Fund Our Film: Let It Breathe

Let It Breathe Instagram

The script for Let It Breathe came to life during my college years as a story about a thirty year old woman who faced challenges I couldn’t imagine and had a job I never expressed interest in. Safe to say the connection between me and my script was lacking. Years later, when I moved from Florida to California, I joined an exclusively queer writing group and had the privilege of reading works that reflected the screenwriters’ journeys. The scripts had their humor and took place in their hometowns, friends were name dropped and experiences were shared through a character’s eyes. The scripts felt personal and alive. After submitting rewrites on my script for the third week I realized where the source of my disconnect came from: I was writing what I wished for instead of writing what was true.

I am a twenty-six year old Black, Non-Binary lesbian who is afraid of feeling unhappy. It feels great to write that out. It felt even better when I realized I could share this vulnerable part of myself through the medium of film. Finally I could scream, “Here I am! Here’s what’s wrong with me (and probably with you, too)!” When I started writing Cy, our main character, I wasn’t ashamed of their anger or put off by their physical strength. I wrote not who I wished to be but who was always there just tucked away. My character was allowed to blossom and the petals that sprouted rightfully took up space and pushed trepidations to the side. It’s a feeling I wish to have come across in the film through keen direction.

I have spent my time with film primarily in front of the camera and while this is my first huge role on the other side I am no stranger to the work that goes into bringing a project to life. With that in mind, I’ve built a team of creatives that I trust, including a director who has had works premiering at London’s BFI Flare Festival, a cinematographer who has shot for NBC, and a producer who has worked both The Emmy Awards and Disney’s D23 Legends Awards. Already, I’ve been pushed to challenge my script, to go deeper, to question more in order to make this the best it can be. Through this team’s care and our collective passion, I have found power in writing the truth.

All the funds we raise through this campaign will go directly towards the film. Camera/Equipment rentals, meals, location rentals, post production, etc. will all be made possible through your donations. Thank you in advance for your support in bringing this story to life!