Nana
Petaluma, California | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
A 9-year-old autistic non-binary child, Sam, wakes from a coma with no memory of the attack that put them there. A mysterious friendship with a younger neighbor, Nana, offers comfort and clues. But unlocking the truth of their connection uncovers the heartbreaking secret Nana was hiding all along.
Nana
Petaluma, California | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
2 Campaigns | California, United States
28 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$4,441
Goal: $10,000 for production
A 9-year-old autistic non-binary child, Sam, wakes from a coma with no memory of the attack that put them there. A mysterious friendship with a younger neighbor, Nana, offers comfort and clues. But unlocking the truth of their connection uncovers the heartbreaking secret Nana was hiding all along.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Some hurts you can't see.
NANA is the story of Sam, an autistic non-binary child silenced by trauma, and Nana, the 4-year-old force of nature who, through great empathy, teaches them to connect with the world again. It’s a bond forged in shared, unspoken pain.
This film is a direct response to the bullying that so many neurodivergent children face, as well as a reminder to look after the ones we love. It is an appeal for a world of acceptance that sees beyond labels to the person within.
NANA explores the idea that those carrying the heaviest burdens often show the deepest empathy. It's a story about the strength found in vulnerability and the love we give in spite of our own hidden struggles.
This story is a film about finally seeing the unseen.
The Question Behind the Story
I learned early in life that the deepest wounds are often the most silent, and that a world that doesn’t understand it can be a loud, confusing, and frightening place for those who feel and think differently. NANA was born from that truth.
This story is inspired by my childhood best friend, whose beautiful, life-altering friendship shaped how I understand empathy, difference, and love. Through Sam and Nana’s bond, I’m exploring how imagination becomes a bridge - a space where neurodiverse and disabled people are seen not for what they can’t do, but for the worlds they create and invite us into.
As a queer and autistic filmmaker, this isn’t just a story I want to tell. It’s one I’ve lived pieces of. The silence, the misunderstanding, the small gestures that mean survival. I’m telling this story because I know how rare it is to see our kind of love and care - quiet, complex, and deeply human - on screen.
And the time to tell it is now. We’re living in a moment where conversations about bullying, mental health, disability, and connection are louder than ever, yet true representation remains scarce. NANA is my way of adding tenderness to that conversation, of showing that empathy itself can be a profound act.
This film is more than memory; it’s a call to feel again, to look closer, and to see the extraordinary within the ordinary. NANA asks a simple question: How can the smallest connection heal the largest, most invisible wounds?
The cinematography of NANA will be intimate and gentle, using soft, natural light to create a sense of warmth and safety. The camera will often be at a child's-eye level, immersing the audience in Sam and Nana's world.
Sound design will be crucial, contrasting the overwhelming, sharp sounds of Sam's anxiety with the gentle, comforting quiet they find with Nana. Our color palette will shift from the cold, sterile blues of the hospital and school hallway to the warm, vibrant colors of Nana's world, visually mapping Sam's journey from isolation to connection.
The overall tone of the film is heartfelt, sensitive, and poignant, with moments of childhood innocence.
Elevator Pitch (2025)
A 4-minute satirical micro short film exploring the modern job market and the anxiety of self-promotion. Shot in just two hours inside Hotel Petaluma, the film balances humor and empathy to highlight how young graduates struggle to be “seen” by a system built on endless performance. I wrote, directed, and produced the film, coordinating volunteer actors, creating the shot list and storyboard, and handling cinematography myself.
Soul Arcade (2024)
An interactive VR narrative film experience that allows participants to step inside the stories of marginalized communities. Designed and developed during my Master of Design at UC Berkeley, Soul Arcade investigates empathy through immersive storytelling, blending design justice and emotional presence in extended-reality spaces.
Both works are a reflection of my ongoing interest in stories that humanize those often overlooked — from neurodiverse and queer identities to working-class dreamers fighting to be heard. With NANA, I’m continuing that path, crafting a story that brings empathy and connection to the forefront.
