Dark comedy short film

BRAINSOMNIAC

She wants to sleep. Her brain has other plans.

Two women in matching pink pajamas lie together on teal bedding as one whispers to the other.
REQUEST SCREENER

Synopsis

In a darkly hilarious exploration of mental health, a perimenopausal hypochondriac insomniac attempts to sleep, but is forced into battle with MY BRAIN (personified by Kirsten Vangsness “Criminal Minds”) who keeps ME (Allison Munn “Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn” “One Tree Hill” “The Big Show Show”) up all night with a series of escalating, imaginary emergencies.

As the hours tick towards morning, fears of a kitchen-knife-wielding intruder, bladder cancer and early-onset Alzheimer’s crescendo with a phantom heart attack that sends ME running to the ER … for the second time in a single day. The diagnosis? Anxiety. Will she ever escape her racing mind? ME is going to try.

Cast & Crew

Deva Dalporto

Writer / Director

Deva Dalporto

Deva Dalporto is a writer, filmmaker, actor and digital creator best known for viral comedy about motherhood and music parodies that earned her the title “Weird Al of YouTube Moms” from NBC. Her work has garnered more than one billion views and appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, People Magazine and more. One of the first women to pioneer viral “mom videos,” she helped shape the raw, irreverent parenting content now ubiquitous online. A former Nickelodeon writer, three-time BlogHer Voice of the Year winner and Iris Award winner, Deva makes her narrative filmmaking debut with BRAINSOMNIAC.

Kirsten Vangsness

Actress — “MY BRAIN”

Kirsten Vangsness

Kirsten Vangsness is an actress, playwright, and arts activist best known for her beloved portrayal of tech genius Penelope Garcia across fifteen seasons of CBS’s Criminal Minds — a role she also extended as a writer, co-authoring five episodes. She currently appears as the maybe-evil Bigelow McFigglehorn in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place and in the new Scrubs reboot.

On screen, she executive produced and starred in the film noir spoof Kill Me, Deadly, and has appeared in Dave Made a Maze and Diane & Devine Meet the Apocalypse.

Her new play Outdated is touring through 2026. She is the creator and host of Bits!, a monthly creativity salon in Hollywood. Recipient of the Open Fist Excellence in the Arts Award, the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Natalie Schafer Award, and the HRC Visibility Award.

Allison Munn

Actress — “ME”

Allison Munn

Allison Munn is a Los Angeles-based actress with an extensive body of work across television and theatre. She is best known for her recurring roles on The Big Show Show, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, and the beloved teen drama One Tree Hill. Her television credits also encompass What I Like About You, That ’70s Show, Carpoolers, and guest appearances on numerous network and cable series.

A classically trained theatre artist, Munn began her career in New York, starring as Luisa in the Off-Broadway production of The Fantasticks. She is a graduate of the College of Charleston and originally hails from South Carolina.

Noah Freeman Hecht

Cinematographer

Noah Freeman Hecht

Noah Freeman Hecht is a filmmaker based in Encinitas, California. A graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in Film & Media Studies, his cinematography blends naturalism with emotional precision — chasing stories from the Pacific Ocean to the mountains of India, and everywhere in between.

His images lean into crafted light and lived-in spaces, often capturing the quiet in-between moments that say the most. Whether shooting narrative, commercial, or documentary work, Noah’s eye is drawn to intimate moments, textures, and the small visual details that make a story feel personal.

His work aims to feel present rather than performative — grounded in authenticity while still delivering a distinct visual and thematic punch.

Margo Zimmerman

Producer

Margo Zimmerman

Margo Zimmerman is a Producer and Production Manager with over twenty years of experience leading award-winning feature animation, live-action television, and global distribution operations. Her work in Production Management for Pixar Animation Studios includes Toy Story 4, Soul, Lightyear, and Inside Out 2.

Prior to Pixar, she managed English-language localization and co-production partnerships for iconic Japanese animation titles including Ghost in the Shell and Neon Genesis Evangelion at Starz Media and Production Managed several live-action series for ABC and Showtime.

BRAINSOMNIAC is her independent short film debut as Producer.

Stills

Two women in matching pink pajamas lie in opposite directions on dark teal bedding.
Two women in matching pink pajamas sit on a bed as one holds a yellow phone.
One woman whispers beside another lying awake on teal bedding.
Two women in pink pajamas sit on a narrow bathroom floor as one cries out.
Two women ride in a car at night, one driving and the other looking concerned.
Two frightened women in matching pink pajamas embrace in a bedroom.
A woman in pink pajamas speaks while holding a striped popcorn cup.
A blonde woman lies awake on a teal pillow in cool nighttime light.
Two women in matching pink pajamas lean toward each other while sitting on a bed.

Festival & Press

For festival programmers, press & distribution

Press materials

Download the official poster, production stills, filmmaker biography and headshot for BRAINSOMNIAC. Private screener access is available by request.

brainsomniacfilm@gmail.com VIEW PRESS PAGE