Milk and Money

New York medical student David (Robert Petskoff) quits college to search for his true vocation. A chance encounter with young female filmmaker Nancy (Sarah Winkler) provides one avenue to explore, whilst a business deal with her Uncle André (Robert Vaughn) results in the delivery of 21 cows to André’s swish apartment. This, in turn, provides another twist in David’s life, as he gets to know André’s mistress Christine (Calista Flockhart) over a milking stool. A confidence-boosting relationship between the couple develops, encouraged by wacky trustee Goneril Plogg (Olympia Dukakis).

Michael Bergmann’s “Milk & Money” had its New York theatrical premiere at Big Cinemas Manhattan ,  at 239 East 59th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, Manhattan for a limited one week run beginning on October 22, 2010.

Starring

Calista Flockhart
Olympia Dukakis (Academy Award for Moonstruck)
Dina Merrill
Robert Vaughn
Peter Boyle
Margaret Colin
Marin Hinkle
Denise Faye
Robert Petkoff
Sarah Winkler

Awards

“Best American Independent Feature” for “Milk & Money,” Cleveland International Film Festival
Prix SACD for “Milk & Money” – Avignon Film Festival

Official Selection

Hamptons International Film Festival
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Texas International Film Festival
Telluride Indiefest
Louisville Film Festival
South Beach Film Festival
Bermuda International Film Festival
Shanghai International Film Festival
Seattle Film Festival
Avignon/NY Film Festival

Produced by Ted Hartley and Michael Bergmann
Written and Directed by Michael Bergmann
Director of Photography: Irek Hartowicz
Production Designer: Meredith Bergmann
Casting by Michele Ortlip
Costume Designer: Marialena Winner
Editors: Tom Patterson, Ardythe Ashley

Milk & MoneyTrailer
When everyone is firmly implanted in their own world and the only thing you can count on is that indelible truth, Central Park and 21 cows make an enormous amount of sense.

Synopsis

Milk & Money is a parody of a coming-of-age film that is nevertheless a satisfying coming-of-age film.

David, a recent medical school dropout, is walking casually along a New York City street. Within moments, two different beautiful women — utter strangers — have asked David for favors, one which “could take several years” and one which involves a mysterious package. In each case, amiable David immediately agrees to help. Soon, Davis meets more women who make more demands, and becomes involved in the relocation of twenty-two cows, a homeless Texas Cattle expert and a rich man’s mistress who has a Ph. D. in medieval literature.  Trying to guess how all these fantastical elements tie together is one of MILK & MONEY’s many gleeful pleasures.  Watching David grow up while he deals with these absurd complications is another.

David is played by Robert Petkoff. The cast includes Calista Flockhart, Marin Hinkle, Olympia Dukakis, Dina Merrill, Margaret Colin, Robert Vaughn and the late great Peter Boyle who plays a homeless man living in the public library.

From the Festival Circuit:

“Sexy surreal and entirely original, ‘Milk & Money” is the kind of film that is nearly impossible to pull off and yet somehow writer/director Michael Bergmann manages to do so with great success.” – Sam Maser, Director, Hamptons International Film Festival

We invite you to watch the news coverage of shooting with 21 cows in Manhattan:

CNN                 Entertainment Tonight           Eyewitness News

Michael Bergmann and Olympia Dukakis on the set of “Milk & Money”Edit