This alumna’s first feature film is all about Him

George Mason University alumna Rebecca Wahls’ directorial debut film Him centers on the last five contestants of a reality dating show, who discover that their potential “soulmate” isn’t what he seems to be. 

"The screening was a really special opportunity to share the film with the George Mason community, from my old classmates to current students. It was fun to talk with the students who asked such detail-oriented questions during the Q&A and after the screening," said Wahls, BA Theater ’15. 

Wahls received the 2024 Young Alumni Creative Development Award from the Young Alumni Commissioning Project (YACP) for the film, which was screened in the Johnson Center Cinema on March 21. 

“We immediately realized this was a topic that inspires big time conversation because a lot of people really don't know much about how reality TV works behind the scenes. For example, contestants aren’t allowed to have their cell phones with them, which is a big part of the film’s plotline,” said Wahls, who is also a writer and producer. 

“The core theme of Him is that women in particular have to put on various masks in the different areas of their lives. In this scenario, the face that's being put on them is completely outside of their control,” she said. 

Filming took place in January 2023 in Sedona, Arizona, over the course of 17 days. This film, which Wahls describes as an “anxious comedy,” is a partnership between Wahls and Tess Higgins. Higgins originally wrote the story as a stage play, which was previously directed by Wahls in Washington, D.C.  

“There are always three movies: the one that you write, the one that you shoot, and the one that you ultimately edit that ends up being the final product. Every step of the way, Tess and I would reach out to people [for advice],” said Wahls.  

“We went into production and reached out to everyone we knew who had successfully shot a feature film. Now we're going into editing or music, so we reach out to everyone who has successfully done that. Every round of that there are fewer and fewer people to reach out to, so I think it's a huge achievement to have finished it as quickly as we did and as well as we did,” she said. 

After the film was finished, they began submitting it to festivals and sought distribution for it.

 Wahls said she and Higgins applied for the YACP funds so they could hire a lawyer for the protection and distribution of the film.  

“This grant was really essential, and we couldn’t be doing what we’re doing without it,” she said. 

The film premiered at the Sedona International Film Festival and has been screened at nine festivals total, including the Richmond International Festival, the Three Rivers Film Festival, the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, and the Ampersand International Arts Festival at the College of William & Mary, where Higgins graduated from in 2015. 

In addition to Wahls, there are several other George Mason alumni involved in the film. The lead character Jenna is played by Kira Omans BA Theater ’17, and behind the scenes, Eric Stenmark, BA Film and Video Studies ’13, was the VFX supervisor; Noah Peterson, BA Theater ’18, was first assistant director; and Keenan Gibson, BA Theater ’18, was a production assistant. 

Other cast members include Sydney Battle, a co-host of the "Diss and Tell” podcast; Kyle Prue, a TikToker with 1.2M followers; and Troy Baker, a voice actor who originated the voice of ‘Joel’ on The Last of Us video games. 

Wahls is also active in George Mason’s Acting for Young People (AFYP) program within the Mason Community Arts Academy (MCAA).  

“From the moment I met Rebecca in her freshman year, she stood out as vibrant and whip-smart,” said AYFP artistic director and MCAA executive director Mary Lechter, who was one of Wahls’ first acting teachers. Lechter and Wahls have remained friends and collaborators. 

“I am in awe of Rebecca’s wisdom, artistry, vision, and humanity, and am proud to support her in this and every endeavor,” Lechter added.  

“Mary continues to be one of the most influential people in my life and is a huge supporter of this film along with her husband, Kevin Murray. When I think about my [George] Mason family, it's them,” said Wahls, who will direct The 39 Steps for MCAA’s Advanced Actors' Showcase this summer. 

After graduating from George Mason, Wahls cofounded the nonprofit theater Who What Where Productions. She also earned her Master of Fine Arts in directing from Carnegie Mellon in 2023 where she was a John Wells Fellow. She currently teaches Acting for the Camera, Musical Theater, and Adaptation at Duke University as an artist-in-residence.