13th Stepping

13TH STEPPING follows Lily, a freshly sober actress with an insatiable appetite for escaping her unbearable reality. A provocative glimpse into addiction and redemption wrapped up in a dark comedy-drama. Welcome to the Saturday Night Alive Group of Alcoholics Anonymous. Hang on tight. Recovery is a bumpy ride. The dramatic shor film is directed by Emily Ruhl who is also the star and the lead actress of the film.

Emily was thirteen when she was scouted while attending the shows at New York Fashion Week. Shortly thereafter, the Dallas native signed her first modeling contract in Tokyo. She later returned to NYC to sign with top modeling agency Marilyn Management. She has appeared in Teen Vogue, Marie Claire, WWD, Seventeen Magazine, Nylon, Oyster Magazine, Elle Canada, and Flare Canada amongst many others.

She has been the face of many cosmetic companies including Smashbox, Too Faced, KKW Beauty, and MAC. Emily first starred opposite Nicholas Hoult in Drake Doremus' feature film NEWNESS, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. She also made a cameo appearance in Troian Bellisario's short film, LIFE ON MARS. BLUE MOON is her producing, directorial, and writing debut. The film premiered in October of 2021 at NewFest in New York City. The short has won over 24 awards in categories such as Best Romantic Short (1x), Best LGBTQ Film (3x), Best Woman Filmmaker (1x), Best Cinematography (1x), Best Short Film (4x), Best Director (4x), and Best New Director (2x). Additionally, she co-wrote and produced the theme song to BLUE MOON titled HER. She is currently in production for her first TV series, 13TH STEPPING. Emily wrote, directed, and stars in the project. The series is being developed through her production company, Public School Pictures.

Director Statement:

During my teenage years, drugs were my friends and feelings were my foes. I survived by the skin of my teeth and a weekend in rehab. Creating 13TH STEPPING has turned a nightmare into a dream come true. I'd like to welcome you to the Saturday Night Alive group of Alcoholics Anonymous. Hang on tight. Recovery is a bumpy ride.