Fighting Giants
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama
Fighting Giants is a story about grief, humanity, and strength from the perspective of a Sierra Leonean mother and her daughters.
Green Light
This campaign raised $10,000 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
80 supporters | followers
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Fighting Giants is a story about grief, humanity, and strength from the perspective of a Sierra Leonean mother and her daughters.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Fighting Giants
A mother and daughter confront their relationship with grief during a surreal visit back to Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fighting Giants is a film about refusing defeat. It’s about trying your best when the peaks seem hard to reach and mountains are hard to climb, and grappling with an environment that, for whatever reason, isn’t working in your best interest.
My name is Oluwaseun Babalola. As a Sierra Leonean, Fighting Giants is a personal story, and it is my first narrative short as a documentary filmmaker of over 10 years. It has an entirely Sierra Leonean production cast and crew, including Sierra Leonean actresses Emma Dyfan and Mariama Khadija.
My parents raised me with an understanding that I could do and accomplish anything. However, they also made me aware that many of the world's established systems are not meant to uplift and/or protect people like me. That never became more apparent than when my sister went missing in Sierra Leone a few years ago.
I, along with the rest of my family, was left with many questions unanswered--a direct result of corruption, injustice, and the lack of interest in protecting Black women. These systems failed her and us, and I was left grappling with a profound sense of powerlessness and defeat from the inability to get to the bottom of the situation. Now, grabbing my power back, Fighting Giants is a personal way of expressing heartache and frustrations with the institutions that fail to care for us.
This story is specific to Sierra Leone, but I know, in many ways, that it is universal. Many of us do not have the tools or outlets to process traumas and in moments of crisis, we push away those closest to us and bury our thoughts and emotions deeper, destroying ourselves in the process. I'm not just making a film; I'm a part of a reclamation of narratives celebrating the strength and voices within our communities. I am re-energizing timely conversations as we evaluate things we need to learn, unlearn, and embrace within our identities and upbringings.
Fighting Giants was filmed earlier in 2024 and is currently in post-production. This is where I need your help. This campaign will finalize the film, covering costs for the post-production team and funding the film’s distribution: a festival strategy and social impact screenings.
Stretch goals
With your help, the film will raise $7,500. If we do so before the 30-day campaign is over, we would love to stretch the fundraising goal to $10K, further enabling the film to be shared via in-person appearances, private screenings, and impact producing--a method that maximizes the potential of this film for social change.
Thank you for reading to the bottom of the page! If you want to spread the word, share this campaign on social media and forward it to your friends. Here are some easy copy/paste phrasings for you:
"I just supported @FightingGiantsFilm, an impactful short film about a mother and daughter’s journey to Sierra Leone to search for a family member. This project is important to amplify the issue of negligence in global missing persons cases related to Black women. I believe in promoting diverse voices in cinema and this film can make a real difference.
Join me in supporting this vital project: https://seedandspark.com/fund/fighting-giants
#FightingGiantsFilm #SupportBlackVoices #AmplifyDiverseStories #Crowdfunding #FilmForChange"
Follow the film: https://www.instagram.com/fightinggiantsfilm
Contact: [email protected]
Thank you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Colorist
Costs $1,000
Color correction is essential! It allows audiences to immerse themselves in the mood and maintain visual consistency throughout the story.
Editor
Costs $1,750
The editor is the key story-shaper of any film.
Sound Mix and Design
Costs $500
Bad sound ruins a film. Trust us.
Composer
Costs $750
Music ties themes together and emphasizes pivotal mental and emotional moments throughout the story.
Graphics
Costs $500
Even titles need a designer!
Film Festival Submissions / Deliverables
Costs $3,000
Our main goal: to get the film SEEN. Film festivals are a huge part of that. Those submission fees and deliverables add up!
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director/Producer: Oluwaseun Babalola
Oluwaseun Babalola is a Sierra Leonean-Nigerian award-winning director, Emmy-nominated producer, exhibited photographer, and nonprofit founder/executive director. She has produced for networks such as CNN, HBO, CNBC, PBS, Netflix, AMC, Starz, and The Africa Channel, among others. She is also a DOC NYC 40 under 40 Honoree, an initiative celebrating emerging talent in the documentary field.
This and her passion for storytelling led to the creation of Kosinima, Inc., a nonprofit she founded that provides funding and career support for African and African diaspora creatives, including two short film grant funds for Black femme filmmakers and ṢOJU, a digital documentary series celebrating youth culture on the African continent.
