Inclusion Statement

Mater Mortis focuses on the generational rifts between a son and his parents in a South Asian household through the lens of horror film. The film examines the hardships of family illness compounded by generational and societal differences between a son, his father, and his mother, a woman afflicted by a condition known as “The Rot”. “The Rot”, the walking-death virus that plagues the world, is intended as a metaphor for mental illness, an issue that is still misunderstood and stigmatized in South Asian communities. In addition, the production team, writers, and actors come from diverse backgrounds, lending their voices and experiences to the project.

About the Project

The inspiration for this story comes from my experiences growing up as a first generation immigrant in the US with a bipolar mother.  While the events portrayed in the film are fictional, they are very much based on the experiences I had with my mother being heavily medicated following her psychotic episodes.  The relationship between the protagonist Rajan and his father reflects the changed family dynamics that occurred as a result of this illness.  The dreamlike meditations on the past that occur in this film draw inspiration from the works of Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and Wong Kar Wai (In the Mood for Love).  The high emotional stakes within are influenced by much of the work of Akira Kurosawa from the 1950s (Ikiru, High and Low). 

STRETCH GOALS

Our $8,575 goal is the bare minimum needed to get the film made at a production quality everyone involved can be proud of and avoid exploiting the work of the cast and crew.  We have also applied for grants for later stages, but we understand that those may not come to fruition. 

If we raise $16,000, we'll be able to have contingency funds in place should anything go wrong, as well as cover our post-production costs. 

If we raise $25,000, we'll be able to cover our festival, distribtion and promotional costs for completing and getting the film into the world and in front of a wider audience.

Meet the Characters!!

Leo Solomon as Rajan

Rajan is a young man struggling to deal with the effects "The Rot" has had on his mother, Alparna.  His sense of loss comes from her no longer being human and is compounded by his idealized remembrances of who she was.  He struggles to communicate and connect with his father who he partly blames for her current condition.

About Leo:

Leo Solomon is an actor, known for Veep (2012), Homeland (2011) and Blue Bloods (2010).  Has a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University, New York City.

More about Leo: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2390533/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Siraj Huda as Jyotin

Jyotin is a husband and a father doing the best he can with the cards he has been dealt.  He feels an overwhelming sense of loneliness now that his wife is "gone."  Jyotin tries to shoulder everything, but it results in him struggling to communicate and connect with his son Rajan. This disconnect makes him search outside his family for understanding.

About Siraj:

Born in Orissa, India, Siraj Huda considers himself an accidental actor. He took an unconventional path to his acting career, milking cows in Nepal and teaching ice skating in Dubai on the way. After immigrating to the United States to pursue an MBA, Siraj moved to New York City where he has worked in publishing and as a software engineer. When the recession hit in 2008, Siraj discovered acting and never looked back. His varied life experiences contributed to his ability to get under the skin of the characters he portrays.

He has been on Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (2018) and the Tick (2017).

More about Siraj: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4015117/

Unknown as Aparna

Aparna is remembered as an ideal mother by Rajan.  She is the nearly, but not quite the departed wife to Jyotin.  She was close to her son before her turn and beloved by her husband.  Who she is now is a husk of what was once a living breathing human.  She is cared for by a nursing facility specialized in dealing with the 'rotted'.