Award-Winning Short Film, "Just a Broadway Baby: Mary Ellen Ashley" Released on Vimeo on Demand

New York, NY, December 18, 2023 --(PR.com)-- Patrick Riviere's award-winning short documentary film, Just a Broadway Baby: Mary Ellen Ashley, about the life and career of Mary Ellen Ashley (formerly Mary Ellen Glass) has just been released to a worldwide audience through Vimeo on Demand. The film, which chronicles Mary Ellen's start on Broadway at the age of seven in the Innocent Voyage and her full run in the original Broadway production of Annie Get Your Gun starring Ethel Merman, to her work in Las Vegas, radio, early television and more recent film, theatre and television, spans eight decades. Ms. Ashley, who now resides in Los Angeles, and is still working at the young age of 87, is thrilled to have the film reaching a wider audience after 20 film festivals and screenings from coast to coast.

"We did so well on the film festival circuit winning eight awards and five of those were Best Documentary Short awards! I continue to be amazed by the outpouring of love in support of this film and my story," Ms Ashley said.

The film won Best Picture at its World Premiere at the Oregon Documentary Film Festival and then went on to screen all over the country including the Dam Short Film Festival, Boston International Film Festival (BIFF), Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF), and The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival. The film was also named a semi-finalist at Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival which is an Oscar eligible festival. It also screened in the Upstate New York Film Festival in Buffalo where it won both Best Documentary Short and the Audience Choice Award.

"I could never have imagined the film would garner such acclaim as this was my maiden voyage as a filmmaker after a life as a performer, teacher and arts administrator," Riviere revealed. "I owe much of the success of this film to Mary Ellen herself as she is a remarkable story teller and has lived an incredible life which is an inspiration to anyone who hears it."

Mary Ellen just completed filming a role in the upcoming Indie film, Thump, and was a contestant on Let's Make a Deal this season where she won over host Wayne Brady with her tap dancing and humor. So much so that he invited her back for the Championship episode which will air next year. She is currently working on the follow-up to the film with, Just a Broadway Baby: The Cabaret, which will feature stories not included in the film along with songs from her Broadway, touring and regional musical productions.

The film can be rented or purchased through Vimeo on Demand where there are also bonus clips:
vimeo.com/ondemand/broadwaybabymea