i. Conception

A freestanding window sits, alone, within a deep green forest surrounded by bundles of trees. The camera moves through the window and into a tight, dingy apartment. We watch from afar as a queer couple, Stretch and Evergreen, lay next to each other on a bare mattress. The camera remains wide. 

ii. Gestation

Evergreen begins to feel abnormal changes in their body. Slowly, they realize that the biologically impossible has occurred: they are pregnant. Evergreen struggles to communicate with their partner, Stretch, and reckons with this horrifying—yet thrilling—reality.

iii. Birth

Evergreen goes into labor in their confined, barren bedroom. Insectile screams escape through the walls, and the camera remains on the other side of the door as this climactic event occurs. When silence finally arrives, the camera moves into the room and comes face to face with the outcome of this birth: a plant child. In the final scene, the couple sit at the dining table with their child. They eat dinner in silence as the credits roll.

Ever-Green draws aesthetic influence from Nan Goldin’s The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, a photography exhibition that shows intimate snapshots of the artist’s life. In these images we found uncommonly raw depictions of sexual bodies that beg to break through the confines of their urban environments. The apartment makes cinematic allusions to Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and Lynch’s Eraserhead (1977), whereas the forest at the beginning references Apichatpong’s Tropical Malady (2004).

Although the film will not be bound to a specific time frame, the props and costumes will reference the 1970s—a time period during which bodily autonomy was in focus due to Roe v. Wade and the HIV/AIDs epidemic. The film almost exclusively takes place in a dilapidated apartment. The only decoration is a myriad of mirrors, which allow the characters to imagine what their lives would be like with more—or perhaps even an infinite amount of—space. Throughout the film urban setting will be contrasted with rapid cuts to a vast forest, complicating the natural-urban binary. 

So much of our concept of "the future" revolves around heteronormative reproduction. Politicians promise a better tomorrow for "the children"; parents continue their legacies through their offspring; even children play at parenthood with dolls. By the time I was thirteen, the message was clear: having children was the key to happiness, a guaranteed future, and societal acceptance. This realization was utterly terrifying as I came to realize: I am queer. 

Immense fear took a hold of me as I considered how my sexual orientation would affect my ability to participate in this seemingly fundamental path to futurity. This project is a reflection on the horror that a queer person may feel in the face of a medical, economic, and reproductive system that is so clearly not built for them. 

With these goals in mind, my co-writer Olya and I began conceiving of Ever-Green. Before putting pen to ink—or finger to key—we embarked on a nine-month-long research process that allowed us to delve into the body-horror genre, queer ecology, and reproductive futurism, to name a few. After closely examining nine films, three literary works, and twelve critical essays, we developed a two-part manifesto that guided us as we laid the narrative upon the page. Throughout the entire script writing process, we consulted multiple queer artists, film critics, and industry professionals who gave us invaluable insight as the screenplay came to fruition. 

We are currently in pre-production mode and assembling an impassioned crew of creatives from New York City and beyond. However, in order to bring this story to life in the way it deserves, we need YOUR help. 

While our past projects relied on the generosity of pro-bono crews and shoestring budgets, Ever-Green demands a higher level of production value. In order to create the caliber of art that the story demands, we realistically need as much fiscal support as possible. Your contribution will directly compensate our crew for their invaluable time. Remaining funds will go towards creating a visually stunning world, ensuring a safe filming environment, and submitting the film to major festivals for wider exposure.

Please consider becoming a part of the Ever-Green story so that this film can find screens. Every dollar counts—and any money donated would be a great gift and will contribute to helping an important story. Follow us on Seed and Spark and Instagram (@evergreenfilm_) and please share our fundraising campaign with your friends and family. Thank you--much love!!