After a failed marriage proposal, a couple must decide what is next for their relationship past the night.

After a failed marriage proposal where WOMAN says no, she and MAN arrive back to their apartment full of decorations and memories. They spend the night figuring out what is next for their relationship. This isn’t quite a love story. Love is here, but this is mostly about what happens next and what happened before?

The night started off promising; he had everything planned. He was going to propose to the love of his life. The woman he’s been with since college. Their families and friend groups are intertwined. They’ve talked about this. They’ve planned their future. She knew it was coming. This was the perfect night...and then she said no. Why? This is what they must spend the night discovering. Why did she say no to his marriage proposal? And where do they go from here? Is this the end or a pause? What does he want?

Set in one location, one night and almost like a play, we follow one couple as they figure out what happens now.

As a long-time romance fan, I want to spin the genre on its head. This isn’t a romance, but it’s also not a breakup movie. I have a friend from college who was in a relationship with one of the most perfect men. Everyone thought that they were the perfect couple and would be the first to get married. We were all waiting for it. She was waiting for it. She knew he would propose at their joint graduation party. Got her nails done and when he got down on one knee, her life flashed before her eyes and she knew she couldn't say yes. So what does life look like for a couple after the no? I want to do a film that is the antithesis of falling in love. An honest depiction of a couple figuring out what's next and their relationship. There’s no easy or conclusive answers.

This is a character-driven romantic drama. A look at a realistic relationship that has hit a crossroads. Uncomfortable and sad. I never get to see films like this on screen, films that aren't about the Hollywood version of relationships. And I never get to see films like this that center a Black Woman making a choice for herself that isn't the popular choice.

The tone is a very focused, character-driven drama about love, loss, and the future. Lots of dialogue, not much action. This film lives in the silence. This is focused on the characters. Almost like a play. We want to be able to also use the shot compositions to make this feel like a movement piece. Close up and steadicams to capture lots of fluid one shots.

We want to use lots of close ups and handheld to make it feel intimate and uncomfortable. It’s a night of uncertainty. We want to use a lot of orange and blues as well for color to bring the melancholy theme I want to showcase. We will also shoot this with very fluid camera shots to make it feel like we’re almost watching a dance piece.

CAROLINE RENARD: DIRECTOR AND SCREENWRITER

Caroline Renard is a first-gen Haitian-American screenwriter and director from Miami, now based in Los Angeles. A graduate of Florida State University with a degree in African American Studies and Political Science. She was most recently a Story Editor on Disney+’s Secrets of Sulphur Springs and made her directorial debut with the award-winning short Unbraided, which premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and screened widely. She is a 2024 Black Film Space Directing Mentee and part of the 2026 Rideback Rise Circle: an accelerator program for mid-career POC creators. She is currently developing her first feature film.

LANARIA JOHNSON: PRODUCER

Lanaria Johnson is a Brooklyn-based producer originally from Birmingham, AL. Most recently, she served as the associate producer on the film LOVE, BROOKLYN, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and won Outstanding Independent Motion Picture at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards. Her experience spans film and television with roles supporting development and production at New Line Cinema and 20th Century Fox International Productions, as well as  production work on films and series for Paramount, ABC, Netflix and Hulu. Lanaria earned a B.A. in Film and Television Production from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.

CLARA YOON: PRODUCER

Clara Yoon is a producer based in Los Angeles, bringing to the West Coast a half-New England and half-Midwestern sensibility. She is a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, focusing on educational media. She began her career at PBS’s Antiques Roadshow, following by live-action feature film development at Disney. She is a member of the inaugural class of Women in Film’s Business Executive Fellowship, as well as Colour Entertainment’s Ignite program. In addition to IF THERE’S NO FOREVER, Clara is teaming up again with filmmaker Caroline Renard and developing her first feature film.

SPENCER JAMISON: LEAD ACTRESS

Spencer is a graduate of James Madison University and the Yale School of Drama MFA Acting Program. Spencer starred in and produced Slave Cry with her brother Jai Jamison, which won the 2019 Commonwealth Award for Best Short Film at the Virginia Film Festival and screened at the 2020 Bushwick Film Festival as well as the 2021 Pan African Film Festival among others. Her directorial debut, DAY 74, won the 2020 Curbside Shorts Film Challenge Grand Prize sponsored by Women in Film LA, IMDbPro, and ReFrame Project. Spencer was selected for the 2025 Film Independent Episodic Lab, is a 2025-2026 WIF Writer Fellow, and recently completed production on a sci-fi romance short she directed, written by Johan Martinez-Khalilian, starring Quincy Isaiah (HBO’s  Winning Time) and Ava McCoy (All American: Homecoming) and produced by Chisom Ude (Joy Ride) with Inflection Point Entertainment. She is currently developing her debut feature, an expansion of her audience award–winning romantic comedy short, At Capacity, with Loni Rodgers (Past Lives and  The Tragedy of Macbeth.) www.spencer-jamison.com

JEAN ELIE: LEAD ACTOR

Jean Elie is a Haitian American actor, writer, and producer best known as Ahmal Dee on HBO’s Insecure. He has appeared in American Crime, The Rookie, Colin in Black & White, and Rap Sh!t. In 2022, Jean co-created, co-showran, and starred in AMC AllBlk’s Send Help, which is now streaming on Tubi. Most recently, Jean worked on Marvel Studios’ Wonder Man for Disney+, where he served as a cultural consultant and appears in later episodes. He is the founder of Bassett House Pictures, producing character-driven stories from underrepresented perspectives. His work also spans voiceover and brand collaborations with Showtime, Puma, Prime Video, and Anheuser-Busch.



Initial Goal: $20,000 | Cast & Crew, Location, Camera Equipment, Production Supplies & Rentals

Stretch Goal: $30,000 | Production Design, Wardrobe, Makeup, Catering

Stretch Goal: $45,000 | Post-Production, Marketing, Contingency

We really want to thank you all for your support and love on getting this film made. We truly couldn't do this without you. Filmmaking is a collaborative experience and we want you all to be part of our team as we venture into making this film.

Love,

The If There's No Forever Team