Chosen
Columbus, Ohio | Film Short
Drama, Comedy
After losing her husband, Janice Montgomery rekindles a first love only to find him dead on her couch and his wife at the door. Chosen is a dark comedy about being someone's greatest love, but never their choice. Older Black women deserve stories that are romantic, complex, and unfinished.
5 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$600
Goal: $15,000 for production
After losing her husband, Janice Montgomery rekindles a first love only to find him dead on her couch and his wife at the door. Chosen is a dark comedy about being someone's greatest love, but never their choice. Older Black women deserve stories that are romantic, complex, and unfinished.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE STORY BEGINS HERE
Janice Montgomery thought the hardest part of her life was losing her husband.
She was wrong.
Decades after reconnecting with her first love, she finds him dead on her couch—and his wife standing at the front door.
Chosen is a dark comedy about grief, old love, impossible timing, and the unexpected ways life asks us to begin again.
Production begins October 11–12, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio.
WHY THIS STORY
I don't believe we ever stop becoming.
Somewhere along the way, we've convinced ourselves that love belongs to the young. That by a certain age we've already made our biggest mistakes, found our greatest love, and become the person we're always going to be.
But that's never matched the women I've known.
The women in my life are still falling in love. Still reinventing themselves. Still discovering new parts of who they are. Still asking difficult questions about the lives they've lived and the lives they still want.
Janice is one of those women.
She isn't trying to relive her twenties. She's a widow who loved deeply, built a full life, and dared to believe there might still be another chapter waiting for her.
Why I Couldn't Let This Story Go
I've always been drawn to the conversations we don't know how to have.
You know the ones that started in your mama's kitchen ( or at least in mine). Her best friend sharing what was going on in her life while I sat nearby pretending not to listen, hanging on every word. Right when the story started getting good, my mom would stop mid-sentence, look over at nine-year-old me, and say, "Get out of grown folks' conversation."
I'd leave the room, but the stories stayed with me.
I was fascinated by these women. They were my aunts, my mother's friends, the women I looked up to. Back then, they seemed to have all the answers.
Then I grew up.
I found myself in situations I never imagined I'd be in. I made mistakes. I loved. I grieved. I learned that grace is often given to us because we're young.
My older aunts would just laugh and say, "Girl...that's all right. Just keep living."
And somewhere along the way, I realized something that changed the way I see the world.
The women who had watched me grow up were still growing, too.
They were still trying to figure life out.
They weren't just aunties or family friends. They were living, breathing women—still dreaming, still laughing, still making mistakes, still becoming. They were just as complicated as they were wise.
That's where Chosen was born.
Janice isn't trying to relive her youth. She's rediscovering the woman she's always been. She loved her husband deeply. She built a beautiful life. But after his death, she made the courageous decision to keep living.
To keep dating.
To keep laughing.
To stay open to the possibility that life could still surprise her.
When Harold unexpectedly reenters her life, he doesn't offer her a fairy-tale ending. He forces her to confront a question she thought she'd already answered: What does it really mean to be chosen?
The timing feels right.
For years, Chosen lived quietly on the page. Along the way, the screenplay found its audience—earning recognition from the Essence Film Festival, Hollywood Just4Shorts, Pittsburgh Shorts, and Coverfly's Top 1%.
Now it's time for Janice's story to leave the page and find audiences the way it was always meant to be experienced: on screen.
WHEN THE STORY FOUND ITS HOUSE
Before Chosen had a home...
I imagined one. One of my favorite moments in pre-production happened completely by accident.
Back in 2023, before Chosen was ever moving toward production, I commissioned an illustration of the house where I imagined Janice lived.
It existed only in my head.
Nearly two years later, while scouting locations in Columbus, I turned a corner and stopped.
There it was.
A house that looked remarkably like the one I'd imagined years before.
Legacy House 614 became our location, and production is officially scheduled for October 11–12, 2026.
WHERE WE ARE NOW
We're no longer talking about making this film.
We're making it.
Since beginning pre-production, we've:
✓ Secured our primary location
✓ Confirmed our Director of Photography
✓ Confirmed our Sound Recordist
✓ Attached our lead actress
✓ Continued building an incredible Columbus production team
Every week brings us one step closer to production, and every contribution helps transform months of preparation into two unforgettable days on set.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
July–September 2026
Final casting, rehearsals, production design, and pre-production.
October 2026
Principal photography.
Winter 2026–Spring 2027
Editing, original score, sound mix, color, and festival submissions.
After the festival run
Eligible backers receive a digital copy of Chosen and their campaign rewards.
If we exceed our fundraising goal, every additional dollar will strengthen post-production, increase our festival reach, improve accessibility through captions, and help more audiences discover the film.