Here are three key ways you can support our film:
- Make a Contribution: Your financial pledge is what makes this film possible. Every dollar directly funds the production and helps us bring this story to life.
- Follow Our Campaign: Hit the "Follow" button on our Seed&Spark page. This keeps you in the loop with all our progress and helps us unlock platform rewards and gain visibility.
- Spread the Word: Share our campaign! Whether you post about it on social media or just tell a friend in person, your support is invaluable and helps us reach a wider audience.
We are raising $10,000 to bring the film "Nana" into existence. We have our script, our key team, and a clear vision. Your contribution will go directly to the essentials: paying our talented cast and crew, renting the equipment needed to capture this story beautifully, and creating the detailed world of the film through production design.
You can see a detailed breakdown of our budget in the Wish List tab! Every dollar brings a piece of this story closer to the big screen.
Our funds will go to:
- Feeding our cast and crew (5%)
- Paying our cast (29%)
- Paying the crew (28%)
- Renting equipment + insurance (16%)
- Production design (props, wardrobe, etc.) (8%)
- Finding the perfect locations (14%)
We are currently in the pre-production stage and hoping to begin production very soon.
- December 2025: Pre-production (fundraising, locations, casting)
- Late January 2026: Production (3 days of filming in Petaluma, CA)
- Early February 2026: Initial Edit (First Cut)
- Late February 2026: Post-production (sound design, color grading, etc.)
- March 2026: Final Cut, Festival Submissions & Premiere
SHARE OUR STORY
Love what NANA stands for? Help us bring this story of friendship, neurodiversity, and childhood resilience to screens everywhere.
Your voice can do what algorithms can’t - make people care.
Post, share, or tell someone who’d connect with it - a parent, a teacher, a healthcare worker, a friend who’s ever felt “different.”
Every mention helps our story reach more hearts.
TAG & FOLLOW
Follow us here on Seed&Spark and Instagram: @nanathefilm
Tag us when you share, and we’ll feature your posts!
Use hashtags like #NanaTheFilm #NeurodiverseStories #SeedAndSpark to join the conversation.
BE OUR AMBASSADOR
If you believe in empathy, representation, and giving voice to stories that often go unheard - be that friend who talks about NANA in your group chat, at brunch, or in your classroom.
Because the more people hear about it, the more chance we have to make it real.
Together, we can make something gentle, honest, and unforgettable. Thank you! <3
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: All concept photos and video clips are from Film Vibes & Shot Deck, respectively.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Feed the Cast & Crew
Costs $500
A well-fed team is a happy and creative team. This covers one hot, healthy meal per day for our cast and crew over a 3-day shoot.
Pay the Crew
Costs $2,800
Fairly compensates our skilled crew - the cinematographers, sound mixers, & artists who turn the script's vision into a beautiful film.
Pay the Cast
Costs $2,900
Adequately compensates our talented actors for bringing the complex, emotional roles of Sam and Nana to life, honoring their vulnerability.
Locations & Permits
Costs $1,400
Our film is set in house, at a playground and a school hallway. This will help us secure the perfect locations to film Nana!
Equipment Rental & Insurance
Costs $1,600
Rents the professional camera, sound, & lighting gear needed to capture every quiet whisper and heartfelt moment with cinematic quality.
Production Design
Costs $800
Builds the film's world: from the special stuffed bunnies and pillow forts to the hospital room and wardrobe that define the story.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
MEET THE ARTISTS BEHIND NANA
Alexx Zaki
Writer, Director, & Producer
YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn
Alexx (they/them) is a Bay Area filmmaker drawn to telling stories that blend emotional honesty with social impact and amplify underrepresented voices. With a background in design and storytelling from UC Berkeley, they bring a unique, human-centered perspective to filmmaking. They focus on projects that explore mental health, identity, and belonging through an empathetic lens.
