K/Casa
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Horror
After his grandfather dies, an Asian/Latino young man is pulled into a supernatural encounter with the cultural identity he never claimed.
K/Casa
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Horror
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $5,649 for pre-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
63 supporters | followers
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After his grandfather dies, an Asian/Latino young man is pulled into a supernatural encounter with the cultural identity he never claimed.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Casa was bred from a frustration with the little-to-no representation in media of multi-ethnic people. And in many ways, frustration with myself.
I grew up feeling like a bit of mismatched puzzle, hearing my family speak Spanglish and packing my mom's home-cooked Japanese meals in my lunchbox. I sometimes felt too Latino to be Asian, or too Asian to be Latino. And outside of my specific situation, I know I'm not the only one who feels they sometimes have a fragile connection with their roots. I want them to feel seen.
The following are pages from my sketchbook, in which I devoted hours of research trying to assemble an image of the different folkloric figures of my heritage. I soon realized there's parallels to be drawn across the cultures. I learned about a particular false friend: The word 'home' in Spanish is 'casa' and the word 'umbrella' in Japanese is 'kasa'. From there, I hit the ground running. I was excited at the opportunity to put these iconic images all in one frame – samurais, gauchos, frikis, and so much more.
Aside from the research, I was also pulled into the personal ties I had to this story. I spoke to my family members, realizing I could adapt the supernatural encounter that stuck with my Mom ever since my Japanese grandfather died.
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Casa follows Hiro — a young man of Asian/Latino descent. His mom is Japanese/Cuban. His father is Argentinian. His Japanese grandfather, Masashi, has recently died. Though they never had a relationship, Hiro has been sent ahead of the rest of his family to begin clearing out the space. He feels like an intruder in a home filled with unfamiliar heirlooms, disconnected from the roots he never fully interacted with. The only object that draws him in is an antique umbrella, which seems to be the only possession of Masashi that he feels comfortable handling.
There's a sudden knock at the door. Wataru, an odd stranger, claims to be a close friend of Masashi’s. Hiro breaks the news of his grandfather’s passing — only to learn that Wataru supposedly saw Masashi last night, walking away into the darkness of the night. Hiro is already disturbed, and refuses to believe this stranger could have seen the ghost of his grandfather. They sit for tea together and Wataru tries to lighten the mood with a joke about tsukumogami — a type of Yokai in Japanese folklore that possess inanimate objects. Wataru senses Hiro's melancholy, and soon detects there's more to the family dynamic then meets the eye. The two talk about the loose tether he has with his mixed heritage. They highlight his amateurish Spanglish and complete lack of speaking or understanding any Japanese.
Wataru leaves Hiro with some advice: "No matter the culture or tradition or language, all of the human experience falls under the same umbrella." He also tells him to take good care of Masashi's beloved umbrella, to which Hiro reluctantly agrees.
Later that night, Hiro is awoken to a thumping sound. He spots a soccer ball moving around by itself. He follows it out into the main area of the old home, and thus begins a surreal sequence of epic proportion in which Hiro encounters possessed inanimate objects that represent different aspects of his roots. A guitar playing salsa, a soccer ball doing tricks, a mess of sakura blossoms on the ground — that and so much more surround him. It's ghostly messages from his Cuban, Argentinian and Japanese forefathers. These ancestral figures can also be seen in the background: a samurai, a gaucho and a guitarist resembling a member of Los Frikis — they all haunt this space, but only one thing continues to grasp Hiro's attention. Throughout the entirety of this sequence, Hiro has tried to grab Masashi's umbrella but it keeps escaping his grasp.
The umbrella leads him outside and wisps past him to open up in front of him, seeming as though it's covering the entire home. Hiro smiles, feeling the warmth of his grandfather's playfulness — finally making peace with the genetic makeup that defines him.