Associate Producer: Damilola Aleje
As a TV presenter and producer, Damilola Aleje has worked with several broadcast outfits including NTA 10 Lagos, Nigeria info 99.3, and online TV platform Happenings TV. She has worked with Film and Documentary production companies as a production manager and producer and contributed to creating content for short films, documentaries, and feature length.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Fighting Giants
A mother and daughter confront their relationship with grief during a surreal visit back to Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fighting Giants is a film about refusing defeat. It’s about trying your best when the peaks seem hard to reach and mountains are hard to climb, and grappling with an environment that, for whatever reason, isn’t working in your best interest.
My name is Oluwaseun Babalola. As a Sierra Leonean, Fighting Giants is a personal story, and it is my first narrative short as a documentary filmmaker of over 10 years. It has an entirely Sierra Leonean production cast and crew, including Sierra Leonean actresses Emma Dyfan and Mariama Khadija.
My parents raised me with an understanding that I could do and accomplish anything. However, they also made me aware that many of the world's established systems are not meant to uplift and/or protect people like me. That never became more apparent than when my sister went missing in Sierra Leone a few years ago.
I, along with the rest of my family, was left with many questions unanswered--a direct result of corruption, injustice, and the lack of interest in protecting Black women. These systems failed her and us, and I was left grappling with a profound sense of powerlessness and defeat from the inability to get to the bottom of the situation. Now, grabbing my power back, Fighting Giants is a personal way of expressing heartache and frustrations with the institutions that fail to care for us.
This story is specific to Sierra Leone, but I know, in many ways, that it is universal. Many of us do not have the tools or outlets to process traumas and in moments of crisis, we push away those closest to us and bury our thoughts and emotions deeper, destroying ourselves in the process. I'm not just making a film; I'm a part of a reclamation of narratives celebrating the strength and voices within our communities. I am re-energizing timely conversations as we evaluate things we need to learn, unlearn, and embrace within our identities and upbringings.
Fighting Giants was filmed earlier in 2024 and is currently in post-production. This is where I need your help. This campaign will finalize the film, covering costs for the post-production team and funding the film’s distribution: a festival strategy and social impact screenings.
Stretch goals
With your help, the film will raise $7,500. If we do so before the 30-day campaign is over, we would love to stretch the fundraising goal to $10K, further enabling the film to be shared via in-person appearances, private screenings, and impact producing--a method that maximizes the potential of this film for social change.
Thank you for reading to the bottom of the page! If you want to spread the word, share this campaign on social media and forward it to your friends. Here are some easy copy/paste phrasings for you:
"I just supported @FightingGiantsFilm, an impactful short film about a mother and daughter’s journey to Sierra Leone to search for a family member. This project is important to amplify the issue of negligence in global missing persons cases related to Black women. I believe in promoting diverse voices in cinema and this film can make a real difference.
Join me in supporting this vital project: https://seedandspark.com/fund/fighting-giants
#FightingGiantsFilm #SupportBlackVoices #AmplifyDiverseStories #Crowdfunding #FilmForChange"
Follow the film: https://www.instagram.com/fightinggiantsfilm
Contact: [email protected]
Thank you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Colorist
Costs $1,000
Color correction is essential! It allows audiences to immerse themselves in the mood and maintain visual consistency throughout the story.
Editor
Costs $1,750
The editor is the key story-shaper of any film.
Sound Mix and Design
Costs $500
Bad sound ruins a film. Trust us.
Composer
Costs $750
Music ties themes together and emphasizes pivotal mental and emotional moments throughout the story.
Graphics
Costs $500
Even titles need a designer!
Film Festival Submissions / Deliverables
Costs $3,000
Our main goal: to get the film SEEN. Film festivals are a huge part of that. Those submission fees and deliverables add up!
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director/Producer: Oluwaseun Babalola
Oluwaseun Babalola is a Sierra Leonean-Nigerian award-winning director, Emmy-nominated producer, exhibited photographer, and nonprofit founder/executive director. She has produced for networks such as CNN, HBO, CNBC, PBS, Netflix, AMC, Starz, and The Africa Channel, among others. She is also a DOC NYC 40 under 40 Honoree, an initiative celebrating emerging talent in the documentary field.
This and her passion for storytelling led to the creation of Kosinima, Inc., a nonprofit she founded that provides funding and career support for African and African diaspora creatives, including two short film grant funds for Black femme filmmakers and ṢOJU, a digital documentary series celebrating youth culture on the African continent.
Associate Producer: Damilola Aleje
As a TV presenter and producer, Damilola Aleje has worked with several broadcast outfits including NTA 10 Lagos, Nigeria info 99.3, and online TV platform Happenings TV. She has worked with Film and Documentary production companies as a production manager and producer and contributed to creating content for short films, documentaries, and feature length.