Over the past year, they’ve written NANA, a heartfelt short about childhood friendship, loss, and neurodiversity, shaped by their lived experience within the community it represents. This project was born from a deeply personal place and reflects their belief that empathy can be built through authentic storytelling. They are currently assembling a team of emerging artists to bring NANA to life with care and creative intention.
Dahlia Tarou
Lead Actor (Sam)
Dahlia Tarou (they/them) is a 12-year-old performer who has been onstage since they could walk, exploring storytelling through dance, acting, and singing. They have trained with the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and are a member of an SF-based dance company, performing hip hop, modern, and Taiko. Dahlia proudly embraces their ADHD and Autism as integral parts of who they are—fueling their creativity, empathy, and deep passion for social justice and equality. They are thrilled to make their film debut and honored to be part of such a meaningful story.
Salma Abdelkarem
Lead Actor (Nana)
Salma (she/her) is five years old and began her modeling and acting career last year, during which she successfully completed ten bookings. A sweet, funny, and free-spirited child, she loves playing with her toys, engaging with her imaginary friends, and spending time with neighborhood children at the local playground. She is also particularly fond of cats and K-pop demon hunters.
Mikey Infante
Actor (Principal Lee) & Producer
Mikey (he/him) is a Mexican American actor and competitive wheelchair bodybuilder who made his Hollywood debut as Nick in the 2025 film Freaky Tales. A lifelong performer and Sacramento State graduate, he utilizes his platform to advocate for disability representation in the entertainment and fitness industries.
Christianne Sykes
Producer
Christianne (she/her) is an award-winning producer, director, and entrepreneur. Her recent short films, "The Incredible Sensational Fiancée of Sèyí Àjàyí" and "Building on History & Legacy: The Filipino-American Experience", both received accolades in 2025, underscoring her commitment to empowering stories. She brings over a decade of experience guiding projects from idea to delivery, grounded in creative vision, operational leadership, and a focus on meaningful impact.
Our Growing Team
A film is a collaborative art form, and a director's vision is only as strong as the team that helps build it. We are in the exciting phase of attaching the key creative collaborators who will shape the look and feel of this film. Your contribution is absolutely critical to this process. The funds we raise here will allow us to secure top-tier, professional talent who are masters of their craft. Every pledge helps us bring these artists—and others like them—officially onto the project.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Some hurts you can't see.
NANA is the story of Sam, an autistic non-binary child silenced by trauma, and Nana, the 4-year-old force of nature who, through great empathy, teaches them to connect with the world again. It’s a bond forged in shared, unspoken pain.
This film is a direct response to the bullying that so many neurodivergent children face, as well as a reminder to look after the ones we love. It is an appeal for a world of acceptance that sees beyond labels to the person within.
NANA explores the idea that those carrying the heaviest burdens often show the deepest empathy. It's a story about the strength found in vulnerability and the love we give in spite of our own hidden struggles.
This story is a film about finally seeing the unseen.
The Question Behind the Story
I learned early in life that the deepest wounds are often the most silent, and that a world that doesn’t understand it can be a loud, confusing, and frightening place for those who feel and think differently. NANA was born from that truth.
This story is inspired by my childhood best friend, whose beautiful, life-altering friendship shaped how I understand empathy, difference, and love. Through Sam and Nana’s bond, I’m exploring how imagination becomes a bridge - a space where neurodiverse and disabled people are seen not for what they can’t do, but for the worlds they create and invite us into.
As a queer and autistic filmmaker, this isn’t just a story I want to tell. It’s one I’ve lived pieces of. The silence, the misunderstanding, the small gestures that mean survival. I’m telling this story because I know how rare it is to see our kind of love and care - quiet, complex, and deeply human - on screen.
And the time to tell it is now. We’re living in a moment where conversations about bullying, mental health, disability, and connection are louder than ever, yet true representation remains scarce. NANA is my way of adding tenderness to that conversation, of showing that empathy itself can be a profound act.
