Kim Rocco Shields Imagines World Where Gay is Norm

Imagine a world where being gay was the norm, and falling for the other gender would bring down the scorn of the community on your head. This is the world that up and coming young director Kim Rocco Shields has created in her new feature film, "Love Is All You Need?"

"As a longstanding supporter of the LGBT community, I have always wanted to make work that creates social change and means something," Shields told EDGE. "This idea came to me a while back, when kids were constantly committing suicide because they were bullied in school. I sat there thinking... what if the bullies could live in that kid's life for a day, and how can I show the other side? Thus began the venture to create 'Love Is All You Need?"

The film is based on a controversial, award-winning short film that got more than 45 million hits on YouTube and Facebook, and went viral in 26 countries. Shooting on the feature film project began on October 17 in Los Angeles, with a release date of summer/fall 2015.

The award-winning casting directors Mary Vernieu and Linsday Graham, of hit movies "Black Swan" and "Silver Linings Playbook," gathered a stellar ensemble cast featuring Briana Evigan of "Step Up All In" as the lead role of star quarterback, Jude Klein.

Opposite Evigan is "Pretty Little Liars" Tyler Blackburn as Ryan. Emily Osment of "Cyberbully" and "Hannah Montana" is Jude's girlfriend Kelly, and the "Walking Dead" star Kyla Kenedy is Emily, an 11-year-old girl who is brutally bullied for having a crush on a boy at school.

"It is an anti-bullying film. It brings light to the story of the bullied, and helps open the eyes of an audience to the other side," said Shields.

Jeremy Sisto of "Suburgatory" and "Law & Order" plays the pivotal role of Mr. Thompson and Ana Ortiz of "Ugly Betty" and "Devious Maids" has been added to play the role of Susan. Katherine La Nasa of "Deception" plays the role of Vicki while Jenica Bergere of "Trophy Wife" came on board as Karen. Also added to the cast is Leonard Roberts of "Drumline."

This never-been-done before film is a provocative drama about a world where being gay is the norm and heterosexuals are bullied. The film comes together with multiple storylines of bullying, prejudice and human rights, with hints of real life events (including Westboro Baptist Church, Matthew Shepard, and Southern prejudice) prevalent throughout, magnified by this unique lens.

While this movie is giving a strong message to not be prejudice and to not bully, Shields noted that the subject matter was controversial and said that some of the locations that were booked changed their minds when they determined that this was a "gay" movie. She argued that "Love Is All You Need?" is not a "gay" movie, but rather a movie meant to have us examine our own belief systems.

"Time and time again, potential investors would read the script and then back out of funding the film because people would immediately see it as a gay film," said Shields. "This film is not about gay issues or straight issues-- it's about human issues: how people treat each other every day, and how treating people poorly and in a negative way can have dire consequences."

A weekly webseries of the making of this highly anticipated film will be released as a transmedia campaign to engage the vast online support.

"I hope audience members can walk away with a new perspective on how to treat people daily. Actions have consequences, whether or not you feel the issue is big or small," said Shields. "Everyone has a right to be themselves and live their lives judgment free, and hopefully this film will make bullies of every age question their actions before they bully again."