"Mika's Paradise" Indie Feature Film

Hi, my name is Lauren Batschowanow and I'm a filmmaker based in Naarm (Melbourne, VIC).

My team and I are seeking support for my second narrative feature film, "Mika's Paradise". Logline: Melbourne based sex worker, Mika, struggles to make money, post the Covid pandemic. When her money problems start to ease, other problems arise.

My first feature film, "Dangerous Desires" won Best International Feature Film at the Illinois International Film Festival, was nominated for 3 awards at the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto, Canada, where I sat on the directors round table with other incredible female directors from around the world. "Dangerous Desires" also made official selection at Blackbird Film Festival in Cortland, New York. These achievements lead to a film agent and a USA distribution deal.

"Dangerous Desires" took me seven years and A LOT of money out of my pocket to make. But I did it because I knew my ability as an artist and I didn't want permission to make art.

Now I'm in a similar circumstance, only this time I have 15 years of writing, directing and producing under my belt in both film and theatre. I also actually have a Director of Photography dedicated to the overall vision (as oppose to me just explaining every shot to three different camera operators who had to jump in last minute when my DP bailed unexpectedly back in 2013)... Though I guess that just goes to show what kind of producer I am. I don't let set backs take down a project. And although I swore I wouldn't self fund a project again, after Covid, everyone had to get "boot strap" about their income, art and survival - and I feel that this story really needs to be shared.

We have booked a studio for production which is locked in for 10th-21st March, 2025. We have about 30 cast and crew to support through this process and although there are a lot of favours supporting the project, there are still many costs to complete it. We need to feed the cast and crew every day. We need to cover some travel. We need to pay for the flats to be hired and built. We need to pay for the remaining production design elements. We need to pay for wardrobe, sound, editing and of course technical crew. If we make our goal we can also pay the cast something.

Please watch our video for more information with some of our collaborators.

Current list of crew:

Lauren Batschowanow - Writer/Director/Producer/Wardrobe

Hugo Rutten - Director of Photography

Florence Misquitta - Production Designer

Sasha Walker - First Assistant Director

Charlotte Cust - Production Coordinator

Ivana Ciccone - Head of Hair, Makeup & Wigs

Cam Burgess - Sound Recordist & Boom Operator

Toby Fergeus - Music Production & Set Construction

Current list of cast:

Lauren Batschowanow - Mika

Madeline Hrusza - Bianca

Stefan Simic - Phil

Jarrod Riley - Macca

Ziggy Baker - Alaska

Sophie Graham - Rosé

Trixie - TBC

Destiny - Marley Raine

Ruby - TBC

Mika's Mother - TBC

Young Mika - TBC

Britney - TBC

Plus about 15 extras.

Any support is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!