This film is more than memory; it’s a call to feel again, to look closer, and to see the extraordinary within the ordinary. NANA asks a simple question: How can the smallest connection heal the largest, most invisible wounds?
The cinematography of NANA will be intimate and gentle, using soft, natural light to create a sense of warmth and safety. The camera will often be at a child's-eye level, immersing the audience in Sam and Nana's world.
Sound design will be crucial, contrasting the overwhelming, sharp sounds of Sam's anxiety with the gentle, comforting quiet they find with Nana. Our color palette will shift from the cold, sterile blues of the hospital and school hallway to the warm, vibrant colors of Nana's world, visually mapping Sam's journey from isolation to connection.
The overall tone of the film is heartfelt, sensitive, and poignant, with moments of childhood innocence.
Elevator Pitch (2025)
A 4-minute satirical micro short film exploring the modern job market and the anxiety of self-promotion. Shot in just two hours inside Hotel Petaluma, the film balances humor and empathy to highlight how young graduates struggle to be “seen” by a system built on endless performance. I wrote, directed, and produced the film, coordinating volunteer actors, creating the shot list and storyboard, and handling cinematography myself.
Soul Arcade (2024)
An interactive VR narrative film experience that allows participants to step inside the stories of marginalized communities. Designed and developed during my Master of Design at UC Berkeley, Soul Arcade investigates empathy through immersive storytelling, blending design justice and emotional presence in extended-reality spaces.
Both works are a reflection of my ongoing interest in stories that humanize those often overlooked — from neurodiverse and queer identities to working-class dreamers fighting to be heard. With NANA, I’m continuing that path, crafting a story that brings empathy and connection to the forefront.
Here are three key ways you can support our film:
- Make a Contribution: Your financial pledge is what makes this film possible. Every dollar directly funds the production and helps us bring this story to life.
- Follow Our Campaign: Hit the "Follow" button on our Seed&Spark page. This keeps you in the loop with all our progress and helps us unlock platform rewards and gain visibility.
- Spread the Word: Share our campaign! Whether you post about it on social media or just tell a friend in person, your support is invaluable and helps us reach a wider audience.
We are raising $10,000 to bring the film "Nana" into existence. We have our script, our key team, and a clear vision. Your contribution will go directly to the essentials: paying our talented cast and crew, renting the equipment needed to capture this story beautifully, and creating the detailed world of the film through production design.
You can see a detailed breakdown of our budget in the Wish List tab! Every dollar brings a piece of this story closer to the big screen.
Our funds will go to:
- Feeding our cast and crew (5%)
- Paying our cast (29%)
- Paying the crew (28%)
- Renting equipment + insurance (16%)
- Production design (props, wardrobe, etc.) (8%)
- Finding the perfect locations (14%)
We are currently in the pre-production stage and hoping to begin production very soon.
- December 2025: Pre-production (fundraising, locations, casting)
- Late January 2026: Production (3 days of filming in Petaluma, CA)
- Early February 2026: Initial Edit (First Cut)
- Late February 2026: Post-production (sound design, color grading, etc.)
- March 2026: Final Cut, Festival Submissions & Premiere
SHARE OUR STORY
Love what NANA stands for? Help us bring this story of friendship, neurodiversity, and childhood resilience to screens everywhere.
Your voice can do what algorithms can’t - make people care.
Post, share, or tell someone who’d connect with it - a parent, a teacher, a healthcare worker, a friend who’s ever felt “different.”
Every mention helps our story reach more hearts.
TAG & FOLLOW
Follow us here on Seed&Spark and Instagram: @nanathefilm
Tag us when you share, and we’ll feature your posts!
Use hashtags like #NanaTheFilm #NeurodiverseStories #SeedAndSpark to join the conversation.
BE OUR AMBASSADOR
If you believe in empathy, representation, and giving voice to stories that often go unheard - be that friend who talks about NANA in your group chat, at brunch, or in your classroom.
