Following a successful West Coast debut at the Slamdance Film Festival in February, Patricia Beckmann Wells’ modern-day AI fairytale Mombomb, Part 1 is set to make its South Asian premiere at the Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF), taking place March 20–24, 2025.
The groundbreaking short is one of five films competing in NIFF’s dedicated AI category and will screen on March 21 as part of the festival’s Day 2 lineup at the QFX Chhaya Center.
Created using a pipeline that weaves together more than a dozen AI tools, Mombomb draws from Beckmann Wells’ deeply personal experience growing up in Toledo, Ohio, during the 1970s—a town she describes as a breeding ground for serial killers. The feminist comedy-horror explores intergenerational trauma, the burden of memory, and the resilience of young women through the eyes of Girl Scout Pez, the daughter of WWII immigrants navigating a darkly twisted coming-of-age journey.
“Being selected for the Nepal International Film Festival is an incredible honor,” offered Beckmann Wells. “Mombomb is a story of survival told through fantasy. With the help of AI, I aim to empower others to stay strong through life’s darkest chapters.” Watch the trailer below:
In Mombomb, Pez’s life may resemble a fairytale—but one authored by The Brothers Grimm. When a murderous troll emerges from beneath the proverbial bridge to hunt young girls, Pez must weaponize her Girl Scout training (and cookies) to survive. As her suburban neighborhood grows increasingly eerie and her mother—haunted by her own past—turns a blind eye, Pez is forced to reckon with both monsters and motherhood. The 12-part series, partially complete, is currently being developed into a feature-length film.
The inspiration behind Mombomb is chillingly real. “I was stalked by two men who turned out to be serial killers,” Beckmann Wells explains. “We didn’t learn about the murders from the news—we heard them as ghost stories. My survival was thanks to the grim fairytales my mother told me growing up. She taught me to expect the boogeyman. Sesame Street taught other kids their ABCs. I learned how to kneecap an attacker.”
Tragically, one of the men was released from prison in 2018; the second is up for a parole hearing in March 2025—the same month Mombomb premieres in Nepal.
In addition to NIFF, Mombomb, Part 1 was recently selected by both the Austin AI Festival and RPM In Motion Festival in Boston. It has earned accolades around the world, including:
- Best in Creative AI – QLD XR Festival (Brisbane, Australia)
- Best Animated Short Film – STUFF MX (Mexico City)
- Runner-Up, Best Story – Metamorph Film Award (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
- Best Visual Effects – AI Artist (Peking, China)
- Official Selection – AI Program 1.0 at Tirana International Film Festival (Albania)
- Grand Prix Winner – Courant3D (Angoulême, France)
CREDITS:
- Director/Producer: Patricia Beckmann Wells
- Cast: Patricia Beckmann Wells
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