Flesh and Blood
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Horror, LGBTQ
For as long as Franny can remember, her family has been on the run. This is no surprise: they harbor a dark and dangerous secret. When Franny starts a relationship with a girl in her new rural town, her freedom and independence threatens to expose her family and tear them apart forever.
Flesh and Blood
Los Angeles, California | Film Feature
Horror, LGBTQ

1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $19,021 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
68 supporters | followers
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For as long as Franny can remember, her family has been on the run. This is no surprise: they harbor a dark and dangerous secret. When Franny starts a relationship with a girl in her new rural town, her freedom and independence threatens to expose her family and tear them apart forever.
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Make a tax-deductible donation via our Fiscal Sponsor!
Flesh and Blood is a fiscally sponsored project of Film Independent, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions to Flesh and Blood are payable to Film Independent and are tax-deductible!
Link to our Fiscal Sponsorship page:
https://www.filmindependent.org/programs/fiscal-sponsorship/flesh-and-blood/
For as long as Franny can remember, she and her family have been on the run. This is no surprise...they aren’t a normal family. In fact, they are hiding a dark and dangerous secret. When the family moves into an abandoned farmhouse in Upstate NY, Franny expects it to be like every other time they’ve moved.
Dark. Lonely. Isolating.
But life suddenly shifts when Franny meets a girl in her neighborhood, the ever-charismatic June. They spend hours roaming the woods together bonding over the frustrations of being teenagers and getting to know one another. What starts out as a friendship quickly turns into more, and Franny finds herself exploring her first love.
As Franny pulls away from her family and gets closer to June, the family secret threatens to be exposed, and Franny's two worlds begin to catastrophically collide.
Flesh and Blood is a coming-of-age drama with horror elements. It takes the traditional horror genre and utilizes it as a method of metaphor to discuss deeper issues - dysfunctional family dynamics, isolation, and the nuance of loving those that can also cause one pain.
Flesh and Blood has universal themes that will lead to connection with all audience members. Although Franny's situation is extreme, everyone can relate to the desire to break away from one's family and experience independence, no matter how painful that break can be.
In recent years there has been an influx of period dramas about hidden lesbian relationships. It was so much the case that SNL even did a sketch on it!
Although Sarah quite enjoys these films - who doesn't love the pairing of kick-ass paleontologist Kate Winslet with Saoirse Ronan in Ammonite? - she started to feel tired of seeing queer relationships where the characters felt shame over and/or hid their identities. Additionally, she thought queer storylines that revolved solely around a queer character coming out were over-played.
When Sarah set out to write Flesh and Blood, having hidden her own bisexuality for years, she decided she didn’t want Franny to experience that shame or fear. She wanted Franny and June's sexuality to play no narrative role in the film. The result? Franny and June don’t come out. They don’t feel shame. They just exist as they are.
Lastly, Sarah chose to tell this story to redraw a connection to her childhood home - Ithaca, New York! We know you'll love it!
Ithaca will provide the backdrop of Flesh and Blood, allowing our director, Sarah, to revisit areas she would spend time in at June and Franny's age! Nestled in a valley at the bottom of the stunning Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is known for its natural beauty - waterfalls, creeks, and peaceful woods abound!
As you can see, we have scouted some AMAZING locations for the film! The natural areas around Ithaca will provide the perfect backdrop for Franny and June's meanderings through the woods.
Gracie: "Flesh and Blood's haunting script sent a chill down my spine, and the underlying themes paired with Sarah's vision made involvement in the project irresistible to me. After working all summer together as assistants to the director of a Netflix film, I knew that Sarah and I could make mountains move as a powerhouse team!"
For each team member's bio, including our department heads, jump over to our "team" page! The tab is above!
When writing Flesh and Blood, Sarah was inspired by some recent independent films...
Each of these excellent pieces of filmmaking offers something different, whether it's the free-flowing camera in We The Animals, the static silences of The Witch, or the up-close and personal framing of American Honey. If you want a sense of what Flesh and Blood will look and feel like, watch any of these three films. Are any of them ones you like too? Let us know some of your favorites by tagging us on instagram!
Another way to get a sense of the look and tone of Flesh and Blood is to check out our mood boards below!
Pre-production, production, post-production -- what does it all mean? In the end, it means we've made a movie! Our goal is to take the film through the festival circuit, and eventually have it distributed on a streaming site!
Above is a breakdown of where each chunk of our budget will go. As you can see, most of the budget is dedicated toward taking care of our cast and crew! No penny will go wasted - everything we have budgeted goes directly toward the film and our vision!
We want YOU to be part of Flesh and Blood, too! Please join us on this journey, and be part of Sarah, Gracie, and Indeana's first feature film! Here's how you can get involved:
1. CONTRIBUTE to our Seed and Spark!
Contributing to our budget is a great way to take part in the project. Check out our fun incentives, and don't forget your contribution is tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsor, Film Independent! It's a win-win!
2. SPREAD THE WORD about this crowdfunding campaign with your friends and family!
This might be the BEST way to get involved! Crowdfunding works by word of mouth, so we're encouraging you to send TEN of your loved ones a DM or personal email to let them know how they can join Flesh and Blood too! Here's some examples you can use:
Hi Ted! I know you're a really big fan of horror films, and I thought you might want to check out my friend's debut horror feature. They want to get horror fans like you involved in the making of their movie! Check it out at: www.seedandspark.com/fund/flesh-and-blood
I'm supporting this upcoming film Flesh and Blood by giving them a contribution. They have an amazing team, and I can't wait to see what they make! www.seedandspark.com/fund/flesh-and-blood
You know your friends, family, and followers best! Craft a fun message to send them and spread the word!
