Girls Camp: The Film
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
LGBTQ, Romantic Comedy
Girls Camp is a love letter to those who’ve wrestled with faith, identity, and belonging. This nostalgic, absurd, and heartfelt dramedy reimagines what it’s like to grow up queer in a religious world—proving that queer joy can exist in any story.
Girls Camp: The Film
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
LGBTQ, Romantic Comedy
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $8,000 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
106 supporters | followers
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Girls Camp is a love letter to those who’ve wrestled with faith, identity, and belonging. This nostalgic, absurd, and heartfelt dramedy reimagines what it’s like to grow up queer in a religious world—proving that queer joy can exist in any story.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
If you grew up queer in a religious community, this is for you.
If you had a summer of self-discovery—whether at camp, in high school, or sneaking around your hometown—this is for you.
If you’ve ever struggled to reconcile your identity with the faith you were raised in, this is for you.
If you’ve ever wanted to see a film about young queer women that doesn’t end in tragedy, this is for you.
If you wish you had seen a movie like this when you were younger, we’re making it now.
For all of us.
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Girls Camp is a nostalgic, queer dramedy set in a 2003 Mormon girls camp in California.
During their final summer at church camp, two Mormon girls ignite an unexpected, explosive romance, while their lifelong best friend struggles to reconcile her faith with what she sees happening between them.
Our main characters:
✨ Jo – A plus-sized junior counselor from Utah. Observant, kind, and secretly hilarious.
✨ Lex – A bold, effortlessly cool free spirit, with a rebellious streak.
✨ Eden – A devout and disciplined junior counselor—Lex’s lifelong best friend, caught between loyalty and self-discovery.
Set against a backdrop of canoe trips, campfire songs, and late-night truth-or-dare, Girls Camp explores the tension between self-acceptance and faith, between desire and repression. And it does all of this with humor, heart, and a touch of the surreal.
Jo talks to God Bear, her childhood teddy bear.
Lex receives wisdom from a gay, Smaug-like voice in the sky.
Because sometimes, when you’ve been raised to believe that God is always watching, you have to imagine Him in a way that makes sense.
Jo and Lex’s romance blooms within the secret and sacred world of girlhood—a place where popular girls rip big farts and everyone scream-sings “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson. Girls Camp is inspired by the 1990s New Queer Cinema movement and female-led queer dramedies, aiming to create a film that feels both nostalgic and contemporary.
Right now, we’re raising $7,500 to shoot a proof-of-concept short film—one scene from the feature film that will help us secure funding and attach top-tier talent for the full-length version.
The scene we’re shooting features a poker game, an intense game of truth or dare, and a heated argument between Lex and Eden about faith and sexuality. It perfectly captures the film’s tone, humor, and emotional depth.
Most queer religious films are heartbreaking dramas that end in tragedy. Girls Camp is different. It’s light, freeing, funny, and deeply cathartic.
It’s a film that says, “You can be queer and happy. You can be queer and loved. You can be queer and thrive.”
For the millions of people who carry religious trauma, this film is a healing salve—one that we wish had existed when we were younger.
But making movies isn’t cheap! Your donations will help us cover:
- Cast & crew wages (because artists deserve to be paid!)
- Camera, lighting, and sound equipment
- Costumes, props, and set dressing
- Feeding our team
- Post-production (editing, color grading, sound design)
- Travel & administrative costs
Every dollar raised goes directly into making this film the best it can be.
Girls Camp is for those of us who learned how to whisper our prayers into pillows at night. It’s for the girls who looked at their best friend a little too long. It’s for the ones who sat through Sunday School questioning everything but pretending they didn’t.
It’s for the kids who made it out, for the ones who are still finding their way, and for the younger versions of ourselves who deserved to see stories like this.
You’re here because this story resonates with you. Because you believe in queer joy. Because you want to see more films that show what it’s actually like to grow up queer in a religious space.
We can’t do this without you.
Every dollar, every share, every comment saying “I needed this movie” gets us closer to making Girls Camp a reality.
Donate now, share this campaign, and let’s make something special—together.
God Bear Says: You are part of the Girls Camp family now, my child. Thank you and welcome.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast
Costs $1,800
Because artists deserve to be paid!
Crew
Costs $2,500
Your support ensures that our hardworking crew are fairly compensated for their time, creativity, and dedication.
Equipment
Costs $750
This includes cameras, lighting rigs, microphones, and all the technical gear required to make every shot look and sound amazing.
Costume
Costs $200
Your contributions help us create a fully realized world with era-accurate costumes that transport audiences to 2003.
Production Design
Costs $200
Every detail matters. Your contributions help us create a fully realized world with meaningful props and a carefully designed set.
Feeding Our Team
Costs $500
Your support helps us provide meals and snacks throughout production, keeping our cast and crew well-fed.
Post-Production
Costs $1,050
This includes editing, adding sound effects and music, perfecting the color and lighting, and making sure every frame is polished.
Travel
Costs $400
Whether it’s flights, gas, or transportation to and from our set location, your support helps us get to set safely and on time.
Administrative
Costs $600
From permits to insurance to production logistics, your donation helps cover the behind-the-scenes essentials that keep Girls Camp running s
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Share this update!
About This Team
Saige is a queer writer and award-winning director, from California. After growing up Mormon, Girls Camp is their chance to rewrite history and imagine what it would be like to fall in love with a girl in a religion that allows nothing but heteronormativity. Saige loves filmmaking more than anything and is excited to bring her story to life.
Suzee is a queer writer, comedy producer, and production powerhouse with a heart as big as her hair. From summer camp days that instilled a lifelong love for community to a career in entertainment where she brings joy, Suzee’s journey is rooted in the importance of connection and emotional safety. With over five years of experience leading projects at major studios like Disney to extensive experience in the indie space, she knows that creating a safe, inclusive environment is the backbone of any successful production.
Beck is a producer, actor, and award-winning screenwriter who spent a decade in corporate marketing building her reputation as a leader in branding and storytelling. Growing up in Mormonism, she longed to break free and push back against its constraints. Girls Camp is her opportunity to do just that, shedding light on the guilt and shame that come with life in a high-demand religion. Most recently, Beck produced the critically acclaimed play Unsavory Fellow. Her television pilot script, Outcasts, has gained recognition at festivals, including the Grand Prize for Best TV Script at the Marina Del Rey Film Festival.
Sonya is a performer, writer and filmmaker who is passionate about telling inclusive stories that make others feel loved, like they belong, and that they are strong enough to make it through whatever struggles they are facing. When she’s not creating, Sonya can be found reading a ridiculous amount of books, watching “The Office” on repeat, or belting out her favorite musical theatre songs.
Liz is a cinematographer creating visual stories among the endless intersections of humor, heartbreak, love, and loneliness. She loves collaborating from a place of sensitivity, intuition, and playfulness when photographing honest and imaginary moments. Her style around movement, color, and light are often informed by her background as a dance artist and choreographer. Her cinematography has been presented by Camerimage (Golden Tadpole award nominee), Cucalorus Film Festival, NewFilmmakers LA, AFI Fest, SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Reeling: Chicago LGBTQ+ International, SXSW Panel Picker, Cleveland International, Miami International, Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center, Reykjavík International, among others. She is a member of ICFC and a Connecticut College visiting artist.
Kennedy Wong Ghaill is a transgender writer and producer from Dayton, OH currently residing and working in Long Beach, CA. She has co-directed the films How to Succeed in Business with a Best Friend and a Handgun (2020) and The Big Part (2022). She also serves as the film programmer at the historic Art Theatre of Long Beach. She is currently working on Hollywood Rex and Becoming as producer, and Girls Camp as screenwriter.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
If you grew up queer in a religious community, this is for you.
If you had a summer of self-discovery—whether at camp, in high school, or sneaking around your hometown—this is for you.
If you’ve ever struggled to reconcile your identity with the faith you were raised in, this is for you.
If you’ve ever wanted to see a film about young queer women that doesn’t end in tragedy, this is for you.
If you wish you had seen a movie like this when you were younger, we’re making it now.
For all of us.
Girls Camp is a nostalgic, queer dramedy set in a 2003 Mormon girls camp in California.
During their final summer at church camp, two Mormon girls ignite an unexpected, explosive romance, while their lifelong best friend struggles to reconcile her faith with what she sees happening between them.
Our main characters:
✨ Jo – A plus-sized junior counselor from Utah. Observant, kind, and secretly hilarious.
✨ Lex – A bold, effortlessly cool free spirit, with a rebellious streak.
✨ Eden – A devout and disciplined junior counselor—Lex’s lifelong best friend, caught between loyalty and self-discovery.
Set against a backdrop of canoe trips, campfire songs, and late-night truth-or-dare, Girls Camp explores the tension between self-acceptance and faith, between desire and repression. And it does all of this with humor, heart, and a touch of the surreal.
Jo talks to God Bear, her childhood teddy bear.
Lex receives wisdom from a gay, Smaug-like voice in the sky.
Because sometimes, when you’ve been raised to believe that God is always watching, you have to imagine Him in a way that makes sense.
Jo and Lex’s romance blooms within the secret and sacred world of girlhood—a place where popular girls rip big farts and everyone scream-sings “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson. Girls Camp is inspired by the 1990s New Queer Cinema movement and female-led queer dramedies, aiming to create a film that feels both nostalgic and contemporary.
Right now, we’re raising $7,500 to shoot a proof-of-concept short film—one scene from the feature film that will help us secure funding and attach top-tier talent for the full-length version.
The scene we’re shooting features a poker game, an intense game of truth or dare, and a heated argument between Lex and Eden about faith and sexuality. It perfectly captures the film’s tone, humor, and emotional depth.
