HUNGRY comes from the minds of talented and diverse group of men and women who want to tell human stories through the lens of Asian Americans. In our short film the our characters come to represent and explore different solutions and stigmas that come from existential dread.

Who is it about?  

We follow Sam.

Sam was a hardworking young college student who would always look ahead and had a bright future ahead of him. 

However that all changed when Sam’s future was cut short. Now stuck with a mysterious condition that causes him to vomit whenever he tries to eat any form of food, Sam quickly begins a downward spiral fuelling many desperate attempts to cure his hunger as he slowly dies due to starvation. And that’s exactly where we find him in HUNGRY.

Now with seemingly insurmountable odds and a sudden loss of control in his own life, all of Sam’s anxieties and resentments (largely directed at himself), burst out and he discovers just how far he will go to live a little longer. 

Dying alone sucks!

That’s why Sam doesn’t want to.

So as the end nears Sam reaches out to a friend from his past - one with a perfect mix of distance and kindness: Jeremy. Though the understanding and reliable Jeremy is no longer as close to Sam as he was, he is more than willing to pull up and support Sam during his time of need! But just what kind of support does Sam need? And how will Jeremy react when he learns the truth of Sam’s condition?

That’s the story but what’s the inspiration?

HUNGRY is a genre bending story that has twists and shifts, and as such its inspirations reflect that.

There are lots of stories about downward spirals, HUNGRY draws visual inspiration from many but is set apart by a dynamic and shifting style and the care we have for our characters. We want to humanize people that are put into extreme situations, who not only have to deal with seemingly insurmountable odds, but also deal with internalized stigmas that cloud their judgment. And we’re doing it with rhythm and style!

 

This story stems from a very real place - sometimes things are outside your control. The feelings of inadequacy and shame are often felt when things get out of hand, however they are not frequently discussed in a way that is productive. Especially in Asian American culture, the concept of saving face leads to an increase of shame and worsened mental health (we did the research). This film seeks to openly explore a dialogue on different coping methods.

HUNGRY is directly based on such feelings that I (Kai), experienced during the global pandemic, that were especially damning given the transitional period I was going through. HUNGRY at its core is about the figurative and literal hunger - that while you cannot get rid of it, you can choose how you deal with it. Although the film might deal with some heavy themes we will still deliver a thrilling and stylish film. 

Now, you can rest assured knowing this is not our first rodeo into filmmaking. We have experience in both running successful crowdfunding campaigns and creating films that make it into festivals. Plus as a creative core we have produced several films together. 

Here are some examples of our previous work!

However this story can’t be told without YOU!

By pledging you will directly be enabling this production! The costs to create HUNGRY add up - creating and feeding a crew, renting gear and locations, making awesome special effects, and so much more! Supporting will allow us to bring the film we envision to you, safely and smoothly - from production to distribution! Every single pledge will directly go into the creation of HUNGRY and will be forever thankful to you!

Our target of 7,000 is the minimum required to bring our vision to life, however if we suprass this goal we will be able to acquire better gear and locations, go crazier with speciel effects and provide more ammenities for the cast and crew!

Of course there are also other ways to help…

Help us spread the word!

We can only tell this story and reach our crowdfunding goals by having the word spread outside our networks. If you like what we’re cooking, YOU can help us succeed!

We cannot do this without your support! Please share our campaign through your social media, email, word-of-mouth, smoke signal or whatever you fancy!

Here are some examples. Feel free to copy and paste!

Help filmmaker @kaiyakeon by supporting his Asian American dramatic thriller HUNGRY about a struggling college student who suddenly cannot eat anything! Support them on @seedandspark: tiny.cc/hungry

I just found out about HUNGRY directed by @kaiyakeon and WOW, you've got to support this movie! Join them on @seedandspark: tiny.cc/hungry

I'm so excited to see the Asian American thriller HUNGRY, by @kaiyakeon- Support them on @seedandspark: tiny.cc/hungry

Be sure to our campaign and socials to stay up-to-date on the latest HUNGRY news! It is free, and helps us garner more attention and legitimacy! With more Seed&Spark followers, we get access to products, services, and fee waivers through Seed&Spark.

Can't make a monetary pledge but have services or items you can donate or loan?  Check out our list below! We can offer credit and/or advertising. Feel free to email us at [email protected]

Here are a few things we are looking for:

    Grocery store shooting location in/around Long Beach/ Los Angeles

    Apartment/Home shooting location in/around Long Beach/ Los Angeles

    Craft services (snacks, coffee, bottled water)

    Grip/Electric Gear

    Catering

    Prop Food

    Special Effects

    PPE

Thank you so much for whatever you can do! You are what makes this possible!