MELAO
San Juan, Puerto Rico | Film Short
Drama, Foreign Film
MELAO tells the story of Nando, a sugarcane worker in 1950s Puerto Rico who is desperate to provide for his wife and unborn baby. In order to get the money he needs to buy a plane ticket to New York, he makes a dangerous bet with the ruthless foreman of the plantation... Will his sacrifice pay off?
MELAO
San Juan, Puerto Rico | Film Short
Drama, Foreign Film
Green Light
This campaign raised $37,150 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
210 supporters | followers
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MELAO tells the story of Nando, a sugarcane worker in 1950s Puerto Rico who is desperate to provide for his wife and unborn baby. In order to get the money he needs to buy a plane ticket to New York, he makes a dangerous bet with the ruthless foreman of the plantation... Will his sacrifice pay off?
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
What are YOU willing to sacrifice for your family?
Nando, a sugarcane cutter in 1950s Puerto Rico, is at the edge of survival. Desperate to secure a future for his wife and their unborn baby, he decides to make a bet with Dennis, the ruthless foreman of the plantation: he will cut his own finger off for the exact amount of money he needs to buy a plane ticket to New York City. Will Nando's plan work?
MELAO is a dark drama inspired by the story of my dad's uncle, a sugarcane worker who migrated from Puerto Rico to NYC in an effort to build a better life, and never returned to his homeland.
While the current historical context is different from my dad's uncle's in the 1950s, the underlying themes of injustice, inequality and struggle to survive without having to leave one's home country are still at the core of the experience of Puerto Ricans on the island, and so many humans around the world. In the past decade alone, more than 400 thousand Puerto Ricans have left due to factors like gentrification and the inefficiency of the State and Federal government to provide opportunities and resources for dignified living conditions.
I became a filmmaker because I believe in the power of stories. Stories can be a portal to understanding of ourselves and others.
Over the past few years I have built a career in Los Angeles as a director of commercials and music videos, but my goal has always been to tell stories about where I'm from: Puerto Rico. With that in mind, I set out to find a team of Puerto Rican talent - both behind and in front of the camera - who could bring this story to life, and I could not be happier with the team we have assembled (you can read more about them below and in the "Team" section!).
MELAO is an urgent story that is as relevant today as ever, and no one can tell it but us. Join us with a pledge to make MELAO a reality!
"NANDO"
Decades of work cutting sugarcane under the sun have left Nando with a spirit as wrinkled as his skin. He is a dreamer and shares a strong bond with his wife, Tata, but the stress of providing for his growing family with his low wages has led him to desperation and insomnia. During a sleepless night, drunk and in pain, he comes up with a risky plan to change their situation.
Played by MODESTO LACÉN
Modesto Lacén is a Puerto Rican actor, entrepreneur, teacher and TV host with an international career of more than 30 years. His film credits include Animal (2005), alongside Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard, and Any Kind of Infinite (2012). He is known for his work as Celia Cruz's husband Pedro Knight in the Off-Broadway play Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz and the TV series Celia (2015). He returned to television in 2018 with the bio series Nicky Jam: El Ganador, currently on Netflix.
"TATA"
Tata is a strong and tender woman. She trusts her husband blindly and indulges his daydreams of a prosperous future, but in reality she worries about her family's precarious situation. Her anxiety has been building up since she found out she was pregnant with their first baby, and she fears they will not be able to cope with the economic burden of a child.
Played by JEIMY OSORIO
Jeimy Osorio is a renowned television, film and stage actress from Puerto Rico. She is known for her performance as young Celia Cruz in the series Celia (2015). She also had a Guest Star appearance in the Golden Globe-winning series Jane The Virgin. In 2019, she played the role of Mariana Gonzalez in Telemundo's comedy, Betty en NY and appears in their hit soap opera La Suerte de Loli. She’s currently filming Armas de Mujer, the first original Spanish language TV series for Peacock TV.
"CHEO"
Cheo is Nando's friend and coworker. He is one of many sugarcane workers that have collapsed from dehydration and exhaustion after working long hours under the sun. While he also wants a better future for his family, he tries to disuade Nando from his plans of moving. He thinks NYC sounds too good to be true.