JOIN ME
Stories like this don't exist because one person has a good idea.
They exist because a community decides they're worth telling.
Every pledge is a vote for stories about older Black women that refuse to disappear after fifty.
Every share tells the algorithm these stories matter.
Every follow reminds independent filmmakers they're not creating alone.
— Michelle Farley
COME WITH US
Crowdfunding isn't just about raising money. It's about finding the people who believe in a story before the rest of the world sees it.
There are three simple ways to help:
❤️ Pledge — Every contribution brings us one step closer to production.
📣 Share — Send this campaign to someone who believes stories like Janice's deserve to be told.
👋🏾 Follow — Stay connected as we bring Chosen to life.
Stay Connected:
📷 Instagram: @MichelleFarleyWrites
🎬 Behind the scenes & filmmaker updates: @MichelleElaine2.0
If you'd like to spread the word, here's a message you can copy and share:
"I just supported Chosen, a dark comedy about grief, first loves, second chances, and the unexpected ways life asks us to begin again. Join me in bringing this story to life: [campaign link]."
Thank you for believing in this story.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast Compensation
Costs $3,181
Fair pay means full presence. This fund compensates our cast across two shoot days.
Production Buffer
Costs $1,069
Filmmaking surprises happen. This fund keeps us moving forward without compromising the vision when they do.
Production Crew
Costs $6,900
DP, sound, lighting, wardrobe, and more — this fund brings the full team to the set and keeps the craft where it belongs.
Legacy House 614 Location Fund
Costs $2,800
We invested in this space before the campaign launched. Help us recoup it and keep Chosen fully funded.
Production Expenses
Costs $1,050
Insurance, permits, craft services, and props — the essentials that keep Chosen running smoothly on both shoot days.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Michelle Farley is an award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, and storyteller with an MFA in Creative Writing and more than 15 years of experience crafting stories across film, publishing, nonprofit, and commercial spaces. Her documentary, Caught in the Middle, is available on YouTube, and Chosen marks her next step as a writer-director.
Charles Hairston is a filmmaker, writer, director, producer, and multidisciplinary artist based in Columbus, Ohio. His work spans narrative film, documentary, and visual storytelling, exploring memory, identity, place, and the connections that shape the human experience. He is the founder of Faseis and AHNEU, where he develops films and creative work driven by curiosity, empathy, and cinematic expression.
Eric Snead is an Ohio-based documentary filmmaker and cinematographer. His work explores human nuance and presence, finding depth in the small, overlooked details that reveal who people really are. Eric's notable films include Merciless and Thank You and Good Luck, both praised for their intimate storytelling. Self-taught, he prioritizes creativity over resources and doesn't let constraints affect his storytelling.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE STORY BEGINS HERE
Janice Montgomery thought the hardest part of her life was losing her husband.
She was wrong.
Decades after reconnecting with her first love, she finds him dead on her couch—and his wife standing at the front door.
Chosen is a dark comedy about grief, old love, impossible timing, and the unexpected ways life asks us to begin again.
Production begins October 11–12, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio.
WHY THIS STORY
I don't believe we ever stop becoming.
Somewhere along the way, we've convinced ourselves that love belongs to the young. That by a certain age we've already made our biggest mistakes, found our greatest love, and become the person we're always going to be.
But that's never matched the women I've known.
The women in my life are still falling in love. Still reinventing themselves. Still discovering new parts of who they are. Still asking difficult questions about the lives they've lived and the lives they still want.
Janice is one of those women.
She isn't trying to relive her twenties. She's a widow who loved deeply, built a full life, and dared to believe there might still be another chapter waiting for her.
Why I Couldn't Let This Story Go
I've always been drawn to the conversations we don't know how to have.
You know the ones that started in your mama's kitchen ( or at least in mine). Her best friend sharing what was going on in her life while I sat nearby pretending not to listen, hanging on every word. Right when the story started getting good, my mom would stop mid-sentence, look over at nine-year-old me, and say, "Get out of grown folks' conversation."
I'd leave the room, but the stories stayed with me.
I was fascinated by these women. They were my aunts, my mother's friends, the women I looked up to. Back then, they seemed to have all the answers.
Then I grew up.
I found myself in situations I never imagined I'd be in. I made mistakes. I loved. I grieved. I learned that grace is often given to us because we're young.
My older aunts would just laugh and say, "Girl...that's all right. Just keep living."
And somewhere along the way, I realized something that changed the way I see the world.
The women who had watched me grow up were still growing, too.
They were still trying to figure life out.
They weren't just aunties or family friends. They were living, breathing women—still dreaming, still laughing, still making mistakes, still becoming. They were just as complicated as they were wise.
That's where Chosen was born.
Janice isn't trying to relive her youth. She's rediscovering the woman she's always been. She loved her husband deeply. She built a beautiful life. But after his death, she made the courageous decision to keep living.
To keep dating.
To keep laughing.
To stay open to the possibility that life could still surprise her.
When Harold unexpectedly reenters her life, he doesn't offer her a fairy-tale ending. He forces her to confront a question she thought she'd already answered: What does it really mean to be chosen?
The timing feels right.
For years, Chosen lived quietly on the page. Along the way, the screenplay found its audience—earning recognition from the Essence Film Festival, Hollywood Just4Shorts, Pittsburgh Shorts, and Coverfly's Top 1%.
Now it's time for Janice's story to leave the page and find audiences the way it was always meant to be experienced: on screen.
WHEN THE STORY FOUND ITS HOUSE
Before Chosen had a home...
I imagined one. One of my favorite moments in pre-production happened completely by accident.
Back in 2023, before Chosen was ever moving toward production, I commissioned an illustration of the house where I imagined Janice lived.
It existed only in my head.
Nearly two years later, while scouting locations in Columbus, I turned a corner and stopped.
There it was.
A house that looked remarkably like the one I'd imagined years before.
Legacy House 614 became our location, and production is officially scheduled for October 11–12, 2026.
WHERE WE ARE NOW
We're no longer talking about making this film.
We're making it.
Since beginning pre-production, we've:
✓ Secured our primary location
✓ Confirmed our Director of Photography
✓ Confirmed our Sound Recordist
✓ Attached our lead actress
✓ Continued building an incredible Columbus production team
Every week brings us one step closer to production, and every contribution helps transform months of preparation into two unforgettable days on set.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
July–September 2026
Final casting, rehearsals, production design, and pre-production.
October 2026
Principal photography.
Winter 2026–Spring 2027
Editing, original score, sound mix, color, and festival submissions.
After the festival run
Eligible backers receive a digital copy of Chosen and their campaign rewards.
If we exceed our fundraising goal, every additional dollar will strengthen post-production, increase our festival reach, improve accessibility through captions, and help more audiences discover the film.
JOIN ME
Stories like this don't exist because one person has a good idea.
They exist because a community decides they're worth telling.
Every pledge is a vote for stories about older Black women that refuse to disappear after fifty.
Every share tells the algorithm these stories matter.
Every follow reminds independent filmmakers they're not creating alone.
— Michelle Farley
COME WITH US
Crowdfunding isn't just about raising money. It's about finding the people who believe in a story before the rest of the world sees it.
There are three simple ways to help:
❤️ Pledge — Every contribution brings us one step closer to production.
📣 Share — Send this campaign to someone who believes stories like Janice's deserve to be told.
👋🏾 Follow — Stay connected as we bring Chosen to life.
Stay Connected:
📷 Instagram: @MichelleFarleyWrites
🎬 Behind the scenes & filmmaker updates: @MichelleElaine2.0
If you'd like to spread the word, here's a message you can copy and share:
"I just supported Chosen, a dark comedy about grief, first loves, second chances, and the unexpected ways life asks us to begin again. Join me in bringing this story to life: [campaign link]."
Thank you for believing in this story.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast Compensation
Costs $3,181
Fair pay means full presence. This fund compensates our cast across two shoot days.
Production Buffer
Costs $1,069
Filmmaking surprises happen. This fund keeps us moving forward without compromising the vision when they do.
Production Crew
Costs $6,900
DP, sound, lighting, wardrobe, and more — this fund brings the full team to the set and keeps the craft where it belongs.
Legacy House 614 Location Fund
Costs $2,800
We invested in this space before the campaign launched. Help us recoup it and keep Chosen fully funded.
Production Expenses
Costs $1,050
Insurance, permits, craft services, and props — the essentials that keep Chosen running smoothly on both shoot days.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Michelle Farley is an award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, and storyteller with an MFA in Creative Writing and more than 15 years of experience crafting stories across film, publishing, nonprofit, and commercial spaces. Her documentary, Caught in the Middle, is available on YouTube, and Chosen marks her next step as a writer-director.
Charles Hairston is a filmmaker, writer, director, producer, and multidisciplinary artist based in Columbus, Ohio. His work spans narrative film, documentary, and visual storytelling, exploring memory, identity, place, and the connections that shape the human experience. He is the founder of Faseis and AHNEU, where he develops films and creative work driven by curiosity, empathy, and cinematic expression.
Eric Snead is an Ohio-based documentary filmmaker and cinematographer. His work explores human nuance and presence, finding depth in the small, overlooked details that reveal who people really are. Eric's notable films include Merciless and Thank You and Good Luck, both praised for their intimate storytelling. Self-taught, he prioritizes creativity over resources and doesn't let constraints affect his storytelling.