I am eager to share “The House My Mother Left”. After the passing of my dad, it became difficult for my mom and I to deescalate our disagreements. While this is a fictional work, the intensity and sentiment remain true, the loss of a family member can create a codependency between those left behind.

WE HIT OUR GOAL!! BUT WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP!

We are now focusing on our STRETCH GOALS. These are finishing funds, submissions for festivals, and paying our crew!

Stretch Goal #1: Finishing Funds - $8,600

Once the film is “in the can” (but this time it really will be in the can ‘cause it’s film!) we need to spend a bit more before we are able to see it. With this amount we will be able to ensure top quality development and scanning of the 16mm film. We will also be able to pay for a professional sound design and music composition to really bring the film to life and let all our hard work show through.

 

Stretch Goal #2: Festival Presence - $9,600

Once the film is complete, we plan to take it to film festivals (hopefully one near you!) Submission fees can quickly rack up, so with additional funds we can put aside money to bring The House My Mother Left to the big screen. The more people see the film, the greater change it can turn into something even bigger.

 

Stretch Goal #3: Crew Payment - $15,000

 

We all get by with a little help from our friends, or in this case A LOT. I'm incredibly lucky to have a group of amazingly talented indie-filmmaker friends investing their time and hard work into this project. While it is extremely generous for them to offer their help, we want to show how much we value them by paying them with not just undying gratitude. 

Since the old family house was burglarized four months ago, this is the first time Frankie has come down to help her mother, Margot, clean it up. As Frankie starts to sort through the old photos and newspaper clippings of her moms past, she's interrupted by Margot accusing her of taking the keys to the truck. Frankie insists that she doesn't have them but Margot isn't convinced.

The next morning, Frankie is called by Margot down to the garage to straighten things up. Not long after, Margot discovers the two have been locked in the basement, Frankie having closed the door behind them. As Frankie pounds on the garage, the alarm is set off and the two begin to yell. Eventually the door flys open and they separate from each other.

Having found the keys to the truck earlier, but being too prideful to admit it, Frankie takes the truck out to the cemetery to visit her dad. Margot eventually finds her, and they lay on the ground together next to her father's grave. 

Production is set to start on The House My Mother Left in March 2023 in Pomeroy, Ohio. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains it borders the beautiful Ohio River. A town of hard working citizens who take pride in their coal and salt mining roots, we feel it is the perfect backdrop to tell our story. The house is actually our director's late grandmother's home. Our cast and crew is comprised of filmmakers from across Ohio. We are excited to champion Ohio as a great place to shoot narritive film and showcase the incredible talents of Ohioians.

More importantly, this is a story about women, made by women. Our crew is over 50% women, and with a female director, director of photography, assistant director, and producer, women lead a majority of the departments. It is important to us that we tell this story strictly through a female lens because that's who it is for: the girls!

Currently, we have a majority of our crew, our locations secured, and the screenplay is complete . We've just held virtual auditions and our cast will be finalized soon! Our next step is to prepare for shooting!

We are hoping to raise $6,000 to make this film a reality. Here's what your contibution would help us do:

- Rent and test our 16mm camera

- Buy 16mm Film from Kodak, and then have it scanned and developed after shooting

- Secure Housing for our Crew in Pomeroy, OH or surrounding areas

- Pay for Meals and Snacks on Set

- Rent Equipment for Lighting

- Secure Cast

Lastly, we will need about $1,500 of this to edit the film, hire a composer, and make sure it sounds and looks as great as possible. We want this film to be SEEN that means submitting it to festivals! We want to submit this film to festivals across the world with an emphasis on women led festivals.

Generational impact seeps out of every corner in this relationship. Years of rich family history dominate Frankie and Margot’s space, both physically and metaphorically, like a wall between them. As they navigate the preserved world that is Margot’s old family home, history is the vehicle for their conflict. The memories, the relationships, and the items - all lost. It seems only fitting that we approach this story from a medium that calls out the importance of history and preservation: celluloid film. By shooting on film, we hope to accent the theme of generational repercussion and allow an extra layer for the viewer to really feel these character’s pasts and family looming over them. We want this film to feel as if Frankie plucked it out of the old boxes herself and popped it into a nearby projector.

With films like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Lady Bird, and Turning Red, we see a heavy emphasis on trauma passed down from various parenting methods that affect the relationship between mothers and daughters, but this isn't always the case. In The House My Mother Left, K.R. Allshouse explores how the external factor of loss inflicts trauma upon a relationship. This is important to explore now more than ever due to the spotlight being given to women in film to share their experiences and create female characters that are three dimensional and not always perfect. 

This short is being made in association with d5 pictures. d5 Pictures is an independent production company and creative collective of four savvy filmmakers. Columbus-born, Los Angeles-based, d5 has already built a diverse body of work, from music videos, to genre-bending shorts, to eSports tournaments, always able to make a lot with a little. They are excited to be a part of this short and support Allshouse in telling her story.

We appreciate you checking out our Seed&Spark! If you connect with our story and want to see this film made, we ask that you not only contribute, but also share our page with friends and family. 

Stay updated with us and the film by following us along on our social media page. We will be updating frequently and you will not want to miss it!

Instagram: @thehousemymotherleft