About Us
Supporting the change we want to see in women's health
After enduring a whopping 15 years of painful sex, Michelle finally found her groove with the right help, and the support of her husband. She became the go-to friend for friends, and friends of friends, who also suffered in silence. One day, a pal dared her to put her filmmaking skills to good use, and voilà, this awesome project was born!
We're filmmakers and entrepreneurs—on a mission to shake things up in women's health, shining a light in the dark and bringing hope to those who thought pleasurable sex was just a myth. While other documentaries have focused on more commonly known conditions, we're honing in on the nitty-gritty, focusing on conditions like "Vaginismus," "Vulvadynia," "Vulavaginits" and others that turn sex into a pain fest.
With experts and real-life stories, we're diving deep into the reasons behind vaginal pain, making stops at the emotional rollercoaster and the hunt for cures. And hey, because this topic can get heavy, we promise to sprinkle in some humor to keep you smiling while you soak up all the info you need.
Meet the Team
We are filmmakers and business leaders that are passionate about telling this story
Director / Producer
Michelle Luchese
is Co-founder and Co-CEO of Manly Bands with her husband, John. Michelle holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and is an actor, musician, and award winning Producer.
Director of Photography
Amanda Treyz
is an award-winning cinematographer whose films have screened at major festivals including Sundance, SXSW, and Los Angeles. Amanda is an alumnus of AFI’s MFA Cinematography Program and Brown University.
Composer
David Bertok
is a composer of the award winning feature films “Peace by Chocolate”, “Daughter of the Sun” and “Botero”, David Bertok writes for film, TV and the concert hall.
Executive Producer
Johnathan Ruggiero
is Co-founder and Co-CEO of Manly Bands with his wife, Michelle. He is a Producer, Director, and Editor with a BA in film from Emerson College.
Cameraman
Korey Martin
hails from Kansas City. He brings his vast experience with Getty Images and Manly Bands to the big screen.
CAmeraMan
Jason Bettis
is the owner of Versatile Creative, and a genius at all things photo and video.
Production Assistant
Stormi Bettis
is the Product genius behind the latest Manly Bands. When she isn't designing rings, she is a huge help in bringing her organizational skills and love to this project.
Associate Producer
Michelle Ehrman
is a jack of all trades when it comes to producing. She brings her vast skillset to this very private problem.