is a film about Skum, a mentally unstable transgender man (you have to be to call yourself that, right?)

(She's Gotta Have It, 1986, dir. Spike Lee)

Skum lives in between teenhood and adulthood. He stays in his room and keeps to his own, making zines about his problems and collages of musicians like

(Velvet Goldmine, 1998, dir. Todd Haynes)

Chris Burnett, the aging frontman of the experimental punk band "Balls Hang Low", who Skum is incidentally also going to a concert of. After being blown away by a pack of gen-x geezers trying to be edgy, Skum stands in a group of fans making light conversation with the band- including Chris.

(Nope, 2022, dir. Jordan Peele)

And on the outskirts of a dick measuring contest by way of name-dropping, Skum gets Chris' attention, resulting in the best possible outcome:

a handjob in a gross bathroom.

(Nowhere, 1997, dir. Gregg Araki)

What may or may not follow can only be described as a psychosexual downward spiral that must be seen to believed.

(The Doom Generation, 1995, dir. Gregg Araki)

This is an incredibly self indulgent project for me. I've always loved weirdo morally distraught characters. I identify as a transgender man, and as cliche as it is, I've never really seen myself represented on screen- sure, we're getting more visibility, BUT a lot of us feel isolated and strange, and a lot of us don't look like Elliot Page or Hunter Schafer. Even if we do resemble the beauty standard, being transgender continues to perpetually gets in the way of living our lives the way cisgendered people are allowed to live theirs. This inert divide is so deeply ingrained in our society no matter the extent in which the status quo changes. This project highlights that divide and stuffs the gap with gore, humor, and a taste of self-loathing medicine.

(Frankenhooker, 1990, dir. Frank Hellenlotter)

Sometimes the nuance of my gender makes me feel like a creep. I think a lot of other trans people feel this way. That's why being open with my transness is so important to me. Being trans makes me feel insane, weird, and homo! If nobody can see those feelings, if it's all pronouns at the end of emails and Teen Vogue, does it even matter? Because society just built up this image of manhood and binary gender for so long- they can't act like they don't care, because you know they still do. It's the kind of stuff that makes me feel like my life's work- which, in reality, is staring at rock stars I want to look like until I get confused and get crushes on them.

(Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, 1985, dir. Paul Schrader)

This is a film about wanting someone as being inside someone, as wearing their skin and being them. Wanting to be someone is like fucking them until you get tired of being them, then, once you're tired, fucking someone is about making someone into whoever the hell you want.

Our goal is to raise $6,000, which will go directly towards covering essential costs like food, transportation, and securing the perfect locations to recreate these deeply personal spaces. With your support, we can ensure that this film remains true to the transgender experience, providing an honest and visceral narrative that resonates with audiences both within and outside the LGBTQ+ community.

Now more than ever, the trans community is finally being seen in film. If films like this one aren't made, we will regress to a sanitized hell. By contributing, you're not just funding a film; you're supporting authentic representation in media, uplifting transgender voices, and helping us create a vehicle for stories that deserve to be told. Every contribution, big or small, makes a significant impact on our ability to bring this frighteningly delightful story to life.

How You Can Help:

Contribute

Every dollar brings us closer to our goal. Contributions can be made through our Seed & Spark.

Spread the Word

Share our campaign with friends, family, and on social media. The more visibility we gain, the closer we get to making this film a reality.

In-Person Contribution

If you can contribute food, transportation, or location access, your support would be invaluable to our production.

Join the Conversation

Follow our journey, engage with our updates, and be part of a community that believes in the power of authentic storytelling.

Right now: we're in pre-production, securing our cast and crew. The funds being raised will be used to push us through production (pay our cast, feed our crew, get us place to place, make everything look good) but also will be used for a successful festival run- meaning, getting this movie to you and everyone who doesn't even know about us yet! Once the run ends, we'll be making the film available through the interwebs.

If you want to spread the word, you can post a link to our Seed & Spark (which you're on now!) on your social media like this: https://seedandspark.com/fund/god-hates-a-coward

We're embarking on a journey to bring a unique and powerful student film to life—a transgender horror film that authentically captures the lived experiences of our community. This project, directed by a trans man, is not just a film; it’s a reflection of real stories, rooted in the raw and emotional memories of queer performers’ basements where identity, fear, and envy intersect.

Together, we can make this film a reality and create a lasting impact in the world of horror and LGBTQ+ cinema.