First... Let's set the mood for

OUR STORY

MONA follows 13 year old Mona Smith as she navigates the growing pains of girlhood in 1994 South Sacramento. She is desperate to feel grown -- sneaking her mother's makeup, chasing popularity, and imagining a more glamorous life beyond her family's struggles. At school she shines on the drill team and basketball court, admires her effortlessly mature friends, and endures teasing from a boy who both irritates and excites her. One night at Cal Skate Roller Rink, Mona gets her first real taste of being seen as a woman. After sneaking on her mother’s red lipstick, the world around her seems to glow — the lights brighter, the music louder, the air electric. When the DJ calls for a couple’s skate, Mona steps into a dream: gliding hand-in-hand, radiant, and finally feeling like “that girl.” But the magic shatters when her mother appears, catching her red-handed — and red-lipped — in front of everyone. Later that night, what begins as a scolding turns into a tender, honest talk about what it really means to grow up and the cost of rushing toward adulthood. By morning, Mona’s world shifts again when she gets her first period, ushering in womanhood sooner — and more unexpectedly — than she ever imagined.

This is me at 13. Those shoulder pads are crazy. LOL! MONA is based on my beautifly complicated childhood.

Stories like this don’t always get told. At least not with this kind of care. MONA centers Black girlhood — not through trauma, but through joy. My childhood was far from perfect. We struggled. I witnessed things I shouldn’t have. But the hood wasn’t a scary place for us. It was home. It was fun. It sparked creativity.

We wrapped towels around our heads for long, flowy hair. We spread blue sheets across the floor and pretended to go swimming. Every family gathering turned into a talent show.

Through joy, softness, and becoming, MONA highlights the beauty of growing up Black — the relationships that shape us and the moments that stay with us long after they pass.

As an actor, I’ve spent years helping tell other people’s stories. Now, as an emerging writer and director, I’m stepping behind the camera to tell the ones that matter to me — without waiting for permission.

Because our stories deserve to be seen. Fully. Truthfully.

But films like this don’t happen alone. They happen because a community believes in them.

Your support will help us bring MONA to life and create a film that honors Black girlhood with honesty, care, and heart.

The total budget for MONA is $95,000. The $30,000 we’re raising through Seed&Spark will go directly toward production—getting MONA out of development and in front of the camera in Summer 2026. From there, we move into post-production and a festival run, continuing to build the life of this story beyond the screen. We’re already off to an amazing start.

STRETCH GOALS

"trying to make a dollar outta 15 cents" - Tupac

💄 $30,000 — Cameras Rolling

This gets MONA into production — covering our core needs like cast, crew, equipment, and locations so we can begin filming.

✨ $40,000 — Building MONA’s World

We deepen the visual storytelling through production design, wardrobe, and fully capturing the feeling of 1990s South Sacramento.

🎶 $55,000 — Sound & Emotion

We invest in music, sound design, and score — bringing emotional richness and texture to the film.

🎬 $75,000 — Post-Production Power

We fully support editing, color, and finishing — ensuring MONA looks and feels like a complete, polished film.

🏆 $95,000 — The Full Vision

We complete MONA at its highest level and position it for a strong festival run and future expansion.

Through our partnership with Film Independent, we’ve raised $13,155 outside of this campaign—separate from the $30,000 we’re raising here on Seed&Spark.

If you’re interested in making a larger, tax-deductible contribution ($5,000+), reach out, and we’ll share how to make a contribution through Film Independent.

Every dollar goes directly toward bringing this story to life—from cast and crew, to locations, wardrobe, and the world of the film. Whether it’s $25 or $2,500, your support makes a real difference.

If this story speaks to you… We’d love for you to be part of bringing MONA to life.

Mona is soulful, intimate, and rhythmically alive.

It feels like backyard boogies, your favorite '90s R&B cassette tape, and racing home before the streetlights come on.

It's the laughter of your friends ringing through the neighborhood, the smell of freshly pressed hair, the sound of your mama calling you in by your first, middle, and last name from the porch, and street hustlers making sure you get home safely. 

This film will make you reminisce about your own childhood. It's full of color and heart.

Mona feels like Miss Juneteenth meets Crooklyn with a touch of Eve's Bayou. A coming-of-age story that's full of rhythm, laughter, and heart. It celebrates black girlhood and motherhood without centering trauma, showing the joy that lives right alongside the struggle. 

Meet our Mother-Daughter Duo

Danielle Moné Truitt and Calah Lane first worked together on the short film Junebug, where they portrayed younger and older versions of the same character. From that experience, a real-life mentor-mentee relationship was born. Since then, Danielle has starred in five seasons of Law & Order: Organized Crime, while Calah has gone on to star in Wonka alongside Timothée Chalamet. Now, they reunite on screen as mother and daughter in MONA.

This story is personal… but it doesn’t belong to me alone.

And now, we’re inviting you to be part of bringing MONA to life.