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‘My Dead Friend Zoe’ Filmmaker Kyle Hausmann-Stokes On Combating Veteran Stereotypes In Hollywood With Engaging Female Leads

Filmmaker Kyle Hausmann-Stokes talks to Deadline in-depth about weaving his personal experience into his debut feature film 'My Dead Friend Zoe'

Using his own personal experience during and after serving in the Army as a Bronze Star combat veteran, Hausmann-Stokes manages to interweave a relatable story that deals with complex themes of trauma, self-sabotage and maintaining a willfulness for life and love through human connection. Making matters worse is the fact that her traumas manifest in the shape of her deceased best friend Zoe (Morales) who often shows up as a figment of her imagination. As she deals with the mandatory military therapy sessions she’s assigned, Merit is also tasked with taking care of her aging militant Vietnam vet grandfather (Ed Harris) from whom she is estranged.

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