3. FOLLOW us on Instagram! SHARE our stuff!
Get a first-hand look at everything we are up to: @fandbfilm and like/comment on/share our posts!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Props and Production Design
Costs $1,500
Get us what we need to design the locations of our film and the items our characters utilize!
Camera, Lenses, and Gear
Costs $4,000
Get us the camera equipment we need to shoot beautiful footage!
About This Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Make a tax-deductible donation via our Fiscal Sponsor!
Flesh and Blood is a fiscally sponsored project of Film Independent, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions to Flesh and Blood are payable to Film Independent and are tax-deductible!
Link to our Fiscal Sponsorship page:
https://www.filmindependent.org/programs/fiscal-sponsorship/flesh-and-blood/
For as long as Franny can remember, she and her family have been on the run. This is no surprise...they aren’t a normal family. In fact, they are hiding a dark and dangerous secret. When the family moves into an abandoned farmhouse in Upstate NY, Franny expects it to be like every other time they’ve moved.
Dark. Lonely. Isolating.
But life suddenly shifts when Franny meets a girl in her neighborhood, the ever-charismatic June. They spend hours roaming the woods together bonding over the frustrations of being teenagers and getting to know one another. What starts out as a friendship quickly turns into more, and Franny finds herself exploring her first love.
As Franny pulls away from her family and gets closer to June, the family secret threatens to be exposed, and Franny's two worlds begin to catastrophically collide.
Flesh and Blood is a coming-of-age drama with horror elements. It takes the traditional horror genre and utilizes it as a method of metaphor to discuss deeper issues - dysfunctional family dynamics, isolation, and the nuance of loving those that can also cause one pain.
Flesh and Blood has universal themes that will lead to connection with all audience members. Although Franny's situation is extreme, everyone can relate to the desire to break away from one's family and experience independence, no matter how painful that break can be.
In recent years there has been an influx of period dramas about hidden lesbian relationships. It was so much the case that SNL even did a sketch on it!
Although Sarah quite enjoys these films - who doesn't love the pairing of kick-ass paleontologist Kate Winslet with Saoirse Ronan in Ammonite? - she started to feel tired of seeing queer relationships where the characters felt shame over and/or hid their identities. Additionally, she thought queer storylines that revolved solely around a queer character coming out were over-played.
When Sarah set out to write Flesh and Blood, having hidden her own bisexuality for years, she decided she didn’t want Franny to experience that shame or fear. She wanted Franny and June's sexuality to play no narrative role in the film. The result? Franny and June don’t come out. They don’t feel shame. They just exist as they are.
Lastly, Sarah chose to tell this story to redraw a connection to her childhood home - Ithaca, New York! We know you'll love it!
Ithaca will provide the backdrop of Flesh and Blood, allowing our director, Sarah, to revisit areas she would spend time in at June and Franny's age! Nestled in a valley at the bottom of the stunning Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is known for its natural beauty - waterfalls, creeks, and peaceful woods abound!
As you can see, we have scouted some AMAZING locations for the film! The natural areas around Ithaca will provide the perfect backdrop for Franny and June's meanderings through the woods.
Gracie: "Flesh and Blood's haunting script sent a chill down my spine, and the underlying themes paired with Sarah's vision made involvement in the project irresistible to me. After working all summer together as assistants to the director of a Netflix film, I knew that Sarah and I could make mountains move as a powerhouse team!"
For each team member's bio, including our department heads, jump over to our "team" page! The tab is above!
When writing Flesh and Blood, Sarah was inspired by some recent independent films...
Each of these excellent pieces of filmmaking offers something different, whether it's the free-flowing camera in We The Animals, the static silences of The Witch, or the up-close and personal framing of American Honey. If you want a sense of what Flesh and Blood will look and feel like, watch any of these three films. Are any of them ones you like too? Let us know some of your favorites by tagging us on instagram!
Another way to get a sense of the look and tone of Flesh and Blood is to check out our mood boards below!
Pre-production, production, post-production -- what does it all mean? In the end, it means we've made a movie! Our goal is to take the film through the festival circuit, and eventually have it distributed on a streaming site!
Above is a breakdown of where each chunk of our budget will go. As you can see, most of the budget is dedicated toward taking care of our cast and crew! No penny will go wasted - everything we have budgeted goes directly toward the film and our vision!
We want YOU to be part of Flesh and Blood, too! Please join us on this journey, and be part of Sarah, Gracie, and Indeana's first feature film! Here's how you can get involved:
1. CONTRIBUTE to our Seed and Spark!
Contributing to our budget is a great way to take part in the project. Check out our fun incentives, and don't forget your contribution is tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsor, Film Independent! It's a win-win!
2. SPREAD THE WORD about this crowdfunding campaign with your friends and family!
This might be the BEST way to get involved! Crowdfunding works by word of mouth, so we're encouraging you to send TEN of your loved ones a DM or personal email to let them know how they can join Flesh and Blood too! Here's some examples you can use:
Hi Ted! I know you're a really big fan of horror films, and I thought you might want to check out my friend's debut horror feature. They want to get horror fans like you involved in the making of their movie! Check it out at: www.seedandspark.com/fund/flesh-and-blood
I'm supporting this upcoming film Flesh and Blood by giving them a contribution. They have an amazing team, and I can't wait to see what they make! www.seedandspark.com/fund/flesh-and-blood
You know your friends, family, and followers best! Craft a fun message to send them and spread the word!
3. FOLLOW us on Instagram! SHARE our stuff!
Get a first-hand look at everything we are up to: @fandbfilm and like/comment on/share our posts!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Props and Production Design
Costs $1,500
Get us what we need to design the locations of our film and the items our characters utilize!
Camera, Lenses, and Gear
Costs $4,000
Get us the camera equipment we need to shoot beautiful footage!