"I wish I lived in a world where time could be manipulated."

For Paloma tells the story of Ally, a mother of three who struggles with the birth of her middle daughter, Paloma, with the surprise diagnosis of Down Syndrome. Although the eternal love was always there, Ally just had to look past her initial shock, pain and grief to find it. She wishes deeply to go back to that first day to provide Paloma with the warm welcome that she genuinely deserved.

For Paloma reaches out to those parents who may have felt those same feelings of pain and disbelief at first; those families who may feel guilty or shameful about having those feelings in the first place; and those who may also wish for a do-over for their incredible children. To them we say, you are not alone.

Representation of Down Syndrome and individuals with other disabilities is absolutely essential, as it provides an opportunity to break down the ableist misconceptions that run rampant in our society. While the portrayal of people with Down Syndrome is always expanding and changing, there are still a number of stereotypes and misconceptions being perpetuated about the syndrome. For Paloma tackles those misconceptions head-on while portraying depth and truth in a story that is often dreamlike.

It's a thought-provoking, raw and ambitious film, and we need your help to make it and share this incredible message with everyone on the planet. Any pledge given is tremendously valued and will help us make this film as extraordinary as it possibly can be.

From us, from you, this is For Paloma.

PALOMA, Ally and Victor's middle daughter, has Down Syndrome. She brings so much love and laughter to the Aguilera home and quickly bonds with her father and older sister, Eva. Her mother takes a bit of time, but soon they are inseparable. 

ALLY, mother to Paloma, Eva, and Vivienne, struggles with Paloma’s diagnosis of Down Syndrome after she is born - but she soon falls in love with Paloma. If only Ally could somehow go back to the beginning to give her the welcome that she deserved.

VICTOR, husband to Ally and father to Paloma, Eva, and Vivienne, responds positively to Paloma’s diagnosis. The anchor of the family, he is steadfast and determined to support his wife. 

We plan to start production in Atlanta, Georgia, during the first weekend of November 2021. Since we are working with child actors of various ages, the schedule has to be carefully considered to accommodate their working hours on set. We will enact a detailed, four-day shooting plan to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness, with extensive pre-production and preparations in place.

For Paloma refuses to gloss over, deny or obscure the realities and feelings of many parents of children with disabilities, and will create a narrative that challenges the stereotypes that many have. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance for us to provide beneficial representation for our character with Down Syndrome, to promote a more positive and visible image of living with a disability. To accomplish this, we will cast numerous child actors with Down Syndrome as Paloma to portray her during her different life stages. 

Ensuring cast and crew safety at all times is paramount, particularly since we will have child actors and some actors with compromised immune systems on set. To guarantee the well-being of all parties involved in the production, we will be taking the following precautions:

- A COVID-19 OSHA-certified Safety Officer will be present for the duration of the shoot to complete individual health screenings for the cast and crew prior to each shoot day's safety meeting.

- Social distancing and face masks will be enforced for the entirety of the shoot and time on set. Crew members will be required to wear facemasks at all times. The cast is also required to wear facemasks at all times, except when the camera is rolling.

- The cast and crew will be served boxed lunches and individually bagged craft services to avoid buffet-style catering.

- Hand sanitizer and PPE, including KN95 masks, will be available throughout the set for the duration of the shoot.

- Actor holding will be staged away from heavily trafficked crew/shooting zones.

- Individual quarantine and self-isolation pledges will be required to limit exposure in between wrap and call times.

- Negative COVID-19 tests will be required for all eligible cast and crew the week before production, regardless of vaccination status.

- Those cast and crew members traveling from out-of-state will be housed in separate individual rooms for the length of the production, to minimize time spent around other cast and crew outside of shooting.

The money raised for our film will go toward things like paying and accomodating our accomplished and talented cast and crew, booking various locations (including a hospital, auditorium, house and dance studio), and reserving state-of-the-art equipment to ensure For Paloma looks as beautiful as Paloma herself.

Once the film is complete, we aim to distribute For Paloma to some of the biggest film festivals on the planet. If we are lucky enough to raise additional money over our goal, some of it will directly assist in the application fees for film festivals like Sundance, the Student Academy Awards, the Student BAFTAs, Cannes, New York, Toronto, Atlanta, Savannah, and MANY more. We want to use your support to expose this film to the world stage and spread the film's incredible message to the largest audience possible.

1. Follow Along:

You can stay up-to-date with our campaign by hitting the "follow" button at the top of this page - and it's 100% free! Additional For Paloma news, updates and special treats can be found on our official social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.

2. Make a Pledge:

You can make a direct contribution to our film by making a pledge! In order to receive the funds we raise, we have to hit 80% of our goal - so every pledge truly matters and no pledge is too small. Every dollar raised goes toward helping this film reach its fullest potential, and spreading our message to the world.

3. Spread the Word:

If you believe in our mission to promote representation for all individuals with disabilities, help us spread the word about For Paloma! Whether by social media, word of mouth, email or text, each additional person reached can make a difference in our success. Usher them toward this campaign on Seed & Spark so they can learn more about our cause. Here's some prompts below, feel free to copy and paste!

Help writer/producer @april_m_aguilera by supporting @FORPALOMA, a story inspired by her own life about a side of motherhood not often seen. Join them on @seedandspark: bit.ly/For-Paloma

Just learned more about FOR PALOMA, a short film advocating for representation for individuals with Down Syndrome and their families, and WOW! This is a project we NEED right now! Follow their heartwarming goals on @seedandspark: bit.ly/For-Paloma

I'm so excited to see FOR PALOMA, a short film about a side of parenthood that few talk about, but I'm sure many have experienced. Help the team behind it spread their incredible message to the largest audience possible by supporting them on @seedandspark: bit.ly/For-Paloma

From the bottom of our hearts, the team behind For Paloma extends our sincerest thanks for all your love and support, and for helping us to reach our goal. Together, we can promote positive representation in the media for all individuals, while creating a touching film dedicated to mothers, fathers and families across the globe. We couldn't do this without you!