Mountain Cries
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Feature
Thriller, Drama
A writer’s search for inspiration in an Appalachian town unleashes buried secrets and deadly violence.
Mountain Cries
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Feature
Thriller, Drama
5 Campaigns | Georgia, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $24,228 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
27 supporters | followers
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A writer’s search for inspiration in an Appalachian town unleashes buried secrets and deadly violence.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story
1962. North Georgia. Appalachian Mountains.
Matt, a struggling writer from New York, comes to stay with his uncle Pete, while searching for inspiration for his next novel. What begins as observation turns into obsession as he grows fixated on the people around him— especially a guarded schoolteacher, Lyda, and her younger sister, known as Little Miss.
As Matt mines the town for material, the lines between witness and participant blur.
Then his uncle gets murdered.
As the town closes rank, Matt realizes the stories he thought were harmless may have set something dangerous in motion.
In Appalachia, the truth doesn't always set you free— sometimes it buries you.
This world is lived-in. Decaying. Tense.
Days are shaped by available light through dusty windows. Nights, by flashlights and practical light sources glowing in the dark.
Mountain Cries will be shot in composed tableaus inspired by depression-era documentary photography and mid-century cinema. Utilizing the pastel colors of the early 1960s against the heavy greens and browns found in Appalachia, our visuals will highlight the unique spirit of the region and time period.
Visual influences include The Loveless (1981, Dir. Kathryn Bigelow), Spring Night, Summer Night (1967, Dir. Joseph L. Anderson) , and Baby Doll (1956, Dir. Elia Kazan), along with the Southern photography of Russell Lee, John Vachon, Marion Post Wolcott, and Gordon Parks.
Appalachia is too often reduced to stereotype. In popular media, we see it joked about or spoken for time and time again.
Mountain Cries uses a Southern Gothic thriller to ask a question that feels urgent in today’s world: what happens when someone else controls your narrative?
The people who live here carry the weight of those stories and it’s rare for an Appalachian story to confront those portrayals from within.
By working with local cast and crew to tell a story rooted in the region, this film challenges harmful myths and reflects on the complexity of the people who live here— because who gets to tell the story matters.
Mountain Cries is the culmination of four years of work. We have made six short films inspired by the works of Anton Chekhov set in Appalachia with the plan to combine them into a feature length story. Mountain Cries brings them together with a completely new storyline, and now we need your help to bring a long awaited conclusion to this vision.
We need your support to raise $30K to shoot the final piece over eight (8) days in June. Below is a breakdown of how we will use that money to secure time-period accurate production design, locations, equipment, and meals for our cast and crew.
"This film is a reckoning with the thing I love most: Appalachia.
I grew up in the hills of North Georgia, where people use stories to make sense of love, loss, and survival.
As a storyteller, I’ve carried a question with me: when you draw from the people and places you love, where is the line between honoring them and using them?
Mountain Cries is my attempt to answer that question the only way I know how— by telling an Appalachian story that is lyrical, tense, and sharp as a knife." - Alex Richard Thomas, Director
We must raise 80% of our budget to receive any funding through Seed&Spark
Support Mountain Cries:
- Contribute to the Campaign
- Share the campaign with your community on Social Media
- Follow the campaign page to see the film’s journey
- Follow us on Social Media
Every pledge helps bring our Appalachian story to the screen.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Design
Costs $7,700
Bring 1962 Overhill to life. We need period props, wardrobe, and details that make the world feel lived-in and real.
Camera/Grip & Electric
Costs $2,500
Shape the film’s mood with lenses, lighting, and rigging that bring shadow, texture, and tension to life.
Crafty & Catering
Costs $5,000
Fuel cast and crew through long summer shoot days so performances stay sharp and focused.
Transportation
Costs $2,500
Move cast, crew, and gear across rural locations safely and on schedule.
Locations
Costs $7,800
Secure authentic Appalachian spaces to ground the story in real places.
