'Babesmilk' spotlights Guam talent as filmmaker plans homecoming premiere

By Ron Rocky Coloma

A short comedy filmed across Guam is finding audiences on the festival circuit while its director says the project was shaped as much by the island's creative community as by his own vision.

"Babesmilk," written and directed by Elisha Mlotek, features a predominantly CHamoru cast and crew alongside performers from Guam, Samoa, Fiji, Saipan and Chuuk. While the film has already screened at festivals, Mlotek said the premiere he anticipates most is the one planned on Guam.

"We're planning a local premiere and community fiesta so we can celebrate with the people who actually made this film possible," Mlotek said. "My hope is to partner with a local nonprofit and donate the proceeds so the event gives something back to the island that gave so much to me."

Mlotek said the project began during his time teaching film studies on Guam, when he met faculty adviser Diane Thurber over coffee at Slowalk.

"When I sat down for coffee at Slowalk to meet my faculty advisor, Diane Thurber, I was amazed by her achievements as an actress, writer, director, producer, voice-over talent, clown, and community organizer," he said.

"Without warning, Diane would jump into impressions and hilarious voices, and I asked her point-blank if she would act in a short film I directed. She said yes immediately. So, I wrote an outrageous and complicated character for her to embody."

Although he initially did not recognize it, Mlotek said the story reflected his own experience as someone living temporarily on Guam.

"Without being aware of it at the time, I think I wrote a story about an outsider because I viewed myself as a guest on Guam," he said. "Personally, I strived to make sure that me and my family treated Guam with respect and gratitude for having us as guests."

Mlotek describes the film as a "love letter to Guam" and said he hopes audiences beyond the island recognize both its natural beauty and its artistic community.

"I hope people take away how beautiful Guam is and how talented the people who agreed to work on this short with me are, especially our cinematographer/surf photographer Corey Santos," he said.

The production was filmed over six months using a mix of scripted scenes, improvisation and guerrilla-style filmmaking. Mlotek said the collaborative spirit of the cast and crew became one of the project's defining strengths.

"I am incredibly fortunate that local performers and crew welcomed me into their creative community and trusted me with their time and talent," he said. "That generosity is what made the film possible."

He added that the collaboration extended well beyond acting.

"People opened doors to locations, introduced me to other artists, and brought ideas I never would have come up with on my own," Mlotek said. "Babesmilk is really a reflection of that community as much as it is my own work."

The film centers on Sally Babesmilk, a deliberately imperfect protagonist whose behavior often pushes viewers' patience.

"I wanted to create a character who felt real to me," Mlotek said. "I think we're all flawed, sometimes entitled, a little irrational, capable of making bad decisions."

Festival audiences have responded positively to the comedy, he said, with many praising Thurber's performance.

"The reaction that's meant the most to me is hearing audience members fall in love with Diane Thurber," Mlotek said. "People come up after screenings wanting to talk about her performance, and that makes me incredibly happy because she deserves every bit of that recognition."

Looking ahead, Mlotek said he hopes to work on Guam again.

"I left the island with deep friendships and enormous admiration for its artists," he said. "If the right project comes along, I'd be thrilled to return."

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