"The American Virus" Documentary Film
Donation protected
Our film, "The American Virus," is a pressing and timely exploration of the systemic inequities and cultural inequalities at the heart of American society, as experienced through the eyes of New Yorkers. These individuals are not only working to assist and protect the victims of New York’s failed healthcare, economic, and racial and social systems, but are also rethinking and rebuilding their city into one that is accepting and sympathetic to all of its inhabitants.
And we need your help to make sure their stories are heard.
Those featured in our film reflect the diversity that New York is known for. We are currently following:
- A filmmaker and businesswoman who worked as patient transporters at Elmhurst Hospital in March and April and speak to the daily trauma of working a public hospital that was understaffed and unsupported by a profit-hungry Healthcare system. They discuss the lack of systemic support they have experienced both during and after their time at Elmhurst, speak to their own struggles with mental health and give a blistering report of insurance companies unwilling to cover the cost of Covid tests for hospital employees.
(*They have asked to remain anonymous at this time.)
Vincent LeVien
Founder, The Covid-19 Emergency Task Force
A group of former 9/11 responders led by Vincent LeVien who came together to privately source and distribute 300,000+ masks, 100,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and 40,000 pairs of gloves to emergency service personnel, hospitals, nursing homes, NYPD precincts, FDNY stations and other frontlines professionals. They now work with the Robin Hood Foundation distributing food in low income neighborhoods.
Adam Elzer and Perry Rahbar
Owners of Sauce Pizzeria
Sauce Pizzeria was one of the first restaurants to start delivering food to healthcare workers in March 2020. Since then, they have delivered over 27,000 donated pizzas to healthcare workers at 45 hospitals around the city, the homeless and food insecure, and hundreds of peaceful protestors who walk the streets of New York fighting for racial equality.
Jared Lyons and Kyle Lyons
Owners of Served Natural
Brothers Jared and Kyle launched their healthy meal delivery service, Served Natural, in February 2020, hoping to help create a 'healthy New York,' so that complex, nutritious food would not be reserved only for the wealthy. Since then, they have delivered anywhere from 500 meals to 4,000 meals to hospitals and clinics each day in the Tri-State area and are one of the few companies to organize drop offs to the night staff.
Warriors in the Garden
Activists and Community Leaders
A collective of young activists with the mission to create and activate the educational, social, and economic sectors in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all people of color in New York City. From leading thousands of New Yorkers peaceful protests to stocking community refrigerators, the men and women of WITG (some as young as eighteen years old old) have become a driving force behind the fight for racial equity and equality in New York City and around the world.
These New Yorkers, who are unwavering in their efforts, have become leaders and heroes to their communities and beyond.
TIMELINE
We have been filming in New York City since April 2020 are going to start the edit process in late November, while continuing to shoot as the need arises. Until now, we have been primarily self-financing the film, with lots of help from family and friends. As we head into the next phase of the film, we are asking that you help bring our film to life by making a financial contribution.
We are looking to raise $40,000 to help offset the cost of this production.
To those of you who have questions about the donation amount, any amount helps. Even $5 makes a difference! We thought it might help if we put together a sample breakdown of how your contribution might help us bring this movie to life!
$5 - $40 contribution could go towards covering production meals, production travel, pitch deck design, and more basic administrative needs like shipping and office supplies
$50 - $150 contribution could go towards covering camera and sound rentals for shoots, post-production software fees
$200 - $500 contribution could go towards covering camera and production crew invoices, crew kit rentals (camera equipment), legal fees, external hard drives for edit
$500 or more contribution could go towards covering visual effects, music and composing, sound design and much, much more!
WHO WE ARE
Duende Productions is an all-female directing and producing team with a desire to tell compelling stories with passion and integrity.
Rachel Bozich: Director, Producer, Writer, Editor
Carly Sullivan: Director, Producer, Writer
Susie Talbot: Director, Producer, Writer
Current Crew:
Okema T. Moore: Producer
Alexandra Kamins: Executive Producer
Devin Hunter Leary: Associate Producer
Paola Gadala-Maria: Field Producer and Additional Camera Operator
Christina Wairegi: Director of Photography
Eric Espino: Camera Operator
Omar Guinier: Camera Operator
Seah Josahi Brown: Camera Operator
Lauren Alberti: Archival Researcher
Anna Grig: Archival Researcher
Megan Graham: Archival Researcher
Madeleine Lawrence: Archival Researcher
Brittany Martin: Archival Researcher
Please see the link below for our Merchandise on Sale Now! All proceeds will go directly to cover costs of the Film!
