Crosswalk
San Francisco, California | Film Short
Drama, Romance
Genevieve Sokolov just got laid off again. All she wants is a quiet night at her sister's Marin County house but first she'll have to play host to Luca Peron, a poet in town for the weekend. The two find their way home and to each other on a fateful night.
Crosswalk
San Francisco, California | Film Short
Drama, Romance
Green Light
This campaign raised $5,915 for pre-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
40 supporters | followers
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Genevieve Sokolov just got laid off again. All she wants is a quiet night at her sister's Marin County house but first she'll have to play host to Luca Peron, a poet in town for the weekend. The two find their way home and to each other on a fateful night.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
LOGLINE
A Jewish designer and a Puerto Rican poet are thrust into a date that changes their lives forever.
SYNOPSIS
Genevieve Sokolov just got laid off again. All she wants is a quiet night at the Marin County home of her sister, Sappora, and Sappora's wife, Michelle—far from her crowded San Francisco apartment. But first she’ll have to play host to Luca Peron, a poet in town for the weekend. He's here to read at a literary event in Oakland and he's staying at Sappora's, too. Gen and Luca find themselves on a date of their own when they get ditched by their hosts. They take the long way home and in the process discover how much they have in common and what it takes to thrive in a country changing everyday.
The farther they go, the deeper the conversation turns. Gen is reluctant at first—she'd rather take a ride share—but Luca wants to stretch his legs. Even though she's having a rough day, Gen agrees to a walk in the country air. It could be worse. At first the two make small talk but as they grow more comfortable the conversation turns to deeper topics like their dreams and ambitions.
Luca shares with Gen that he wrote his book while caring for his grandfather for the last two years of his life. Reconnecting with his roots was a life changing experience for him. Gen shares her most private space with Luca: her sketchbook. But only on the condition that Luca reads her something in return—something unpublished. Luca agrees, and when he opens her book is impressed with her talent.
When Luca asks Gen why she's single he gets a response he could not have anticipated. Her last boyfriend left her because of her Jewishness, which left Gen gobsmacked. She doesn't practice religion, she's the only one in her family who was born in America and doesn't even speak Russian, she says. She hasn't told her sister the reasons for the break up and wants to keep it that way.
Luca then tells her of the colorism he's experienced in his own family and how it left him alienated, until he unburdened himself to his own sister. Gen promises to take it under consideration. But it's a beautiful night and they agree to make the most of it.
Back at the house they take advantage of the outdoor patio and create an intimate picnic for themselves. Under the stars Luca makes good on his promise. Gen takes the lead and they spend the night together.
WHY ME
I have always been preoccupied with identity. The things that make people different are as infinite as they are hard to predict and I can't get enough of it. That's not surprising considering that my own family is a polyglot of Latino, Jewish, Black, Christian, Chinese, Irish and a host other nationalities and races. We've somehow made a family out of the American experience.
In recent years we've seen an dramatic increase of racism, anti-semitism, sexism (just, all the bad isms) et al in public. I believe we can reverse that trend if we all do what little we can. This is what I can do. Stories are the language in which we experience reality. Let's imagine the world we want, together.
Crosswalk challenges presumptions about identity by casting a dark-skinned man as Luca, a Latino. Casting brown skinned people is rare in romantic movies.
WHERE WE ARE
We have an incredible team on board for this project, including Corduroy Media, our production partner, and a great cast, ready to bring this to life. Your donation will help us get through principal photography and into post production. It will cover our cast, crew and equipment costs. We are targeting a shoot for early October 2024.
Once we complete the shoot we'll move into post production with the goal of releasing the film in early 2025. Donors will get first look at the completed film, as well as behind the scenes content like photos and outtakes. We'll keep you updated on our progress throughout the production via email and social.
If our fundraising goes over the target we aim to pay our crew (all of whom are working at discounted rates or deferred payment) full rates and apply the additional funds to production value.
WHY NOW
2025 promises to be a pivotal year in the story of America. Now is the time to tell our stories, raise our voices and create a better future for our children in any way we can.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Props HMuA & Wardrobe
Costs $500
Hair and make up, wardrobe and props will bring our characters to life.
Grip and Crew
Costs $500
With the right locations and permits to shoot on them we can get the highest production quality.
Share this update!
About This Team
The team responsible for Crosswalk includes industry veterans and up and coming talents.
ALEX IVEY (Director, Writer, Producer)
Alex Ivey is a writer, director, photographer and producer. He has written numerous short stories and poems and his work has appeared in print and online. He has produced video series for clients such as Uber, Duracell and others. This is his narrative film debut.
DREA GUIDRY (Executive Producer)
Andrea Guidry is a Bay Area-based actor, voiceover artist, and producer with over a decade of experience in entertainment. From performing on-stage to hosting live television, acting in commercials to producing web videos, she brings a colorful approach to storytelling. As an actor, she regularly collaborates with companies such as Google, Salesforce, Apple, Meta and HP.
CARL BROWN (Producer)
As an Oakland-based documentary filmmaker, video producer and creative director Carl works with clients from Left to Right Coast and beyond. As a director and producer Carl started Corduroy Media in 2003 to serve his clients with creative storytelling, filmmaking and still photography needs. His interest in digital storytelling, cinematography, and creating compelling narratives, motivates his projects with technology, non-profit, education and corporate clients.