Because the more people hear about it, the more chance we have to make it real.
Together, we can make something gentle, honest, and unforgettable. Thank you! <3
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: All concept photos and video clips are from Film Vibes & Shot Deck, respectively.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Feed the Cast & Crew
Costs $500
A well-fed team is a happy and creative team. This covers one hot, healthy meal per day for our cast and crew over a 3-day shoot.
Pay the Crew
Costs $2,800
Fairly compensates our skilled crew - the cinematographers, sound mixers, & artists who turn the script's vision into a beautiful film.
Pay the Cast
Costs $2,900
Adequately compensates our talented actors for bringing the complex, emotional roles of Sam and Nana to life, honoring their vulnerability.
Locations & Permits
Costs $1,400
Our film is set in house, at a playground and a school hallway. This will help us secure the perfect locations to film Nana!
Equipment Rental & Insurance
Costs $1,600
Rents the professional camera, sound, & lighting gear needed to capture every quiet whisper and heartfelt moment with cinematic quality.
Production Design
Costs $800
Builds the film's world: from the special stuffed bunnies and pillow forts to the hospital room and wardrobe that define the story.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
MEET THE ARTISTS BEHIND NANA
Alexx Zaki
Writer, Director, & Producer
YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn
Alexx (they/them) is a Bay Area filmmaker drawn to telling stories that blend emotional honesty with social impact and amplify underrepresented voices. With a background in design and storytelling from UC Berkeley, they bring a unique, human-centered perspective to filmmaking. They focus on projects that explore mental health, identity, and belonging through an empathetic lens.
Over the past year, they’ve written NANA, a heartfelt short about childhood friendship, loss, and neurodiversity, shaped by their lived experience within the community it represents. This project was born from a deeply personal place and reflects their belief that empathy can be built through authentic storytelling. They are currently assembling a team of emerging artists to bring NANA to life with care and creative intention.
Dahlia Tarou
Lead Actor (Sam)
Dahlia Tarou (they/them) is a 12-year-old performer who has been onstage since they could walk, exploring storytelling through dance, acting, and singing. They have trained with the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and are a member of an SF-based dance company, performing hip hop, modern, and Taiko. Dahlia proudly embraces their ADHD and Autism as integral parts of who they are—fueling their creativity, empathy, and deep passion for social justice and equality. They are thrilled to make their film debut and honored to be part of such a meaningful story.
Salma Abdelkarem
Lead Actor (Nana)
Salma (she/her) is five years old and began her modeling and acting career last year, during which she successfully completed ten bookings. A sweet, funny, and free-spirited child, she loves playing with her toys, engaging with her imaginary friends, and spending time with neighborhood children at the local playground. She is also particularly fond of cats and K-pop demon hunters.
Mikey Infante
Actor (Principal Lee) & Producer
Mikey (he/him) is a Mexican American actor and competitive wheelchair bodybuilder who made his Hollywood debut as Nick in the 2025 film Freaky Tales. A lifelong performer and Sacramento State graduate, he utilizes his platform to advocate for disability representation in the entertainment and fitness industries.
Christianne Sykes
Producer
Christianne (she/her) is an award-winning producer, director, and entrepreneur. Her recent short films, "The Incredible Sensational Fiancée of Sèyí Àjàyí" and "Building on History & Legacy: The Filipino-American Experience", both received accolades in 2025, underscoring her commitment to empowering stories. She brings over a decade of experience guiding projects from idea to delivery, grounded in creative vision, operational leadership, and a focus on meaningful impact.
Our Growing Team
A film is a collaborative art form, and a director's vision is only as strong as the team that helps build it. We are in the exciting phase of attaching the key creative collaborators who will shape the look and feel of this film. Your contribution is absolutely critical to this process. The funds we raise here will allow us to secure top-tier, professional talent who are masters of their craft. Every pledge helps us bring these artists—and others like them—officially onto the project.