Played by RENÉ MONCLOVA
René Monclova is a prolific stage, television and film actor from Puerto Rico. In 1989 he appeared in the historic film, Lo que le pasó a Santiago, the first and only Puerto Rican feature to be nominated for an Oscar. René has been part of some of the most popular local TV series, including El condominio de Pepín and De noche con Sunshine, as well as a number of mini series and soap operas. Most recently, René stars in Picando Alante, a comedy feature film that premiered in Puerto Rican theaters on April 21st, 2022.
At this stage in our project, we are ALMOST ready to start pre-production for filming: the script is ready, we have assembled the key creative & production team, and we have an EXCEPTIONAL main cast confirmed. We also have identified a farm in Puerto Rico that can serve as our main location, a key element for our production.
We are now raising funds for production so we can move forward with filming MELAO.
The funds we raise with this campaign will go towards covering production costs such as camera & lighting equipment, crew labor, meals, production design, wardrobe, sound, and locations. While we will raise additional funds for post-production and distribution, we only need $35,000 to pay for production. Once we have raised this amount, we will be eligible to receive government support that would cover the rest of the costs. We will also continue to raise funds through private donations to ensure the film is completed.
Our goal is to film MELAO between August and September 2022 in Puerto Rico and finish the film by Spring 2023. We are confident that with a successful Seed&Spark campaign, we will be able to achieve this.
Join with a pledge now and become a supporter of this independent project!
1. MAKE A PLEDGE!
Directly support our project by making a pledge - any amount helps! Plus, we have some SWEET incentives for our contributors, ranging from a social media shout out, to gourmet Puerto Rican coffee and Executive Producer credit!
2. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
You can follow us here on Seed&Spark and Instagram. Tell your friends to follow us too!
3. SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT #MELAOfilm
Tell your friends, colleagues, family and followers about MELAO! You can also share our posts, campaign page and project updates.
4. FOLLOW OUR CAMPAIGN!
Visit our Seed&Spark page regularly to stay updated AND help us increase our chances of being featured on the platform!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew labor
Costs $7,750
Fairly compensating our top-notch crew is a top priority.
Production Design
Costs $4,750
Recreating a sugarcane plantation is no joke.
Location Fees
Costs $2,000
Locations are as important to our story as its characters.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $6,750
An essential part of our production.
Hair, makeup & wardrobe
Costs $1,500
Make our beautiful cast look 1950s-ready.
Horses
Costs $2,000
Horseys and their handlers.
Meals & Craft Services
Costs $2,000
A crew's gotta eat!
Sound
Costs $2,000
This is not a silent film!
Cast
Costs $5,500
Our cast is top-notch!
Shipping costs
Costs $750
To fulfill campaign incentives!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
VAL VEGA
WRITER & DIRECTOR
Val Vega is a filmmaker and photographer born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. She has directed music videos for record labels like Sony Music, Universal Latino, Capitol Records, Warner Music, Def Jam, BMG and RCA.
Her commercial directorial debut for Coca-Cola featuring Coi Leray aired during the 2021 BET Awards. Val remains busy directing music videos and commercials, but this doesn’t derail her from her main goal of narrative filmmaking.
Val is currently attending UCLA where she is workshopping her feature film screenplay and was mentored by Puerto Rican director Ángel Manuel Soto during his directors workshop for Artocarpus 76, the school of Puerto Rican actor Modesto Lacén. Creating conscience about Puerto Rican experiences is one of Val’s more important goals. She hopes to achieve this by telling stories about the island, while using Puerto Rican talent in front and behind the camera.
ALANA VIZCARRONDO, ESQ
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
After 10 years of being a commercial litigator and corporate attorney, Alana decided to follow her dreams and is now focusing her legal career on the entertainment, music and film industry. Alana is also developing her career as event and film producer in Puerto Rico. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, and completed her Juris Doctor at the same institution.
MARIELA RAMOS-OQUENDO
PRODUCER
Mariela Ramos-Oquendo is a Puerto-Rican producer, writer and independent artist. Based in Los Angeles the past decade, she worked as a producer in multiple audiovisual projects for companies including Hulu, Discovery, Univision and Netflix. She also worked with Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu, including the launch of his virtual reality installation Carne y Arena: Virtually present, Physically invisible.