SEAN DONNELLY (Director of Photography)
Sean Donnelly is a photographer, video producer, and camera operator based in Oakland, California. Armed with the eye of a visual artist, training of a journalist, and experience of a storyteller, Sean brings a fresh approach to portrait photography and video production in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
LOGLINE
A Jewish designer and a Puerto Rican poet are thrust into a date that changes their lives forever.
SYNOPSIS
Genevieve Sokolov just got laid off again. All she wants is a quiet night at the Marin County home of her sister, Sappora, and Sappora's wife, Michelle—far from her crowded San Francisco apartment. But first she’ll have to play host to Luca Peron, a poet in town for the weekend. He's here to read at a literary event in Oakland and he's staying at Sappora's, too. Gen and Luca find themselves on a date of their own when they get ditched by their hosts. They take the long way home and in the process discover how much they have in common and what it takes to thrive in a country changing everyday.
The farther they go, the deeper the conversation turns. Gen is reluctant at first—she'd rather take a ride share—but Luca wants to stretch his legs. Even though she's having a rough day, Gen agrees to a walk in the country air. It could be worse. At first the two make small talk but as they grow more comfortable the conversation turns to deeper topics like their dreams and ambitions.
Luca shares with Gen that he wrote his book while caring for his grandfather for the last two years of his life. Reconnecting with his roots was a life changing experience for him. Gen shares her most private space with Luca: her sketchbook. But only on the condition that Luca reads her something in return—something unpublished. Luca agrees, and when he opens her book is impressed with her talent.
When Luca asks Gen why she's single he gets a response he could not have anticipated. Her last boyfriend left her because of her Jewishness, which left Gen gobsmacked. She doesn't practice religion, she's the only one in her family who was born in America and doesn't even speak Russian, she says. She hasn't told her sister the reasons for the break up and wants to keep it that way.
Luca then tells her of the colorism he's experienced in his own family and how it left him alienated, until he unburdened himself to his own sister. Gen promises to take it under consideration. But it's a beautiful night and they agree to make the most of it.
Back at the house they take advantage of the outdoor patio and create an intimate picnic for themselves. Under the stars Luca makes good on his promise. Gen takes the lead and they spend the night together.
WHY ME
I have always been preoccupied with identity. The things that make people different are as infinite as they are hard to predict and I can't get enough of it. That's not surprising considering that my own family is a polyglot of Latino, Jewish, Black, Christian, Chinese, Irish and a host other nationalities and races. We've somehow made a family out of the American experience.
In recent years we've seen an dramatic increase of racism, anti-semitism, sexism (just, all the bad isms) et al in public. I believe we can reverse that trend if we all do what little we can. This is what I can do. Stories are the language in which we experience reality. Let's imagine the world we want, together.
Crosswalk challenges presumptions about identity by casting a dark-skinned man as Luca, a Latino. Casting brown skinned people is rare in romantic movies.
WHERE WE ARE
We have an incredible team on board for this project, including Corduroy Media, our production partner, and a great cast, ready to bring this to life. Your donation will help us get through principal photography and into post production. It will cover our cast, crew and equipment costs. We are targeting a shoot for early October 2024.
Once we complete the shoot we'll move into post production with the goal of releasing the film in early 2025. Donors will get first look at the completed film, as well as behind the scenes content like photos and outtakes. We'll keep you updated on our progress throughout the production via email and social.
If our fundraising goes over the target we aim to pay our crew (all of whom are working at discounted rates or deferred payment) full rates and apply the additional funds to production value.
WHY NOW
2025 promises to be a pivotal year in the story of America. Now is the time to tell our stories, raise our voices and create a better future for our children in any way we can.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Props HMuA & Wardrobe
Costs $500
Hair and make up, wardrobe and props will bring our characters to life.
Grip and Crew
Costs $500
With the right locations and permits to shoot on them we can get the highest production quality.
Share this update!
About This Team
The team responsible for Crosswalk includes industry veterans and up and coming talents.
ALEX IVEY (Director, Writer, Producer)
Alex Ivey is a writer, director, photographer and producer. He has written numerous short stories and poems and his work has appeared in print and online. He has produced video series for clients such as Uber, Duracell and others. This is his narrative film debut.
DREA GUIDRY (Executive Producer)
Andrea Guidry is a Bay Area-based actor, voiceover artist, and producer with over a decade of experience in entertainment. From performing on-stage to hosting live television, acting in commercials to producing web videos, she brings a colorful approach to storytelling. As an actor, she regularly collaborates with companies such as Google, Salesforce, Apple, Meta and HP.
CARL BROWN (Producer)
As an Oakland-based documentary filmmaker, video producer and creative director Carl works with clients from Left to Right Coast and beyond. As a director and producer Carl started Corduroy Media in 2003 to serve his clients with creative storytelling, filmmaking and still photography needs. His interest in digital storytelling, cinematography, and creating compelling narratives, motivates his projects with technology, non-profit, education and corporate clients.
SEAN DONNELLY (Director of Photography)
Sean Donnelly is a photographer, video producer, and camera operator based in Oakland, California. Armed with the eye of a visual artist, training of a journalist, and experience of a storyteller, Sean brings a fresh approach to portrait photography and video production in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles.