Glory Days
Long Beach, California | Film Short
Drama, Family
A former pageant queen, Lauren, begins to worry that her teenage daughter, Blake, is too introverted, so she signs Blake up for a beauty pageant as her desperate attempt to inspire confidence in her daughter.
Glory Days
Long Beach, California | Film Short
Drama, Family
Green Light
This campaign raised $1,900 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
25 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
A former pageant queen, Lauren, begins to worry that her teenage daughter, Blake, is too introverted, so she signs Blake up for a beauty pageant as her desperate attempt to inspire confidence in her daughter.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE STORY
Sixteen-year-old Blake is happiest with a paintbrush in hand, but her mother Lauren once a pageant queen herself fears her daughter is hiding from the world. Determined to give Blake the confidence she believes she’s lacking, Lauren pushes her into a beauty pageant. What begins as a reluctant compromise quickly spirals into a battle of wills, as Blake struggles against glitter, makeup, and talent routines that feel nothing like her. Tensions rise until mother and daughter collide in a raw confrontation about identity, love, and acceptance. Glory Days is a heartfelt coming-of-age story that explores the clash between parental expectations and personal authenticity, capturing the messy, tender journey of a girl learning to claim her own spotlight.
THE CHARACTERS
.jpg)
Lauren is a motivated, intelligent woman who proves that women can balance the head and the heart with ease and a natural grace. She has a confident demeanor with a side of stubbornness. Lauren is accomplished when it comes to her upbringing, but her sole wish is for her family to be happy and fulfilled. However, her perception of fulfillment clashes with that of Blake, her sixteen year old daughter, causing Lauren to spiral as she wishes for Blake to have the same confidence and drive.
.jpg)
Blake is a bright teenage girl who is artistic and determined. While she is extremely introverted, Blake is self-assured and kind. She does not lack femininity, but she also does not compromise her masculinity in the name of fitting in. She is certainly a cool girl, just not the type that is always appreciated in school. Although Blake may struggle to connect with Lauren, her mother, she loves her regardless.
OUR STORY IS JUST GETTING STARTED
Glory Days is one of few films chosen by the Cal State University Long Beach Cinematic Arts program to go into production, and we couldn’t be more excited! We’ve already received support from the Golden Globe Foundation, but we still need to raise $2,500 to fully fund our project. Every dollar will go toward the essentials like feeding our cast and crew, transportation, camera rentals, production design, and more. With your help, we can bring this heartfelt story to life on screen and give our team the resources they need to shine!
Currently we are in the pre-production process. We will be wrapping production in late November, and premiering our film at the Cal State Long Beach Cinematic Arts Student Showcase late spring 2026, then submitting our film to festivals!
HOW YOU CAN HELP!
- FOLLOW You can follow this page via Seed&Spark, but make sure to follow our instagram account: @glorydaysshortfilm! Share this with family members, friends, etc.
- SPREAD THE WORD Mention this film to friends in conversation! Repost our instagram account or email this page! We want to share this film with everyone.
- CONTACT US If you have resources you want to share or questions, don’t be afraid to email [email protected]!
.jpg)
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Food for our Crew
Costs $1,000
A well-fed crew is a happy crew. This keeps our crew of thirty people fueled and hydrated during the shoot.
Production Expenses
Costs $300
This will include fees for equipment, transportation, and permits! All of this goes towards creating the visual look for Glory Days.
Costumes and Props
Costs $200
The set dressing and physical look of the film is centered around Blake's use of her art as an outlet to show how she truly feels.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Mariam Mkhitaryan
Director
Mariam Mkhitaryan is a young filmmaker who moved to the LA area 3 years ago to pursue her dream and education in film. Mariam’s belief is that film is a powerful tool for uniting humans and connecting completely different experiences through shared emotions. She also appreciates that film, in its nature, combines nearly every different art medium into one final masterpiece. Since moving to Long Beach, Mariam has directed several film-related projects, expanded her photography portfolio, and broken into the professional world through freelance script supervision. She is incredibly excited for Glory Days and the next step of her journey!
Celeste Garcia
Writer
Celeste Garcia is a senior at CSULB in the screenwriting track. Out of all the scripts she has written, Glory Days is the one she is proudest of. This is a deeply personal story, not just to her but to anyone who has gone down the route of art or creativity, despite the odds. She liked to thank her mom, who has pushed her to be the person she is now and has been a point of constant support.
Kayla Dior
Cinematographer
Kayla Dior will serve as the Director of Photography for this year’s senior thesis film, Glory Days. She is excited to collaborate with the team to create a visually dynamic story exploring the bond between mother and daughter. Kayla has long been captivated by the power of film to move audiences emotionally—a fascination that began in childhood while watching Ponyo with her mother and grew through countless movie experiences with friends. Inspired by these moments, she has pursued filmmaking with passion and dedication. The community of close friends she has built in film has provided endless support as she works toward her goals. Kayla is thrilled to be part of Glory Days and looks forward to seeing the team’s combined efforts come together harmoniously.
Elliot Speranta
1st Assistant Director
Elliot Speranta is thrilled to serve as the 1st Assistant Director of Glory Days. With experience on several student film sets, Elliot has gained valuable insight into the ins and outs of filmmaking. He is honored to contribute to a project filled with so much heart and soul. To Elliot, Glory Days tells the story of Blake, a passionate young woman struggling with self-identity and the fear of not living up to others’ expectations—a theme that resonates deeply with him and many others. For Elliot, this film is more than just a story; it reflects a life experience to which we can all relate.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
THE STORY
Sixteen-year-old Blake is happiest with a paintbrush in hand, but her mother Lauren once a pageant queen herself fears her daughter is hiding from the world. Determined to give Blake the confidence she believes she’s lacking, Lauren pushes her into a beauty pageant. What begins as a reluctant compromise quickly spirals into a battle of wills, as Blake struggles against glitter, makeup, and talent routines that feel nothing like her. Tensions rise until mother and daughter collide in a raw confrontation about identity, love, and acceptance. Glory Days is a heartfelt coming-of-age story that explores the clash between parental expectations and personal authenticity, capturing the messy, tender journey of a girl learning to claim her own spotlight.
THE CHARACTERS
Lauren is a motivated, intelligent woman who proves that women can balance the head and the heart with ease and a natural grace. She has a confident demeanor with a side of stubbornness. Lauren is accomplished when it comes to her upbringing, but her sole wish is for her family to be happy and fulfilled. However, her perception of fulfillment clashes with that of Blake, her sixteen year old daughter, causing Lauren to spiral as she wishes for Blake to have the same confidence and drive.
Blake is a bright teenage girl who is artistic and determined. While she is extremely introverted, Blake is self-assured and kind. She does not lack femininity, but she also does not compromise her masculinity in the name of fitting in. She is certainly a cool girl, just not the type that is always appreciated in school. Although Blake may struggle to connect with Lauren, her mother, she loves her regardless.
OUR STORY IS JUST GETTING STARTED
Glory Days is one of few films chosen by the Cal State University Long Beach Cinematic Arts program to go into production, and we couldn’t be more excited! We’ve already received support from the Golden Globe Foundation, but we still need to raise $2,500 to fully fund our project. Every dollar will go toward the essentials like feeding our cast and crew, transportation, camera rentals, production design, and more. With your help, we can bring this heartfelt story to life on screen and give our team the resources they need to shine!
Currently we are in the pre-production process. We will be wrapping production in late November, and premiering our film at the Cal State Long Beach Cinematic Arts Student Showcase late spring 2026, then submitting our film to festivals!
HOW YOU CAN HELP!
- FOLLOW You can follow this page via Seed&Spark, but make sure to follow our instagram account: @glorydaysshortfilm! Share this with family members, friends, etc.
- SPREAD THE WORD Mention this film to friends in conversation! Repost our instagram account or email this page! We want to share this film with everyone.
- CONTACT US If you have resources you want to share or questions, don’t be afraid to email [email protected]!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Food for our Crew
Costs $1,000
A well-fed crew is a happy crew. This keeps our crew of thirty people fueled and hydrated during the shoot.
Production Expenses
Costs $300
This will include fees for equipment, transportation, and permits! All of this goes towards creating the visual look for Glory Days.
Costumes and Props
Costs $200
The set dressing and physical look of the film is centered around Blake's use of her art as an outlet to show how she truly feels.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Mariam Mkhitaryan
Director
Mariam Mkhitaryan is a young filmmaker who moved to the LA area 3 years ago to pursue her dream and education in film. Mariam’s belief is that film is a powerful tool for uniting humans and connecting completely different experiences through shared emotions. She also appreciates that film, in its nature, combines nearly every different art medium into one final masterpiece. Since moving to Long Beach, Mariam has directed several film-related projects, expanded her photography portfolio, and broken into the professional world through freelance script supervision. She is incredibly excited for Glory Days and the next step of her journey!
Celeste Garcia
Writer
Celeste Garcia is a senior at CSULB in the screenwriting track. Out of all the scripts she has written, Glory Days is the one she is proudest of. This is a deeply personal story, not just to her but to anyone who has gone down the route of art or creativity, despite the odds. She liked to thank her mom, who has pushed her to be the person she is now and has been a point of constant support.
Kayla Dior
Cinematographer
Kayla Dior will serve as the Director of Photography for this year’s senior thesis film, Glory Days. She is excited to collaborate with the team to create a visually dynamic story exploring the bond between mother and daughter. Kayla has long been captivated by the power of film to move audiences emotionally—a fascination that began in childhood while watching Ponyo with her mother and grew through countless movie experiences with friends. Inspired by these moments, she has pursued filmmaking with passion and dedication. The community of close friends she has built in film has provided endless support as she works toward her goals. Kayla is thrilled to be part of Glory Days and looks forward to seeing the team’s combined efforts come together harmoniously.
Elliot Speranta
1st Assistant Director
Elliot Speranta is thrilled to serve as the 1st Assistant Director of Glory Days. With experience on several student film sets, Elliot has gained valuable insight into the ins and outs of filmmaking. He is honored to contribute to a project filled with so much heart and soul. To Elliot, Glory Days tells the story of Blake, a passionate young woman struggling with self-identity and the fear of not living up to others’ expectations—a theme that resonates deeply with him and many others. For Elliot, this film is more than just a story; it reflects a life experience to which we can all relate.