Post-Production
Costs $4,500
The final step. Editing, color, and sound design craft the film.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Over the past four years, our team has produced six Chekhov-inspired short films set in Appalachia, developing a disciplined work flow and distinct visual language that now carry into Mountain Cries. Our collaborators have deep ties to the communities reflected on screen, bringing a firsthand understanding of the culture, history, and social dynamics that shape this story. By prioritizing regional artists across departments, from production design to performance, we want to highlight the creative community in North Georgia. We believe who gets to tell the story matters— and who helps tell it matters just as much.
Alex Richard Thomas is an award winning filmmaker and graduate of the Film MFA program at the University of Georgia where he developed a passion for films that examine the past with a Southern slant. His interest in film began while directing theater in the Atlanta area and grew at UNC School of the Arts, where he was selected for the prestigious film directing program. He has made over a dozen short films which have screened in film festivals around the country. Most notably, his film, Jukebox Girl, premiered at the Atlanta Film Festival.
Lora Hogan - Producer, Actress
Lora has a background in acting and publicity. Having trained at Emory University, the Atlantic Acting School, and the American Conservatory Theatre, she has a deep appreciation for Chekhov and the power of historical storytelling. She is passionate about ensuring that Mountain Cries reaches its audience, recognizing the vital role of marketing and social media in bringing beautifully crafted films to life.
Jennifer Mullinix - Producer
Jennifer Mullinix is an Atlanta-based Producer and Script Supervisor with experience in feature films, shorts, and episodic series. With a background in business management and education, she transitioned into the film industry, bringing a keen eye for detail and a deep passion for storytelling. She is excited to coproduce Mountain Cries and bring this 1960s Appalachian thriller to life.
Heidi J. Choi - Producer
Heidi is an award winning filmmaker and graduate of the Film MFA program at the University of Georgia with a BA in Film from Georgia State University. She is passionate about grounded stories and shaping them through the post-production process.
Emma Rose Wagner - Producer, Actress
Emma Rose Wagner is an Atlanta-based actress and producer currently enrolled in the Film MFA Program at SCAD, having studied Theater, Musical Theater, and Film at The University of Alabama. Emma has appeared in numerous short films, feature films, and television series. With a genuine love for storytelling, Emma is dedicated to breathing life into characters that captivate and connect with audiences.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story
1962. North Georgia. Appalachian Mountains.
Matt, a struggling writer from New York, comes to stay with his uncle Pete, while searching for inspiration for his next novel. What begins as observation turns into obsession as he grows fixated on the people around him— especially a guarded schoolteacher, Lyda, and her younger sister, known as Little Miss.
As Matt mines the town for material, the lines between witness and participant blur.
Then his uncle gets murdered.
As the town closes rank, Matt realizes the stories he thought were harmless may have set something dangerous in motion.
In Appalachia, the truth doesn't always set you free— sometimes it buries you.
This world is lived-in. Decaying. Tense.
Days are shaped by available light through dusty windows. Nights, by flashlights and practical light sources glowing in the dark.
Mountain Cries will be shot in composed tableaus inspired by depression-era documentary photography and mid-century cinema. Utilizing the pastel colors of the early 1960s against the heavy greens and browns found in Appalachia, our visuals will highlight the unique spirit of the region and time period.
Visual influences include The Loveless (1981, Dir. Kathryn Bigelow), Spring Night, Summer Night (1967, Dir. Joseph L. Anderson) , and Baby Doll (1956, Dir. Elia Kazan), along with the Southern photography of Russell Lee, John Vachon, Marion Post Wolcott, and Gordon Parks.
Appalachia is too often reduced to stereotype. In popular media, we see it joked about or spoken for time and time again.
Mountain Cries uses a Southern Gothic thriller to ask a question that feels urgent in today’s world: what happens when someone else controls your narrative?
The people who live here carry the weight of those stories and it’s rare for an Appalachian story to confront those portrayals from within.
By working with local cast and crew to tell a story rooted in the region, this film challenges harmful myths and reflects on the complexity of the people who live here— because who gets to tell the story matters.
