La Mala
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Short
Thriller, Fantasy
After awakening hidden powers, Sadie is sent to rural Mexico, where she learns she's descended from indigenous witches. As a cult hunts her and an ancient spirit looms, Sadie must embrace her identity and break a deadly curse to save her family.
La Mala
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Short
Thriller, Fantasy
1 Campaigns | Georgia, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $8,160 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
55 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
After awakening hidden powers, Sadie is sent to rural Mexico, where she learns she's descended from indigenous witches. As a cult hunts her and an ancient spirit looms, Sadie must embrace her identity and break a deadly curse to save her family.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
La Mala follows Sadie Morales Soto, an ordinary teenage girl juggling the familiar struggles of adolescence: school, friends, and identity. Her world is turned upside down when she awakens powers she doesn’t understand and suddenly becomes the target of a mysterious and dangerous cult.
(Concept art by Marianne Mosquera/Exiled Arts)
As eerie events escalate, her mother Catalina realizes their home is no longer safe for Sadie and sends her away to rural Mexico where she is to stay with extended family, who seem to know more about her than she does about them.
There, Sadie learns from her aunt, Fernanda, and grandmother, Izel, that they are descended from a long line of witches, women gifted with ancestral magic but cursed and pursued by a vengeful, ancient spirit.
Under their guidance, Sadie learns to control her new abilities, but is held back by fear and doubt as her world is thrown into chaos. She struggles to accept her lineage and the burden that comes with it. Meanwhile, the cult closes in, determined to claim her for their own dark and twisted ends.
With her family's support, Sadie must embrace the totality of her identity and break the curse before the spirit consumes them all.
(Eileen, Ex Machina, Mirror, Ready Player One)
This story unfolds in a world in which the mundane is merged with the magical. On the surface it is familiar - marked by the recognizable qualities of small town life, teenage angst, and the quiet grief which accompanies loss. Oremwood, where Sadie has lived her entire life, is isolated, rural, and sleepy.
(No Country For Old Men, Wednesday, A Quiet Place, Promised Land)
Magic in this world is ancestral and deeply rooted in tradition - an inheritance passed through generations of women who must juggle the burdens of power and responsibility. This isn’t flashy, performative magic - it is ancient, intuitive, and inextricably tied to nature.
(Concept art by Marianne Mosquera/Exiled Arts)
(To All The Boys I've Loved Before, Woke, Last Night In Soho, Heartstopper)
The proof-of-concept that we're filming captures a crucial moment pulled straight from the feature script: a Halloween party in Oremwood, where Sadie's newly awakened powers stir forces she doesn't yet understand—and where the cult hunting her finally steps out of the shadows.
We chose this sequence because it crackles with mystery and danger—a turning point where the ordinary fractures, and the threat moves from something hidden to something hunting. It unfolds after a boundary has been crossed, but just before the storm breaks, marking the moment Sadie's world begins to slip out of her control.
Blending grounded emotion with supernatural tension, this sequence offers a glimpse of La Mala's beating heart - the terror of transformation, the lure of the unknown, and the haunting question of who you become when the darkness comes looking for you.
The last two years have been spent living with this story—researching, writing, and learning from academics, cultural leaders, and community members to make sure it's told with care and authenticity.
Right now, stories about belonging, heritage, and culture are more important than ever - but they're not always told from the inside. That's what makes La Mala different. This isn't just another supernatural thriller—it's a love letter to the people and histories that shaped each of us, and a pushback against the one-dimensional narratives we've seen too often.
Some stories haunt you until you tell them. This is one of those stories.
La Mala is currently in pre-production with a talented, dedicated team attached. We’ve developed a clear production schedule, a detailed budget, and a targeted crowdfunding and social media marketing strategy to support this next phase.
Your support will directly fund every part of this process—from securing locations and renting essential camera and lighting gear, to feeding our crew, sourcing set decoration, props, and wardrobe.
With your help, we can bring this vision to life with the care, creativity, and authenticity it deserves.
Our goal of $7760 is the minimum we need to cover production costs. But with your support, we can do even more.
- At $10,000: We'll be able to cover post-production, including editing, visual effects, and sound design, ensuring the film is polished and ready for the big screen.
- At $13,000: We'll be able to fund publicity and a full festival run, getting La Mala into the hands of wider audiences and into film festivals, where it can make the impact it deserves.
Every extra dollar helps us bring this story to life the way it should be. We’re so grateful for your support!
If this story speaks to you, if you love supernatural thrillers, if you want to see more diverse, powerful storytelling—join us. Every contribution helps bring La Mala to life. You can follow us here at Seed & Spark, at our website www.LaMalaFilm.com and on Instagram and TikTok @LaMalaFilm.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Grip & Electric
Costs $600
Electricity is kinda important, friends!
Art Department
Costs $800
From set dec to props, this will ensure that our visuals meet our vision.
Wardrobe
Costs $700
For the short we're doing, wardrobe means lots of Halloween costumes!
Camera
Costs $1,500
Help us cover the costs of the equipment we need for this shoot!
