Cinnamon Skin
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Romance, Thriller
When Socialite Veronica seduces the young Afro-Cuban Enrique, a forbidden interracial romance ensues during the height of the revolution. Veronica must choose between leaving to America to save the life of her war criminal father, or staying in Cuba with her newborn baby and the love of her life.
Cinnamon Skin
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Romance, Thriller
2 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $14,460 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
70 supporters | followers
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When Socialite Veronica seduces the young Afro-Cuban Enrique, a forbidden interracial romance ensues during the height of the revolution. Veronica must choose between leaving to America to save the life of her war criminal father, or staying in Cuba with her newborn baby and the love of her life.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Piel Canela begins in 1980 during the Mariel boat lift. Cuban exiles in the United States are permitted to return to Cuba for the first time in nearly twenty years. Some hire boats in Miami hoping to retrieve relatives from Cuba. Among them is Veronica, who arrives in Havana hoping to reconnect with a daughter she left behind as an infant. Veronica searches a row of dilapidated apartment buildings with address in hand and finds Juliette struggling to get by. As Veronica tells Juliette about her past in Cuba, a series of flashbacks begins:
In the late 1950's, Veronica enjoys a bourgeois lifestyle spending summers living with her aunt at her family’s tobacco plantation in Viñales. Veronica meets the Afro Cuban, Enrique, who works on the farm. The two teenagers enjoy free time frolicking in the idyllic setting. At the end of the summer, Veronica returns to Havana but can't forget Enrique. When Veronica isn't allowed to invite Enrique to her grand Quinceañera celebration, she makes other plans to celebrate her birthday. Overcome by rum and hormones, the teenagers give in to their adolescent desires.
When the Cuban revolution happens, Veronica is forced to emigrate to the U.S. without her baby.
When Juliette realizes that she is the baby Veronica left behind, will she embrace this stranger as her new mother and leave behind the only home she’s known?
As a Cuban American writer and director, the immigration stories of my parents are a source of inspiration. Cinnamon Skin is a passionate love story between two people of different races set against the background of the Cuban Revolution. It’s about reconciliation and forgiveness during times of war. It’s an epic account of one of history’s most romanticized revolutions.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Food for volunteers for 3 day shoot
Costs $1,500
Help us feed 25 student and tech volunteers for 3 days
Production Design for 3 day shoot
Costs $2,500
1980 scenes will be shot in front of LED screen.
Air bnb for 4 nights for cast & crew of 4 in Las Vegas (1980 shoot)
Costs $1,200
Our DP, Director, and Actor need a place to stay for the duration of the shoot.
Insurance
Costs $600
Keeps everyone and all our equipment safe during the shoot.
Local Sound person for 3 days
Costs $1,500
We need to record great dialogue with pro sound
DP
Costs $1,500
Pay for cinematographer to capture beautiful images
Edit for 4 weeks to assemble all new footage
Costs $1,500
Editor at a serious discount to sift and assemble all new footage captured in 2024/2025 in Cuba/DR/and Studio
Hair and Makeup for 3 days
Costs $1,800
Period pieces are especially tricky that require makeup tests. And we need to age our lead.
Costume Designer/Costumes for cast of 3
Costs $1,800
Costumes are really important for period pieces. We need to dress Veronica & Juliette in 1980 costumes.
Love scene shoot on 16 mm
Costs $3,500
To set the look and feel of the film, we'll shoot one of the love scenes on 16mm to capture the vintage cinematic look of 1950's Cuba.
Hard drives
Costs $350
We need to keep all the footage safe and make a back up of all the wonderful performances.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director Michelle Salcedo
A Sundance Directing fellow in 2024, Michelle Salcedo is an award winning filmmaker with over 20 years experience in the entertainment industry. Michelle recently directed the multimillion dollar action feature Switch & Bait, for Catalyst Studios shot on location in Serbia. The film boasts a script from "Inside Man" writer Russel Gewirtz. Starring Otmara Marrero (Start-Up) and Katie Clarkson Hill (Hanna), the film is about a strong-willed female detective who must drive a key witness back to Detroit and protect her from the drug lord who wants her dead.
Her directorial debut, Piel Canela (proof of concept) shot on location in Cuba, won eight jury prizes including “Best Produced” at the Academy-qualifying Holly Shorts Film festival and “Best Short of the Year” at New Filmmakers LA, She was named “Best New Filmmaker of the Year” in 2020. Michelle also wrote and directed the feature, Woman of the House, a female-centric dramedy shot in Rhode Island. A semi-finalist at Academy-qualifying Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, "Woman of the House" won the audience choice award at the Mystic Film Festival. She most recently directed, "Bye Bye Barbarito", as part of NALIP’s Women of Color incubator supported by Netflix and Panavision.
Her filmmaking style is highly cinematic, influenced by auteurs like Kieslowski and Iñarritu. Born in Miami, of Cuban and Ecuadorian descent, she graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in film studies. She worked at Miramax Films producing theatrical trailers for over 30 films including Academy Award winner, Chicago and Gangs of New York. She’s edited over fifty episodes of T.V. for networks: Bravo, TLC, VH1, MTV and Univision.
Producer Jimmy Price:
Jimmy is an experienced Producer and Production Manager with a demonstrated 20 year history of working in motion pictures. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and attended NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
Jimmy recently had the pleasure of working with Paul Schrader on Oh Canada (Cannes 2024). He was also an Executive Producer on Y2K starring Rachel Zegler (A24), Daddio starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn (TIFF 2023), and Jimmy also Co-Produced A Good Person directed by Zach Braff starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman to name a few films.
Jimmy has had success with many films he’s produced at film festivals including: On The Count of Three (Sundance), Forty Year Old Version (Sundance), The Assistant (Telluride, Sundance), The Kindness Of Strangers (Berlin), Three Christs (Toronto), Eden (New York, Toronto), The Good Heart (Toronto) and Jump Tomorrow (Sundance).
His television experience includes; Jerrod Carmichael/HBO’s Sermon on The Mount & Home Videos, ABC Family’s Jane By Design & Twisted, and The History Channel’s History V. Hollywood.
Jimmy has had the opportunity to produce for many international Directors including, Dagur Kari The Good Heart (Iceland), Valerie Doncelli Hand In Hand(France) and Lone Scherfig The Kindness Of Strangers (Denmark). He has other experience as VFX Production Supervisor on Hacksaw Ridge, Dr.
Producer A.J. Del Cueto:
A.J. is a creative producer, director and post production expert based in Los Angeles. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, A.J. holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from the University of Texas in Austin and began his film career in New York City. There he spent a decade at Offhollywood, an independent production and post production studio, ultimately rising to the role of Senior Vice President. During his tenure, A.J. led the company's production services, camera operations, and supported post-production work for numerous commercial, television, and feature film projects. In 2011, A.J. founded Circle 9 to produce and support director-driven independent films.
Recently, A.J. produced CANVAS, which premiered at Cinequest 2024 and was awarded Best Feature Film & Cinema Dulce 'Best in Fest' at the 2024 Hill Country Film Festival. A.J. is also a producer of the feature film, The CODE which premiered at Fantasia Film Festival 2024. A.J. was a co-producer and post production supervisor on SPREE, a 2020 Sundance Film Festival premiere, and was the producer of WOBBLE PALACE, a New York Times Critic’s Pick and 2018 SXSW premiere.
A.J. has also made an impact in the documentary space through his collaborative efforts as co-producer and post production supervisor on BAMA RUSH, an HBOMax production, and as the post producer of THE AMERICAN GLADIATORS DOCUMENTARY, an ESPN 30for30 two-part feature film. A.J. was most recently the post producer of Takin' Care of Business, which world premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
A.J. is a member of the Producers Guild of America and has participated as a Film & TV mentor at SXSW since 2022. A.J.'s creative vision, collaborative spirit, and unwavering dedication to his craft continue to inspire and captivate audiences, establishing him as a notable voice in contemporary filmmaking.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Piel Canela begins in 1980 during the Mariel boat lift. Cuban exiles in the United States are permitted to return to Cuba for the first time in nearly twenty years. Some hire boats in Miami hoping to retrieve relatives from Cuba. Among them is Veronica, who arrives in Havana hoping to reconnect with a daughter she left behind as an infant. Veronica searches a row of dilapidated apartment buildings with address in hand and finds Juliette struggling to get by. As Veronica tells Juliette about her past in Cuba, a series of flashbacks begins:
In the late 1950's, Veronica enjoys a bourgeois lifestyle spending summers living with her aunt at her family’s tobacco plantation in Viñales. Veronica meets the Afro Cuban, Enrique, who works on the farm. The two teenagers enjoy free time frolicking in the idyllic setting. At the end of the summer, Veronica returns to Havana but can't forget Enrique. When Veronica isn't allowed to invite Enrique to her grand Quinceañera celebration, she makes other plans to celebrate her birthday. Overcome by rum and hormones, the teenagers give in to their adolescent desires.
When the Cuban revolution happens, Veronica is forced to emigrate to the U.S. without her baby.
When Juliette realizes that she is the baby Veronica left behind, will she embrace this stranger as her new mother and leave behind the only home she’s known?
As a Cuban American writer and director, the immigration stories of my parents are a source of inspiration. Cinnamon Skin is a passionate love story between two people of different races set against the background of the Cuban Revolution. It’s about reconciliation and forgiveness during times of war. It’s an epic account of one of history’s most romanticized revolutions.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Food for volunteers for 3 day shoot
Costs $1,500
Help us feed 25 student and tech volunteers for 3 days
Production Design for 3 day shoot
Costs $2,500
1980 scenes will be shot in front of LED screen.
Air bnb for 4 nights for cast & crew of 4 in Las Vegas (1980 shoot)
Costs $1,200
Our DP, Director, and Actor need a place to stay for the duration of the shoot.
Insurance
Costs $600
Keeps everyone and all our equipment safe during the shoot.
Local Sound person for 3 days
Costs $1,500
We need to record great dialogue with pro sound
DP
Costs $1,500
Pay for cinematographer to capture beautiful images
Edit for 4 weeks to assemble all new footage
Costs $1,500
Editor at a serious discount to sift and assemble all new footage captured in 2024/2025 in Cuba/DR/and Studio
Hair and Makeup for 3 days
Costs $1,800
Period pieces are especially tricky that require makeup tests. And we need to age our lead.
