Go to the Body Proof of Concept

About the Film

*Content Warning* 

Go to the Body is a feature-length film that follows the story of a young Black couple, Sanaa and Kendrick, as they try to navigate and rebuild their relationship in the aftermath of a sexual assault. 

There are no on-screen depictions of sexual violence in this film. This film is not one that glamorizes Black trauma, but instead tells a story about the road to healing from it. It's more than just a social justice film - a boxing movie, it's a romance, and it's a love letter to Black survivors.

Why This Film, Why Now

Black Lives Matter.

Across the country, we are witnessing Black activists share their stories to guide us towards collective liberation. In some cases, like Toyin Salau, those stories end too soon. In her memory and that of the many Black survivors that have come before her and those that will follow her, we will not be silent. Not politically, personally, or creatively.

We believe in the power of stories and their potential to make people feel seen and their ability to create spaces for conversations about change.

There's no question that we need more Black stories in film and TV, especially stories created by Black women. We need stories that are more than trauma porn, stories that feature Black people in front of and behind the camera.

We need more stories about survivors of sexual assault and violence. Media representation of survivors is generally grossly inaccurate, especially for Black survivors.  Our film's focus on them and secondary survivors is unique.

How You Can Help
To get to the next step with reaching out to investors, we are filming a Proof of Concept: a few scenes that capture the aesthetic and story of the film.

Our full budget for this is $20,000. Our goal is to raise 75% with this campaign and the remaining 25% from grants/investors. Your contribution will go towards paying and feeding crew and cast members, equipment rentals, and post production.

We aim to raise $15,000 between Juneteenth and Independence Day.

The Process 

Phase 1 (Current Phase): Development & Proof of Concept
Creating Proof of Concept and locking in key crew members (i.e. co-directors, cinematographer, etc).  We plan to film the proof of concept in the fall of 2020.

Phase 2: Secure Financing and Key Talent
For key talent, the strategy is to secure someone with a following to draw in investors and viewers. Outside of key talent, we will continue working with and investing in local Chicago Black and Brown cast and crew. We are committed to making sure that 75% of crew members are Black and we will be utilizing resources such as Black in Film to source crew.  Finally, every member of our cast and crew will be paid in both Phase 1 and 2.

In addition to payment, the budget is inclusive of equipment rentals, on set photographer/videographer, post production, festival fees, marketing, and distribution. 



Phase 3: Production and Post-Production
Our projected production dates are March 2021 for a 17 day shoot. Our projected completion date for post-production in Summer 2021. Similar to the Proof of Concept, we are committed to making 75% of our crew members Black.



Phase 4: Distribution
We’re planning to premiere at a large festival and have a run at festivals geared to women and the Black community. Once our run is over, we’d love to get picked up by a distribution company; however, if we aren’t able to we have a self-distribution plan in place. The biggest part of our distribution plan is our impact campaign. This plan includes screenings and discussions with universities and community organizations. We also plan to develop educational content to help guide discussions about the film.


Our Audience 

We have four main target groups: Women, the Black Community, and Drama Fans, and Sports Fans. While women and the Black community will speak to passion points, the general interest groups will give us reach – especially online in social media. Within the women and Black community groups, we have two niche audiences: women’s rights activists and Black men. 

Our Team


Kyra Jones , Writer/Director
Kyra Jones (she/her) is a queer Black multidisciplinary artist based in Chicago, IL. Kyra received her degree in Theatre and Gender Studies from Northwestern University. She's the co-founder of Black in Film, an online database for Black filmmakers. As an actor, she's appeared on Empire (Fox), Chicago Justice (NBC), Kappa Force (Revry), Seeds (OTV) and more. She's the co-creator, executive producer, and star of The Right Swipe (OTV). In addition to her work in film, TV, and theatre, Kyra is also an educator and advocate, working with survivors of gender-based violence. She's represented by Stewart Talent.


Angellic Ross , Lead Producer
Raised in Milwaukee, Angellic Ross (she/her) attended Northwestern University where she studied Performance Studies and Film & Media Studies. Her first short film was “revoLUZion” which won first place at the My Hero Festival. Following that, she produced the short film “Down the Rabbit Hole” which was nominated for Best Picture at the Single Take Film Festival. She is currently producing a third short film, “Saying Goodbye to a Street in Bronzeville.” Her mission is to provide sustainable resources for women and voices of color. Long term, Angellic hopes to own a production company that is geared towards producing BIPOC stories and marketing & distributing indie films. In addition to her film work, Angellic is a media strategist/planner at an advertising agency. 


Aimy Tien, Co-Producer
Aimy Tien (she/they) is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist. As a performer, writer, and producer, Aimy focuses on bringing the stories of people of color and marginalized groups to the page, stage, and screen. She is a company member of 2nd Story and the Co-Director of Operations and President of Women of The Now. As a producer, they have worked on commercials, industrial, short films, a number of web series, and a national multimedia tour supported by the Guggenheim and featured on PBS. Outside of her film and stage work, Aimy is currently developing The Queer Joy Project.
 
Our Partners
This film is being produced as apart of the Chicago's Independent Producer's Lab which is sponsored by Full Spectrum Features, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The Chicago Film Office, and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Want to do more?
If you're interested in contributing as an investor to the feature or being a part of cast or crew, email us !


A special thank you to Jazz Williams for the video!