When June’s mother tells her to conceal her mental illness during a job interview, the interview is quickly turned upside down when her potential boss’s daughter turns out to be her ex-girlfriend whom she ghosted before going into treatment. Destroyer is a dark comedy that highlights the absurdities of overcoming mental health struggles as generational and experiential differences highlight gaps in our understanding of what’s best for those who are suffering. 

The concept for Destroyer began a year and a half ago in a coffee shop. I had just gotten out of my first queer relationship and was utterly heartbroken. I wanted to Picasso it and turn my pain into art but, I too, much liked having two ears and had no idea how to make my heartbreak into anything appealing.

Through weekly therapy sessions and daily coffee runs following the breakup, I began writing about June, a self-assured, young, queer woman, who wants to begin being better for herself and those in her life. I wanted to see a version of queerness that matched the confusing, varied experience I had had of discovering my sexuality and falling out of love. I wanted all of my characters to be antagonistic as if fighting themselves. Most importantly, I wanted June to be a character that fights to show up for herself even when surrounded by those who remind her of her past self. This story is about grief, closure, mental health, queerness, and unhealthy family dynamics. I hope that in presenting different versions of queerness, viewers might be able to identify themselves in unhealthy dynamics and see a way out.

My filmography develops around queer and femme stories, beginning with the award-winning narrative short film Forever And A Day, based on a poem my friend wrote about coming out to his extremely religious parents. With Destroyer, I hope to further develop my artistic vision through the lens of comedy, blended with my own personal experience. I am lucky enough to be joined by the majority of my crew who are LGBTQ+ or BIPOC, whose creativity and voices are a vital part of telling this story. This is as much their story as it is my own and yours!

Destroyer encompasses themes of unhealthy queer relationships, mental health, and family dysfunction.

Last year alone, U.S. state lawmakers proposed 162 bills targeting LGBTQ rights. As if that wasn’t enough, anti-trans bills are sweeping across the U.S. this year. As targeted violence continues against this community, it is vital to show our existence and represent different forms of being and loving. I wrote Destroyer because I wanted to have a representation of the multifaceted nature of being queer, femme, and facing heartbreak. The only way I knew how was to get people uncomfortably laughing. By making this film and submitting it to film festivals, I hope Destroyer will find its audience within communities who can see themselves represented in June, Langley, or even their parents. Everyone who becomes a part of this project is not only supporting queer storytelling but opening up conversations around gender, sexuality, and mental health with loved ones.

The cinematography of Destroyer will mirror the quick-paced, visual language of the film Birdman, as the character's movement through the setting will be pivotal in externalizing their internal anxieties.

The film will have the naturalism and the youth-centered plot that categorizes mumblecore films of their early 2000s with the anxiety-induced, comical tone of the films Shiva Baby. Tonally, the character conversations and questions raised about mental illness and narcissism are reminiscent of the film Sick of Myself.

June is a Girl-Interrupted-esque, queer woman whose wit and outward confidence distract from her deeply insecure nature. She’s highly opinionated, awkward, and bold. 

Langley is June's ex-girlfriend whom June ghosted before going into a mental rehabilitation center. She is a sweet-looking, goody-two-shoes who is new to being openly gay. Langley isn’t over June, her first love. When she finds out, June is hiding her past, Langley is out for blood.

Anne-Marie is the overprotective, cool mom of her daughter June. She’s petite, enjoys yoga, and enjoys meddling in her daughter’s life with love. While Anna-Marie is married, the feeling of being obsolete causes her to question her image as a successful mother and look for external validation in the wrong places.

Joseph is a successful lawyer and the father to his daughter Langley. His charisma and obsession with his work have led him to transition from the Ivy-league frat boy of his twenties to a well-intentioned, but unaware adult who fights to find glimmers of his youth. 

Kylie wrote the film in the Fall of 2021. Sofia, the producer, hopped on board officially in March, and since then, they have been casting and building a team, securing locations, and getting everything ready for production. We will be filming in Los Angeles the second week of June for 3 days. Once production is complete, we will go into our post-production phase, starting with editing, then moving into sound, color, and scoring. Our goal is to complete the film by the end of the 2023 calendar year.

Making this film has taken countless hours, between meetings, phone calls, errand runs, and putting together a truly remarkable team. A flawless production and post-production process is crucial to executing a film's creative mission with polish and precision. It’s important for the director and producer to provide a safe and inclusive workspace on set to keep the energy and momentum high. Most importantly, we want you to watch it! Our cast and crew represent a wide range of up-and-coming talent, and exposure is paramount to kickstarting their budding careers.

Stretch goals

Our $11,000 goal is the absolute minimum we need to raise to go into production.

IF WE RAISE 13,000 we'll be able to afford a better location!

IF WE RAISE 15,000 we'll be able to raise our camera, lighting, and design budget!!

IF WE RAISE 17,000 we'll be able to offer a higher pay rate for our cast and crew and ensure that no one works for free!!!

When you contribute to our campaign, you can take pride in supporting a project that:

+ Uplift and highlight the experience of queer voices

+ Raises awareness of mental health issues

If you would like to know more information about where your money goes, please refer to our "questions?" section below to inquire! We want to be transparent with our supporters so reach out if you would like to know any more specifics about our budget and expenses.

1. Follow our campaign on Seed & Spark.

• It’s free, helps us grow our audience, and could potentially unlock tons of S&S perks and get us on the main page! Following also helps you stay up-to-date with our campaign’s progress and pre-production.

2. Stay connected.

• Follow us on Instagram @destroyerfilm and Tiktok @destroyerfilm for updates on the film!

3. Spread the word.

• Follow and share our social media posts on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter! 

4. Share this campaign with a friend.

• Please also share our campaign via your social media, email, word-of-mouth, however you want. Here are some examples. Feel free to copy-paste and/or personalize!

I'm supporting filmmaker Kylie Kozar by joining the campaign of her new short film Destroyer (IG @destroyerfilm), a dark comedy about a self-destructive young queer woman overcoming mental health struggles, loss and unique family dynamics. Join them on Seed & Spark

I just watched the crowdfunding pitch of a new short film Destroyer, written and directed by Kylie Kozar, and you've got to support this project. Join them on Seed & Spark

I'm so excited to see the short film Destroyer, by Kylie Kozar, that is highlighting the experience of queer folks and anyone struggling with mental health issues! Support them on Seed & Spark

Keeping the members of our cast and crew safe is one of our topmost priorities. 

• We require proof of vaccination for our cast and crew
• All team members will be tested and take precautions in accordance with SAG-AFTRA regulations 

It’s great to have questions! We invite you to click here to read the FAQ. If your questions are not answered there, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] and we'll do our best to answer your question as soon as possible.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, it means the world to us ❤️ We can’t wait to share our film with you!