Mountain Cries is the culmination of four years of work. We have made six short films inspired by the works of Anton Chekhov set in Appalachia with the plan to combine them into a feature length story. Mountain Cries brings them together with a completely new storyline, and now we need your help to bring a long awaited conclusion to this vision.
We need your support to raise $30K to shoot the final piece over eight (8) days in June. Below is a breakdown of how we will use that money to secure time-period accurate production design, locations, equipment, and meals for our cast and crew.
"This film is a reckoning with the thing I love most: Appalachia.
I grew up in the hills of North Georgia, where people use stories to make sense of love, loss, and survival.
As a storyteller, I’ve carried a question with me: when you draw from the people and places you love, where is the line between honoring them and using them?
Mountain Cries is my attempt to answer that question the only way I know how— by telling an Appalachian story that is lyrical, tense, and sharp as a knife." - Alex Richard Thomas, Director
We must raise 80% of our budget to receive any funding through Seed&Spark
Support Mountain Cries:
- Contribute to the Campaign
- Share the campaign with your community on Social Media
- Follow the campaign page to see the film’s journey
- Follow us on Social Media
Every pledge helps bring our Appalachian story to the screen.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Design
Costs $7,700
Bring 1962 Overhill to life. We need period props, wardrobe, and details that make the world feel lived-in and real.
Camera/Grip & Electric
Costs $2,500
Shape the film’s mood with lenses, lighting, and rigging that bring shadow, texture, and tension to life.
Crafty & Catering
Costs $5,000
Fuel cast and crew through long summer shoot days so performances stay sharp and focused.
Transportation
Costs $2,500
Move cast, crew, and gear across rural locations safely and on schedule.
Locations
Costs $7,800
Secure authentic Appalachian spaces to ground the story in real places.
Post-Production
Costs $4,500
The final step. Editing, color, and sound design craft the film.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Over the past four years, our team has produced six Chekhov-inspired short films set in Appalachia, developing a disciplined work flow and distinct visual language that now carry into Mountain Cries. Our collaborators have deep ties to the communities reflected on screen, bringing a firsthand understanding of the culture, history, and social dynamics that shape this story. By prioritizing regional artists across departments, from production design to performance, we want to highlight the creative community in North Georgia. We believe who gets to tell the story matters— and who helps tell it matters just as much.
Alex Richard Thomas is an award winning filmmaker and graduate of the Film MFA program at the University of Georgia where he developed a passion for films that examine the past with a Southern slant. His interest in film began while directing theater in the Atlanta area and grew at UNC School of the Arts, where he was selected for the prestigious film directing program. He has made over a dozen short films which have screened in film festivals around the country. Most notably, his film, Jukebox Girl, premiered at the Atlanta Film Festival.
Lora Hogan - Producer, Actress
Lora has a background in acting and publicity. Having trained at Emory University, the Atlantic Acting School, and the American Conservatory Theatre, she has a deep appreciation for Chekhov and the power of historical storytelling. She is passionate about ensuring that Mountain Cries reaches its audience, recognizing the vital role of marketing and social media in bringing beautifully crafted films to life.
Jennifer Mullinix - Producer
Jennifer Mullinix is an Atlanta-based Producer and Script Supervisor with experience in feature films, shorts, and episodic series. With a background in business management and education, she transitioned into the film industry, bringing a keen eye for detail and a deep passion for storytelling. She is excited to coproduce Mountain Cries and bring this 1960s Appalachian thriller to life.
Heidi J. Choi - Producer
Heidi is an award winning filmmaker and graduate of the Film MFA program at the University of Georgia with a BA in Film from Georgia State University. She is passionate about grounded stories and shaping them through the post-production process.
Emma Rose Wagner - Producer, Actress
Emma Rose Wagner is an Atlanta-based actress and producer currently enrolled in the Film MFA Program at SCAD, having studied Theater, Musical Theater, and Film at The University of Alabama. Emma has appeared in numerous short films, feature films, and television series. With a genuine love for storytelling, Emma is dedicated to breathing life into characters that captivate and connect with audiences.