It'll Be Okay is a psychological thriller short film with a folk horror backdrop that is about faith, belonging, and the asynchronous nature of change.

Jane has never known anything but her isolated town. She is happy. She is certain.

The town brings her joy. But, for others, the town takes. Others whisper stories about loved ones being lost at the hands of the town, afraid to speak too loudly about them. Through all of that, though, Jane's devotion doesn't waiver.

Her partner, Everett, is the love of her life. However, his return from a rare, approved trip to the outside world threatens all of that. He returns changed. His time spent outside brought out something that had long lingered inside of him: doubt. Doubt in the town. Doubt in everything he was taught to believe as truth.

After sneaking away from his welcome home ceremony, Everett shares a glimpse of the outside world with Jane hoping she will accept it and his new way of thinking.

Jane is left with a heartbreaking choice: does she leave behind her faith and the only home she's ever known or betray Everett?

This move shares DNA with movies like 1984, Midsommar, The Village, and Blue Valentine.

Told through intimate, lingering visuals and a deep sense of creeping unease, It'll Be Okay explores how the people we love can be both our greatest comfort and our greatest vulnerability. At its core, this is a story about a couple dealing with a fissure in their shared reality.

This story is special to me. Not because I spent any time in a cult but I've experienced all of the feelings these characters feel. I've watched people I care about change at a rate I couldn't keep up with and was left behind. I've also been the person who changed. I've felt the weight of both experiences and they're both equally devastating. This film is about those experiences.

Like Everett, I spent a large portion of my life in the same area and had never really went out and experienced the world. I had friends and a life but always envisioned something more for myself. Finally, after college, I quit my job and went backpacking abroad to experience more of the world and to also find myself. After that I planned on moving halfway across the country to start a life somewhere totally new. In between, though, I returned home for a few weeks. It was a time of limbo - my mind was in the future, already starting that new life but my body was still stuck in the present, living out my old life. I was a stranger in my hometown.

This film started as an exploration of what I was feeling at that point in my life. From there, I started to write further, and as I wrote I discovered a set of complex characters and a strange world eager to be brought to life.

THE TOWN

The town is the backdrop of this film. It is run by a group of elders who have isolated the town from the outside world and spread fear about what exists outside of their walls. Leaving the town is forbidden. But why would anyone leave? The town is the only place you're ever truly safe.

JANE

Played by Allison Kessler

Jane loves her community. The town has woven itself into her DNA just as she has woven herself into it's institutions. She is loyal. She can't conceive of a life outside of her town because she has never been allowed to. Until...

EVERETT

Played by Austin Greene

Everett spent his childhood wasting his potential. He was destined for mediocracy until he changed his ways and began moving up the ranks in the town. With this came an awareness of how the town actually worked. The polish started to fade and was erased completely when he finally was able to leave and see the outside for himself.

MRS. MONTGOMERY

Played by Lisa Osicky

Former schoolteacher and reigning baking champion of the town fair. Mrs. Montgomery sees the town for what it really is but is aware she has to play along. She looks to make changes in the town through her social connections and her influence. She dreams of one day leaving the town.

We are currently moving through pre-production and preparing for filming end of July / early August of this year (2026).

Locations

We have beautiful locations secured for the shoot. Our biggest shoot day will be at a beautiful, historical Quaker meeting house from the 1700's. This place is full of character and will bring this town to life.

We will also be filming in a colonial-style home built in the early 1900's that shows a town stuck in time.

Equipment

We have been working hard reaching out to our network, calling in favors, and researching deeply to find the perfect camera and lenses for this film. We have a very specific vision for this film and want to make sure we have the right gear at our disposal to enact it.

We are asking for money so we should tell you how your money will get used.

First and foremost we will be paying our cast and crew a fair wage. We love the art of filmmaking and want it to be sustainable to make this art - we also want to have the best possible cast and crew that we can find. With this we include food and drinks to feed everyone. We are filming in the summer and it will be hot so we want to make sure everyone is hydrated, fed, and full of energy.

Next is gear. Although we have some gear already we will be leveraging we need some essential gear like certain lenses, lighting, mounts, and more to create exceptional visuals.

Production and costume design is another category. We want to be very intentional with this film and how it looks. We are taking great care to pick the perfect gear and the right cast and we need the right sets and the right clothing to put it all together. We will be leveraging affordable clothing options and things we own already to keep the budget low.

Then we have post-production costs. Filming and getting the right shots is only half the battle. We need to get and compose music for the film, edit the film, and color correct to bring everything together. We will be using free resources and favors where possible here but this will inevitably cost money.

Last but not least is general admin and an emergency fund. We include here things like insurance costs, festival submission fees, and any unexpected charges that pop up. We want to make sure we are prepared for as much as possible here.

We have a solid plan in place and all locations, dates, key cast and crew secured and we just now need your help to make this film the best that it can be.