.png)
It's quite rare that people of mixed ethnicity see themselves on screen. They already feel like they can't maintain a strong tether to either side of where they come from, so K/Casa exists to make this minority feel seen — to let them know they are enough of whatever cultural jigsaw puzzle makes them up. And even for those who aren't multiethnic, K/Casa can still offer a point of relation to any person who wishes they were more in touch with their roots. The message is simple: the human experience is so incredibly vast yet universal...and no matter the cultural barrier, we all are connected by the beauties and tragedies of life.
.png)
As New York University students, our team already has access to some good resources, but we still need your help to make this the very best it can be!
We're looking to secure funding for:
Transportation
Meals for the Cast & Crew
Camera and Gear Rental Costs
Rental Insurance
Prop/Production Design Costs (to secure the most authentic pieces and service the story)
Thank you for taking interest in this passion project! Aside from just your financial support, you can also share this page or our Instagram page (@kasa.film) with anyone you think is interested!
Here is a pre-typed example that you are welcome to copy and paste!
Help support @giancarlozarich to make a drama/horror film called @kcasa.film — a story based on his own multicultural roots. Be a part of highlighting unique multi-ethnic stories and hopefully opening the door for more Latino/Asian creators!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Transportation / U-Haul Rental Costs
Costs $1,700
Our location is based in New Jersey and transportation costs for cast and crew and equipment will be expensive!
Meals
Costs $900
We want to make sure we're able to feed all members of our diligent crew over the three-day shoot!
Actor Compensation
Costs $1,200
Our production wants to ensure the best possible casting. The representation on screen is a top priority, and we want to pay our performers.
Camera / Gear Expenses
Costs $1,400
Securing the right funds to afford proper equipment will make this as high quality as we envision it to be!
Scoring Compensation
Costs $800
We want to ensure the best score is made -- and one that includes the different cultural influences and appropriate instruments!
Art Department Costs
Costs $500
Authentic set-dressing and costuming is expensive, but vital to making the world feel real and true to what we're representing.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
The K/Casa crew is composed of some of the most talented individuals at NYU Tisch.
The crew number is currently at fourteen — and they're all extremely dedicated to make this very best it can be. Here you can see the dedicated producing team of K/Casa!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Casa was bred from a frustration with the little-to-no representation in media of multi-ethnic people. And in many ways, frustration with myself.
I grew up feeling like a bit of mismatched puzzle, hearing my family speak Spanglish and packing my mom's home-cooked Japanese meals in my lunchbox. I sometimes felt too Latino to be Asian, or too Asian to be Latino. And outside of my specific situation, I know I'm not the only one who feels they sometimes have a fragile connection with their roots. I want them to feel seen.
The following are pages from my sketchbook, in which I devoted hours of research trying to assemble an image of the different folkloric figures of my heritage. I soon realized there's parallels to be drawn across the cultures. I learned about a particular false friend: The word 'home' in Spanish is 'casa' and the word 'umbrella' in Japanese is 'kasa'. From there, I hit the ground running. I was excited at the opportunity to put these iconic images all in one frame – samurais, gauchos, frikis, and so much more.
Aside from the research, I was also pulled into the personal ties I had to this story. I spoke to my family members, realizing I could adapt the supernatural encounter that stuck with my Mom ever since my Japanese grandfather died.
Casa follows Hiro — a young man of Asian/Latino descent. His mom is Japanese/Cuban. His father is Argentinian. His Japanese grandfather, Masashi, has recently died. Though they never had a relationship, Hiro has been sent ahead of the rest of his family to begin clearing out the space. He feels like an intruder in a home filled with unfamiliar heirlooms, disconnected from the roots he never fully interacted with. The only object that draws him in is an antique umbrella, which seems to be the only possession of Masashi that he feels comfortable handling.
