My Bird Is Sick! is a fish-out-of-water comedy about an ancient hag, her pet bird, and the madcap odyssey she goes on to save him. It was inspired by a late night rush to the vet with my 12-year-old dog. At the time, I was researching for a feature about the Salem Witch Trials. Those two worlds collided, and the character of the Hag was born.

We shot locally in NYC and Westchester, stealing shots guerilla style on city buses and bridges. I called in a million favors and am infinitely grateful to the friends, family, and open-minded strangers that appear in the film.

I’ve lived in NYC all my life, but as the city has changed, I’ve sometimes found myself feeling strangely out of place in it. This film explores that disorientation and nostalgia for a not-so-distant past: the New York of subway tokens and MapQuest printouts, where you could get lost without a smartphone to save you.

The Hag started as a version of me, my parents, my grandmother. Then the brilliant Janeane Garofalo came on board, and made the character entirely her own. Her co-star, a live raven named Merlina, was one of the greatest improvisors I’ve ever worked with.

I’m thrilled to share this weird and tender comedy with the world. Thanks for watching.