Her credits include the Hulu series East Los High, and stop-motion animation pieces by Puerto-Rican artist Quique Rivera for the PBS/Netflix documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It, and the Netflix series Big Mouth. Mariela holds a BA in Journalism and Modern Languages from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Masters in Communication Management from the University of Southern California.
DEBBIE PÉREZ
LINE PRODUCER
Debbie Perez is an award-winning Puerto Rican writer/producer that explores narratives centering afrolatinx stories. She produced the animated reggaetón shortfilm called Nuevo Rico, an afro-indigenous story set in a future dystopian world, that won numerous awards in 2020/21. Passionate about exploring untold Caribbean stories, she’s developing multiple films in Puerto Rico that have never been seen before in the cinematic canon, including a docuseries about the origins of Reggaeton in Puerto Rico, and a high concept sci-fi series with magical realism, that touches on the experimentation of Puerto Rican women from the 50s onward.
She’s currently producing an afrolatinx shortfilm about Yemaya, one of the African Orishas, in Puerto Rico, which received the Netflix/LALIFF grant supporting afrolatinx filmmakers. Later this year she will also begin production on a shortfilm about a black revolutionary that defied the white Chief of Police in the 1930s, and remains one of the most hidden figures in Puerto Rican/American history. This short is the recipient of the prestigious Jerome Foundation Grant.
PABLO ASCANIO ORRO
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Pablo Ascanio Orro is a cinematographer, graduated from the International Film School of Cuba(EICTV) with a bachelor degree in Education from the University of Puerto Rico. He has worked countries like: Spain, Cuba, Dominican Republic, USA and Puerto Rico, where he currently lives.
Some of his narrative works are “Lecciones de Tai Chi” (2016, International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, Colombia), “El Pescador” (2017, Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival), “Fin” (2019, Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival) and “Hai unha virxe alí arriba” (2020, Official Selection of the Cans Festival). He has also worked with brands like Toyota, Mitsubishi and Triple S, as well as musical artists like Rafa Pabón, PJ Sin Suela, Buscabulla and Bebo Dumont.
LIARYZ RAMOS
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Liaryz Ramos is a photographer and production designer in Puerto Rico. She’s worked as an Art Director on Princess Nokia’s music video “Diva”, as well as for “VOGUE MX” and “GQ MX”. Other credits notable credits include, “Moral x Jhay Cortez - Pegate”, “Alvaro Diaz x Cazzu - Deportivo”, “Farruco x Wisin - Watakablamblam” and “Oda Al Encanto por Eclíptica Atelier” in the Museum of Art in Puerto Rico.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
What are YOU willing to sacrifice for your family?
Nando, a sugarcane cutter in 1950s Puerto Rico, is at the edge of survival. Desperate to secure a future for his wife and their unborn baby, he decides to make a bet with Dennis, the ruthless foreman of the plantation: he will cut his own finger off for the exact amount of money he needs to buy a plane ticket to New York City. Will Nando's plan work?
MELAO is a dark drama inspired by the story of my dad's uncle, a sugarcane worker who migrated from Puerto Rico to NYC in an effort to build a better life, and never returned to his homeland.
While the current historical context is different from my dad's uncle's in the 1950s, the underlying themes of injustice, inequality and struggle to survive without having to leave one's home country are still at the core of the experience of Puerto Ricans on the island, and so many humans around the world. In the past decade alone, more than 400 thousand Puerto Ricans have left due to factors like gentrification and the inefficiency of the State and Federal government to provide opportunities and resources for dignified living conditions.
I became a filmmaker because I believe in the power of stories. Stories can be a portal to understanding of ourselves and others.
Over the past few years I have built a career in Los Angeles as a director of commercials and music videos, but my goal has always been to tell stories about where I'm from: Puerto Rico. With that in mind, I set out to find a team of Puerto Rican talent - both behind and in front of the camera - who could bring this story to life, and I could not be happier with the team we have assembled (you can read more about them below and in the "Team" section!).
MELAO is an urgent story that is as relevant today as ever, and no one can tell it but us. Join us with a pledge to make MELAO a reality!
"NANDO"
Decades of work cutting sugarcane under the sun have left Nando with a spirit as wrinkled as his skin. He is a dreamer and shares a strong bond with his wife, Tata, but the stress of providing for his growing family with his low wages has led him to desperation and insomnia. During a sleepless night, drunk and in pain, he comes up with a risky plan to change their situation.
Played by MODESTO LACÉN
Modesto Lacén is a Puerto Rican actor, entrepreneur, teacher and TV host with an international career of more than 30 years. His film credits include Animal (2005), alongside Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard, and Any Kind of Infinite (2012). He is known for his work as Celia Cruz's husband Pedro Knight in the Off-Broadway play Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz and the TV series Celia (2015). He returned to television in 2018 with the bio series Nicky Jam: El Ganador, currently on Netflix.
"TATA"
Tata is a strong and tender woman. She trusts her husband blindly and indulges his daydreams of a prosperous future, but in reality she worries about her family's precarious situation. Her anxiety has been building up since she found out she was pregnant with their first baby, and she fears they will not be able to cope with the economic burden of a child.
Played by JEIMY OSORIO
Jeimy Osorio is a renowned television, film and stage actress from Puerto Rico. She is known for her performance as young Celia Cruz in the series Celia (2015). She also had a Guest Star appearance in the Golden Globe-winning series Jane The Virgin. In 2019, she played the role of Mariana Gonzalez in Telemundo's comedy, Betty en NY and appears in their hit soap opera La Suerte de Loli. She’s currently filming Armas de Mujer, the first original Spanish language TV series for Peacock TV.
"CHEO"
Cheo is Nando's friend and coworker. He is one of many sugarcane workers that have collapsed from dehydration and exhaustion after working long hours under the sun. While he also wants a better future for his family, he tries to disuade Nando from his plans of moving. He thinks NYC sounds too good to be true.
Played by RENÉ MONCLOVA
René Monclova is a prolific stage, television and film actor from Puerto Rico. In 1989 he appeared in the historic film, Lo que le pasó a Santiago, the first and only Puerto Rican feature to be nominated for an Oscar. René has been part of some of the most popular local TV series, including El condominio de Pepín and De noche con Sunshine, as well as a number of mini series and soap operas. Most recently, René stars in Picando Alante, a comedy feature film that premiered in Puerto Rican theaters on April 21st, 2022.
At this stage in our project, we are ALMOST ready to start pre-production for filming: the script is ready, we have assembled the key creative & production team, and we have an EXCEPTIONAL main cast confirmed. We also have identified a farm in Puerto Rico that can serve as our main location, a key element for our production.
We are now raising funds for production so we can move forward with filming MELAO.
The funds we raise with this campaign will go towards covering production costs such as camera & lighting equipment, crew labor, meals, production design, wardrobe, sound, and locations. While we will raise additional funds for post-production and distribution, we only need $35,000 to pay for production. Once we have raised this amount, we will be eligible to receive government support that would cover the rest of the costs. We will also continue to raise funds through private donations to ensure the film is completed.
Our goal is to film MELAO between August and September 2022 in Puerto Rico and finish the film by Spring 2023. We are confident that with a successful Seed&Spark campaign, we will be able to achieve this.
Join with a pledge now and become a supporter of this independent project!
1. MAKE A PLEDGE!
Directly support our project by making a pledge - any amount helps! Plus, we have some SWEET incentives for our contributors, ranging from a social media shout out, to gourmet Puerto Rican coffee and Executive Producer credit!
2. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
You can follow us here on Seed&Spark and Instagram. Tell your friends to follow us too!
3. SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT #MELAOfilm
Tell your friends, colleagues, family and followers about MELAO! You can also share our posts, campaign page and project updates.
4. FOLLOW OUR CAMPAIGN!
Visit our Seed&Spark page regularly to stay updated AND help us increase our chances of being featured on the platform!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew labor
Costs $7,750
Fairly compensating our top-notch crew is a top priority.
Production Design
Costs $4,750
Recreating a sugarcane plantation is no joke.
Location Fees
Costs $2,000
Locations are as important to our story as its characters.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $6,750
An essential part of our production.
Hair, makeup & wardrobe
Costs $1,500
Make our beautiful cast look 1950s-ready.
Horses
Costs $2,000
Horseys and their handlers.
Meals & Craft Services
Costs $2,000
A crew's gotta eat!
Sound
Costs $2,000
This is not a silent film!
Cast
Costs $5,500
Our cast is top-notch!
Shipping costs
Costs $750
To fulfill campaign incentives!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
VAL VEGA
WRITER & DIRECTOR
Val Vega is a filmmaker and photographer born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. She has directed music videos for record labels like Sony Music, Universal Latino, Capitol Records, Warner Music, Def Jam, BMG and RCA.
Her commercial directorial debut for Coca-Cola featuring Coi Leray aired during the 2021 BET Awards. Val remains busy directing music videos and commercials, but this doesn’t derail her from her main goal of narrative filmmaking.
Val is currently attending UCLA where she is workshopping her feature film screenplay and was mentored by Puerto Rican director Ángel Manuel Soto during his directors workshop for Artocarpus 76, the school of Puerto Rican actor Modesto Lacén. Creating conscience about Puerto Rican experiences is one of Val’s more important goals. She hopes to achieve this by telling stories about the island, while using Puerto Rican talent in front and behind the camera.
ALANA VIZCARRONDO, ESQ
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
After 10 years of being a commercial litigator and corporate attorney, Alana decided to follow her dreams and is now focusing her legal career on the entertainment, music and film industry. Alana is also developing her career as event and film producer in Puerto Rico. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, and completed her Juris Doctor at the same institution.
MARIELA RAMOS-OQUENDO
PRODUCER
Mariela Ramos-Oquendo is a Puerto-Rican producer, writer and independent artist. Based in Los Angeles the past decade, she worked as a producer in multiple audiovisual projects for companies including Hulu, Discovery, Univision and Netflix. She also worked with Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu, including the launch of his virtual reality installation Carne y Arena: Virtually present, Physically invisible.
Her credits include the Hulu series East Los High, and stop-motion animation pieces by Puerto-Rican artist Quique Rivera for the PBS/Netflix documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It, and the Netflix series Big Mouth. Mariela holds a BA in Journalism and Modern Languages from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Masters in Communication Management from the University of Southern California.
DEBBIE PÉREZ
LINE PRODUCER
Debbie Perez is an award-winning Puerto Rican writer/producer that explores narratives centering afrolatinx stories. She produced the animated reggaetón shortfilm called Nuevo Rico, an afro-indigenous story set in a future dystopian world, that won numerous awards in 2020/21. Passionate about exploring untold Caribbean stories, she’s developing multiple films in Puerto Rico that have never been seen before in the cinematic canon, including a docuseries about the origins of Reggaeton in Puerto Rico, and a high concept sci-fi series with magical realism, that touches on the experimentation of Puerto Rican women from the 50s onward.
She’s currently producing an afrolatinx shortfilm about Yemaya, one of the African Orishas, in Puerto Rico, which received the Netflix/LALIFF grant supporting afrolatinx filmmakers. Later this year she will also begin production on a shortfilm about a black revolutionary that defied the white Chief of Police in the 1930s, and remains one of the most hidden figures in Puerto Rican/American history. This short is the recipient of the prestigious Jerome Foundation Grant.
PABLO ASCANIO ORRO
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Pablo Ascanio Orro is a cinematographer, graduated from the International Film School of Cuba(EICTV) with a bachelor degree in Education from the University of Puerto Rico. He has worked countries like: Spain, Cuba, Dominican Republic, USA and Puerto Rico, where he currently lives.
Some of his narrative works are “Lecciones de Tai Chi” (2016, International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, Colombia), “El Pescador” (2017, Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival), “Fin” (2019, Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival) and “Hai unha virxe alí arriba” (2020, Official Selection of the Cans Festival). He has also worked with brands like Toyota, Mitsubishi and Triple S, as well as musical artists like Rafa Pabón, PJ Sin Suela, Buscabulla and Bebo Dumont.
LIARYZ RAMOS
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Liaryz Ramos is a photographer and production designer in Puerto Rico. She’s worked as an Art Director on Princess Nokia’s music video “Diva”, as well as for “VOGUE MX” and “GQ MX”. Other credits notable credits include, “Moral x Jhay Cortez - Pegate”, “Alvaro Diaz x Cazzu - Deportivo”, “Farruco x Wisin - Watakablamblam” and “Oda Al Encanto por Eclíptica Atelier” in the Museum of Art in Puerto Rico.