Costume Designer/Costumes for cast of 3
Costs $1,800
Costumes are really important for period pieces. We need to dress Veronica & Juliette in 1980 costumes.
Love scene shoot on 16 mm
Costs $3,500
To set the look and feel of the film, we'll shoot one of the love scenes on 16mm to capture the vintage cinematic look of 1950's Cuba.
Hard drives
Costs $350
We need to keep all the footage safe and make a back up of all the wonderful performances.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director Michelle Salcedo
A Sundance Directing fellow in 2024, Michelle Salcedo is an award winning filmmaker with over 20 years experience in the entertainment industry. Michelle recently directed the multimillion dollar action feature Switch & Bait, for Catalyst Studios shot on location in Serbia. The film boasts a script from "Inside Man" writer Russel Gewirtz. Starring Otmara Marrero (Start-Up) and Katie Clarkson Hill (Hanna), the film is about a strong-willed female detective who must drive a key witness back to Detroit and protect her from the drug lord who wants her dead.
Her directorial debut, Piel Canela (proof of concept) shot on location in Cuba, won eight jury prizes including “Best Produced” at the Academy-qualifying Holly Shorts Film festival and “Best Short of the Year” at New Filmmakers LA, She was named “Best New Filmmaker of the Year” in 2020. Michelle also wrote and directed the feature, Woman of the House, a female-centric dramedy shot in Rhode Island. A semi-finalist at Academy-qualifying Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, "Woman of the House" won the audience choice award at the Mystic Film Festival. She most recently directed, "Bye Bye Barbarito", as part of NALIP’s Women of Color incubator supported by Netflix and Panavision.
Her filmmaking style is highly cinematic, influenced by auteurs like Kieslowski and Iñarritu. Born in Miami, of Cuban and Ecuadorian descent, she graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in film studies. She worked at Miramax Films producing theatrical trailers for over 30 films including Academy Award winner, Chicago and Gangs of New York. She’s edited over fifty episodes of T.V. for networks: Bravo, TLC, VH1, MTV and Univision.
Producer Jimmy Price:
Jimmy is an experienced Producer and Production Manager with a demonstrated 20 year history of working in motion pictures. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and attended NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
Jimmy recently had the pleasure of working with Paul Schrader on Oh Canada (Cannes 2024). He was also an Executive Producer on Y2K starring Rachel Zegler (A24), Daddio starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn (TIFF 2023), and Jimmy also Co-Produced A Good Person directed by Zach Braff starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman to name a few films.
Jimmy has had success with many films he’s produced at film festivals including: On The Count of Three (Sundance), Forty Year Old Version (Sundance), The Assistant (Telluride, Sundance), The Kindness Of Strangers (Berlin), Three Christs (Toronto), Eden (New York, Toronto), The Good Heart (Toronto) and Jump Tomorrow (Sundance).
His television experience includes; Jerrod Carmichael/HBO’s Sermon on The Mount & Home Videos, ABC Family’s Jane By Design & Twisted, and The History Channel’s History V. Hollywood.
Jimmy has had the opportunity to produce for many international Directors including, Dagur Kari The Good Heart (Iceland), Valerie Doncelli Hand In Hand(France) and Lone Scherfig The Kindness Of Strangers (Denmark). He has other experience as VFX Production Supervisor on Hacksaw Ridge, Dr.
Producer A.J. Del Cueto:
A.J. is a creative producer, director and post production expert based in Los Angeles. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, A.J. holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from the University of Texas in Austin and began his film career in New York City. There he spent a decade at Offhollywood, an independent production and post production studio, ultimately rising to the role of Senior Vice President. During his tenure, A.J. led the company's production services, camera operations, and supported post-production work for numerous commercial, television, and feature film projects. In 2011, A.J. founded Circle 9 to produce and support director-driven independent films.
Recently, A.J. produced CANVAS, which premiered at Cinequest 2024 and was awarded Best Feature Film & Cinema Dulce 'Best in Fest' at the 2024 Hill Country Film Festival. A.J. is also a producer of the feature film, The CODE which premiered at Fantasia Film Festival 2024. A.J. was a co-producer and post production supervisor on SPREE, a 2020 Sundance Film Festival premiere, and was the producer of WOBBLE PALACE, a New York Times Critic’s Pick and 2018 SXSW premiere.
A.J. has also made an impact in the documentary space through his collaborative efforts as co-producer and post production supervisor on BAMA RUSH, an HBOMax production, and as the post producer of THE AMERICAN GLADIATORS DOCUMENTARY, an ESPN 30for30 two-part feature film. A.J. was most recently the post producer of Takin' Care of Business, which world premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
A.J. is a member of the Producers Guild of America and has participated as a Film & TV mentor at SXSW since 2022. A.J.'s creative vision, collaborative spirit, and unwavering dedication to his craft continue to inspire and captivate audiences, establishing him as a notable voice in contemporary filmmaking.