Location
Costs $2,950
Help us secure the perfect location!
Makeup & Hair
Costs $450
Glam is a crucial part of the lights, camera, action process!
Production Sound
Costs $760
Nothing worse than when a scene doesn't sound good. Help us ensure all of ours sound perfect!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Crew:
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
La Mala follows Sadie Morales Soto, an ordinary teenage girl juggling the familiar struggles of adolescence: school, friends, and identity. Her world is turned upside down when she awakens powers she doesn’t understand and suddenly becomes the target of a mysterious and dangerous cult.
(Concept art by Marianne Mosquera/Exiled Arts)
As eerie events escalate, her mother Catalina realizes their home is no longer safe for Sadie and sends her away to rural Mexico where she is to stay with extended family, who seem to know more about her than she does about them.
There, Sadie learns from her aunt, Fernanda, and grandmother, Izel, that they are descended from a long line of witches, women gifted with ancestral magic but cursed and pursued by a vengeful, ancient spirit.
Under their guidance, Sadie learns to control her new abilities, but is held back by fear and doubt as her world is thrown into chaos. She struggles to accept her lineage and the burden that comes with it. Meanwhile, the cult closes in, determined to claim her for their own dark and twisted ends.
With her family's support, Sadie must embrace the totality of her identity and break the curse before the spirit consumes them all.
(Eileen, Ex Machina, Mirror, Ready Player One)
This story unfolds in a world in which the mundane is merged with the magical. On the surface it is familiar - marked by the recognizable qualities of small town life, teenage angst, and the quiet grief which accompanies loss. Oremwood, where Sadie has lived her entire life, is isolated, rural, and sleepy.
(No Country For Old Men, Wednesday, A Quiet Place, Promised Land)
Magic in this world is ancestral and deeply rooted in tradition - an inheritance passed through generations of women who must juggle the burdens of power and responsibility. This isn’t flashy, performative magic - it is ancient, intuitive, and inextricably tied to nature.
(Concept art by Marianne Mosquera/Exiled Arts)
(To All The Boys I've Loved Before, Woke, Last Night In Soho, Heartstopper)
The proof-of-concept that we're filming captures a crucial moment pulled straight from the feature script: a Halloween party in Oremwood, where Sadie's newly awakened powers stir forces she doesn't yet understand—and where the cult hunting her finally steps out of the shadows.
We chose this sequence because it crackles with mystery and danger—a turning point where the ordinary fractures, and the threat moves from something hidden to something hunting. It unfolds after a boundary has been crossed, but just before the storm breaks, marking the moment Sadie's world begins to slip out of her control.
Blending grounded emotion with supernatural tension, this sequence offers a glimpse of La Mala's beating heart - the terror of transformation, the lure of the unknown, and the haunting question of who you become when the darkness comes looking for you.
The last two years have been spent living with this story—researching, writing, and learning from academics, cultural leaders, and community members to make sure it's told with care and authenticity.
Right now, stories about belonging, heritage, and culture are more important than ever - but they're not always told from the inside. That's what makes La Mala different. This isn't just another supernatural thriller—it's a love letter to the people and histories that shaped each of us, and a pushback against the one-dimensional narratives we've seen too often.
Some stories haunt you until you tell them. This is one of those stories.
La Mala is currently in pre-production with a talented, dedicated team attached. We’ve developed a clear production schedule, a detailed budget, and a targeted crowdfunding and social media marketing strategy to support this next phase.
Your support will directly fund every part of this process—from securing locations and renting essential camera and lighting gear, to feeding our crew, sourcing set decoration, props, and wardrobe.
With your help, we can bring this vision to life with the care, creativity, and authenticity it deserves.
Our goal of $7760 is the minimum we need to cover production costs. But with your support, we can do even more.
- At $10,000: We'll be able to cover post-production, including editing, visual effects, and sound design, ensuring the film is polished and ready for the big screen.
- At $13,000: We'll be able to fund publicity and a full festival run, getting La Mala into the hands of wider audiences and into film festivals, where it can make the impact it deserves.
Every extra dollar helps us bring this story to life the way it should be. We’re so grateful for your support!
If this story speaks to you, if you love supernatural thrillers, if you want to see more diverse, powerful storytelling—join us. Every contribution helps bring La Mala to life. You can follow us here at Seed & Spark, at our website www.LaMalaFilm.com and on Instagram and TikTok @LaMalaFilm.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Grip & Electric
Costs $600
Electricity is kinda important, friends!
Art Department
Costs $800
From set dec to props, this will ensure that our visuals meet our vision.
Wardrobe
Costs $700
For the short we're doing, wardrobe means lots of Halloween costumes!
Camera
Costs $1,500
Help us cover the costs of the equipment we need for this shoot!
Location
Costs $2,950
Help us secure the perfect location!
Makeup & Hair
Costs $450
Glam is a crucial part of the lights, camera, action process!
Production Sound
Costs $760
Nothing worse than when a scene doesn't sound good. Help us ensure all of ours sound perfect!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Crew: