Funding i dreamt of this, Esther - MDC Thesis Film

Trailer

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“The change of character brought about by the uprush of collective forces is amazing. A gentle and reasonable being can be transformed into a maniac or a savage beast."

-Carl Jung

Hello all. My name is Nicole Santiago. i dreamt of this, Esther is a psychological drama/thriller I am writing and directing as my Bachelor's thesis film. Esther is a story I have been writing for a very long time. It is very personal to me and took me almost a year to build up the courage to write it. Now I’m ready to share it with all of you.

The film follows Esther after she returns home from college to live with her mother, Helen. Their turbulent relationship causes Esther's previously dormant eating disorders to resurface, which leads her to abuse her prescription medications in a desperate effort to regain control over her body and her life. She begins to experience fugue states and hallucinations that challenge her perception of reality and further strain her relationship with Helen.

This story pulls a lot from very intimate experiences I have encountered myself and through my family. Although Esther originally began as a version of myself, as I built her character, she took on her own life, experiences, and stories. While she is somewhat an extension of me, she has such deep complexities, traits, and quirks that make her someone very unique and special to me.

With the belief and hard work from some very beautiful people that have stood by me through the emotional challenges I faced while writing this, we have been able to start bringing Esther's story to life. And now we’re asking you to join us on this journey.

With the psychological and fantastical elements of the film that come with building this nightmarish world Esther is navigating, we are mainly focusing the funding that we receive on things like special effects, locations, production design, and camera equipment. And of course, food & parking for our talented crew that are working extremely hard to bring this crazy world into reality.

Any amount donated is hugely appreciated, and a simple like or share goes an incredibly long way. Thank you for the support that you have all given us so far. We can’t wait to share more of this story with you.

-Nicole

*No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this fundraiser