraged to pursue their ideas and to see that meaningful stories can take shape anywhere. Through “Memphis, MO,” Kendra hopes to inspire others to dream boldly and make the most of the resources they have right where they are.
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