Link to Merch Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/my-store-theamericanvirus
Thank you so much for your support.
And we need your help to make sure their stories are heard.
Those featured in our film reflect the diversity that New York is known for. We are currently following:
- A filmmaker and businesswoman who worked as patient transporters at Elmhurst Hospital in March and April and speak to the daily trauma of working a public hospital that was understaffed and unsupported by a profit-hungry Healthcare system. They discuss the lack of systemic support they have experienced both during and after their time at Elmhurst, speak to their own struggles with mental health and give a blistering report of insurance companies unwilling to cover the cost of Covid tests for hospital employees.
(*They have asked to remain anonymous at this time.)
Vincent LeVien
Founder, The Covid-19 Emergency Task Force
A group of former 9/11 responders led by Vincent LeVien who came together to privately source and distribute 300,000+ masks, 100,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and 40,000 pairs of gloves to emergency service personnel, hospitals, nursing homes, NYPD precincts, FDNY stations and other frontlines professionals. They now work with the Robin Hood Foundation distributing food in low income neighborhoods.
Adam Elzer and Perry Rahbar
Owners of Sauce Pizzeria
Sauce Pizzeria was one of the first restaurants to start delivering food to healthcare workers in March 2020. Since then, they have delivered over 27,000 donated pizzas to healthcare workers at 45 hospitals around the city, the homeless and food insecure, and hundreds of peaceful protestors who walk the streets of New York fighting for racial equality.
Jared Lyons and Kyle Lyons
Owners of Served Natural
Brothers Jared and Kyle launched their healthy meal delivery service, Served Natural, in February 2020, hoping to help create a 'healthy New York,' so that complex, nutritious food would not be reserved only for the wealthy. Since then, they have delivered anywhere from 500 meals to 4,000 meals to hospitals and clinics each day in the Tri-State area and are one of the few companies to organize drop offs to the night staff.
Warriors in the Garden
Activists and Community Leaders
A collective of young activists with the mission to create and activate the educational, social, and economic sectors in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all people of color in New York City. From leading thousands of New Yorkers peaceful protests to stocking community refrigerators, the men and women of WITG (some as young as eighteen years old old) have become a driving force behind the fight for racial equity and equality in New York City and around the world.
These New Yorkers, who are unwavering in their efforts, have become leaders and heroes to their communities and beyond.
TIMELINE
We have been filming in New York City since April 2020 are going to start the edit process in late November, while continuing to shoot as the need arises. Until now, we have been primarily self-financing the film, with lots of help from family and friends. As we head into the next phase of the film, we are asking that you help bring our film to life by making a financial contribution.
We are looking to raise $40,000 to help offset the cost of this production.
To those of you who have questions about the donation amount, any amount helps. Even $5 makes a difference! We thought it might help if we put together a sample breakdown of how your contribution might help us bring this movie to life!
$5 - $40 contribution could go towards covering production meals, production travel, pitch deck design, and more basic administrative needs like shipping and office supplies
$50 - $150 contribution could go towards covering camera and sound rentals for shoots, post-production software fees
$200 - $500 contribution could go towards covering camera and production crew invoices, crew kit rentals (camera equipment), legal fees, external hard drives for edit
$500 or more contribution could go towards covering visual effects, music and composing, sound design and much, much more!
WHO WE ARE
Duende Productions is an all-female directing and producing team with a desire to tell compelling stories with passion and integrity.
Rachel Bozich: Director, Producer, Writer, Editor
Carly Sullivan: Director, Producer, Writer
Susie Talbot: Director, Producer, Writer
Current Crew:
Okema T. Moore: Producer
Alexandra Kamins: Executive Producer
Devin Hunter Leary: Associate Producer
Paola Gadala-Maria: Field Producer and Additional Camera Operator
Christina Wairegi: Director of Photography
Eric Espino: Camera Operator
Omar Guinier: Camera Operator
Seah Josahi Brown: Camera Operator
Lauren Alberti: Archival Researcher
Anna Grig: Archival Researcher
Megan Graham: Archival Researcher
Madeleine Lawrence: Archival Researcher
Brittany Martin: Archival Researcher
Please see the link below for our Merchandise on Sale Now! All proceeds will go directly to cover costs of the Film!
Link to Merch Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/my-store-theamericanvirus
Thank you so much for your support.
Organizer
Susie Talbot
Organizer
New York, NY