Most queer religious films are heartbreaking dramas that end in tragedy. Girls Camp is different. It’s light, freeing, funny, and deeply cathartic.
It’s a film that says, “You can be queer and happy. You can be queer and loved. You can be queer and thrive.”
For the millions of people who carry religious trauma, this film is a healing salve—one that we wish had existed when we were younger.
But making movies isn’t cheap! Your donations will help us cover:
- Cast & crew wages (because artists deserve to be paid!)
- Camera, lighting, and sound equipment
- Costumes, props, and set dressing
- Feeding our team
- Post-production (editing, color grading, sound design)
- Travel & administrative costs
Every dollar raised goes directly into making this film the best it can be.
Girls Camp is for those of us who learned how to whisper our prayers into pillows at night. It’s for the girls who looked at their best friend a little too long. It’s for the ones who sat through Sunday School questioning everything but pretending they didn’t.
It’s for the kids who made it out, for the ones who are still finding their way, and for the younger versions of ourselves who deserved to see stories like this.
You’re here because this story resonates with you. Because you believe in queer joy. Because you want to see more films that show what it’s actually like to grow up queer in a religious space.
We can’t do this without you.
Every dollar, every share, every comment saying “I needed this movie” gets us closer to making Girls Camp a reality.
Donate now, share this campaign, and let’s make something special—together.
God Bear Says: You are part of the Girls Camp family now, my child. Thank you and welcome.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast
Costs $1,800
Because artists deserve to be paid!
Crew
Costs $2,500
Your support ensures that our hardworking crew are fairly compensated for their time, creativity, and dedication.
Equipment
Costs $750
This includes cameras, lighting rigs, microphones, and all the technical gear required to make every shot look and sound amazing.
Costume
Costs $200
Your contributions help us create a fully realized world with era-accurate costumes that transport audiences to 2003.
Production Design
Costs $200
Every detail matters. Your contributions help us create a fully realized world with meaningful props and a carefully designed set.
Feeding Our Team
Costs $500
Your support helps us provide meals and snacks throughout production, keeping our cast and crew well-fed.
Post-Production
Costs $1,050
This includes editing, adding sound effects and music, perfecting the color and lighting, and making sure every frame is polished.
Travel
Costs $400
Whether it’s flights, gas, or transportation to and from our set location, your support helps us get to set safely and on time.
Administrative
Costs $600
From permits to insurance to production logistics, your donation helps cover the behind-the-scenes essentials that keep Girls Camp running s
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Share this update!
About This Team
Saige is a queer writer and award-winning director, from California. After growing up Mormon, Girls Camp is their chance to rewrite history and imagine what it would be like to fall in love with a girl in a religion that allows nothing but heteronormativity. Saige loves filmmaking more than anything and is excited to bring her story to life.
Suzee is a queer writer, comedy producer, and production powerhouse with a heart as big as her hair. From summer camp days that instilled a lifelong love for community to a career in entertainment where she brings joy, Suzee’s journey is rooted in the importance of connection and emotional safety. With over five years of experience leading projects at major studios like Disney to extensive experience in the indie space, she knows that creating a safe, inclusive environment is the backbone of any successful production.
Beck is a producer, actor, and award-winning screenwriter who spent a decade in corporate marketing building her reputation as a leader in branding and storytelling. Growing up in Mormonism, she longed to break free and push back against its constraints. Girls Camp is her opportunity to do just that, shedding light on the guilt and shame that come with life in a high-demand religion. Most recently, Beck produced the critically acclaimed play Unsavory Fellow. Her television pilot script, Outcasts, has gained recognition at festivals, including the Grand Prize for Best TV Script at the Marina Del Rey Film Festival.
Sonya is a performer, writer and filmmaker who is passionate about telling inclusive stories that make others feel loved, like they belong, and that they are strong enough to make it through whatever struggles they are facing. When she’s not creating, Sonya can be found reading a ridiculous amount of books, watching “The Office” on repeat, or belting out her favorite musical theatre songs.
Liz is a cinematographer creating visual stories among the endless intersections of humor, heartbreak, love, and loneliness. She loves collaborating from a place of sensitivity, intuition, and playfulness when photographing honest and imaginary moments. Her style around movement, color, and light are often informed by her background as a dance artist and choreographer. Her cinematography has been presented by Camerimage (Golden Tadpole award nominee), Cucalorus Film Festival, NewFilmmakers LA, AFI Fest, SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Reeling: Chicago LGBTQ+ International, SXSW Panel Picker, Cleveland International, Miami International, Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center, Reykjavík International, among others. She is a member of ICFC and a Connecticut College visiting artist.
Kennedy Wong Ghaill is a transgender writer and producer from Dayton, OH currently residing and working in Long Beach, CA. She has co-directed the films How to Succeed in Business with a Best Friend and a Handgun (2020) and The Big Part (2022). She also serves as the film programmer at the historic Art Theatre of Long Beach. She is currently working on Hollywood Rex and Becoming as producer, and Girls Camp as screenwriter.