There's a sudden knock at the door. Wataru, an odd stranger, claims to be a close friend of Masashi’s. Hiro breaks the news of his grandfather’s passing — only to learn that Wataru supposedly saw Masashi last night, walking away into the darkness of the night. Hiro is already disturbed, and refuses to believe this stranger could have seen the ghost of his grandfather. They sit for tea together and Wataru tries to lighten the mood with a joke about tsukumogami — a type of Yokai in Japanese folklore that possess inanimate objects. Wataru senses Hiro's melancholy, and soon detects there's more to the family dynamic then meets the eye. The two talk about the loose tether he has with his mixed heritage. They highlight his amateurish Spanglish and complete lack of speaking or understanding any Japanese.
Wataru leaves Hiro with some advice: "No matter the culture or tradition or language, all of the human experience falls under the same umbrella." He also tells him to take good care of Masashi's beloved umbrella, to which Hiro reluctantly agrees.
Later that night, Hiro is awoken to a thumping sound. He spots a soccer ball moving around by itself. He follows it out into the main area of the old home, and thus begins a surreal sequence of epic proportion in which Hiro encounters possessed inanimate objects that represent different aspects of his roots. A guitar playing salsa, a soccer ball doing tricks, a mess of sakura blossoms on the ground — that and so much more surround him. It's ghostly messages from his Cuban, Argentinian and Japanese forefathers. These ancestral figures can also be seen in the background: a samurai, a gaucho and a guitarist resembling a member of Los Frikis — they all haunt this space, but only one thing continues to grasp Hiro's attention. Throughout the entirety of this sequence, Hiro has tried to grab Masashi's umbrella but it keeps escaping his grasp.
The umbrella leads him outside and wisps past him to open up in front of him, seeming as though it's covering the entire home. Hiro smiles, feeling the warmth of his grandfather's playfulness — finally making peace with the genetic makeup that defines him.
It's quite rare that people of mixed ethnicity see themselves on screen. They already feel like they can't maintain a strong tether to either side of where they come from, so K/Casa exists to make this minority feel seen — to let them know they are enough of whatever cultural jigsaw puzzle makes them up. And even for those who aren't multiethnic, K/Casa can still offer a point of relation to any person who wishes they were more in touch with their roots. The message is simple: the human experience is so incredibly vast yet universal...and no matter the cultural barrier, we all are connected by the beauties and tragedies of life.
As New York University students, our team already has access to some good resources, but we still need your help to make this the very best it can be!
We're looking to secure funding for:
Transportation
Meals for the Cast & Crew
Camera and Gear Rental Costs
Rental Insurance
Prop/Production Design Costs (to secure the most authentic pieces and service the story)
Thank you for taking interest in this passion project! Aside from just your financial support, you can also share this page or our Instagram page (@kasa.film) with anyone you think is interested!
Here is a pre-typed example that you are welcome to copy and paste!
Help support @giancarlozarich to make a drama/horror film called @kcasa.film — a story based on his own multicultural roots. Be a part of highlighting unique multi-ethnic stories and hopefully opening the door for more Latino/Asian creators!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Transportation / U-Haul Rental Costs
Costs $1,700
Our location is based in New Jersey and transportation costs for cast and crew and equipment will be expensive!
Meals
Costs $900
We want to make sure we're able to feed all members of our diligent crew over the three-day shoot!
Actor Compensation
Costs $1,200
Our production wants to ensure the best possible casting. The representation on screen is a top priority, and we want to pay our performers.
Camera / Gear Expenses
Costs $1,400
Securing the right funds to afford proper equipment will make this as high quality as we envision it to be!
Scoring Compensation
Costs $800
We want to ensure the best score is made -- and one that includes the different cultural influences and appropriate instruments!
Art Department Costs
Costs $500
Authentic set-dressing and costuming is expensive, but vital to making the world feel real and true to what we're representing.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
The K/Casa crew is composed of some of the most talented individuals at NYU Tisch.
The crew number is currently at fourteen — and they're all extremely dedicated to make this very best it can be. Here you can see the dedicated producing team of K/Casa!