Nea
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
After a night out that goes wrong, Nea attempts to put the pieces of her life back together. Roaming through the city at night, encountering friends, acquaintances and strangers she finds herself face to face with her subconscious.
Nea
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
46 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$10,036
Goal: $12,000 for pre-production
After a night out that goes wrong, Nea attempts to put the pieces of her life back together. Roaming through the city at night, encountering friends, acquaintances and strangers she finds herself face to face with her subconscious.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
SYNOPSIS
After an argument at a bar with her best friend, Annabelle, Nea returns to her apartment disheveled. Waking up in the middle of the night, Nea decides to take her dog on a walk that leads to a long journey through the night in which she unexpectedly runs into many familiar faces. First, it is a group of her friends that talk her into going out with them, dragging her into a bar. Next, her brother appears seemingly out of the blue. Finally, Nea remembers that Annabelle is at the same bar and decides to go looking for her.
This long, seemingly never-ending night of Nea’s is undoubtedly peculiar. As she stumbles through the night, she finds her interactions with others to be different than usual; she is constantly being accused, blamed, berated for something… something, but what? As the memories of her argument with Annabelle constantly flash through her mind, she tries to make sense of the world. Or, more specifically, the way she perceives it. Can she trust her own mind? Is she a reliable narrator or her own worst enemy? This film takes us on a journey through Nea’s head.
WRITER'S STATEMENT
At its core, this film is about friendship in its deepest, most purest form. When I started writing NEA, I wanted to capture that very rare, platonic love that is shared between two people that happen to meet, to exist at the same point in time as each other and whose paths somehow managed to cross. Friendships like these will come into our lives maybe once, or twice if we’re lucky. But when described, there is always that one person that immediately springs to mind. That one special someone that either still serves as our anchor in life, or that we know quietly watches over us from afar.
Although there is a love story hidden in this twisted, surreal, dream-like fable, it is not romantic love that raises the stakes, but that deeply rare, platonic love. The potential loss of her friendship with Annabelle is the anxiety, the nightmare fuel that fuels this nightmare, that drags Nea through the streets of New York, half asleep, half awake, where she encounters her deepest, darkest emotions in human form.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
Nea is about the terrifying distance between what we feel and what we allow ourselves to express.The fragile line where the desire for intimacy collides with the instinct to protect friendship. What immediately drew me to Lucy's script was the way it transforms this emotional conflict into a night that feels dreamlike but painfully real. I have always been drawn to stories where romance and fear exist side by side, and Nea and Annabelle's relationship captures that tension with honesty. Nea's determination to push away Annabelle's attraction, despite her own feelings, comes from a fear many of us know too well: risking the one meaningful relationship we already have. When Lucy described Nea's anxiety as something that makes her hyper-aware of herself, causing the world around her to become increasingly bizarre, I immediately saw the film.
I was reminded of the emotional surrealism of Mulholland Drive and the restless loneliness of Fallen Angels: films where cities become emotional landscapes, and every encounter feels like a new doorway into danger. Through wide lenses with the camera always intimately close to the characters, placing them inside a city glowing with seductive neon lights that feels both alive and deeply unsettling, what begins as an ordinary walk quickly transforms into a strange journey. Friends, and strangers feel like extensions of Nea's subconscious, reflecting the anxiety that convinces her every glance is directed right at her.
Within this increasingly distorted night, Annabelle becomes Nea's one source of warmth and relief. Their reunion on the dance floor allows Nea to briefly escape her own mind, until their most intimate moment together is interrupted by Annabelle's kiss. Perhaps Nea envies Annabelle's courage to express what she feels, or perhaps she is terrified that accepting those feelings will destroy the friendship she cares for the most. Her reaction is immediate, exaggerated, and a last attempt to save herself from the nightmare, but instead it takes everything even more out of her control. At its heart, this film explores the painful distance between what we feel and what we allow ourselves to express. I want the audience to experience the night through Nea's perspective, where the boundaries between romance and fear, reality and nightmare, become impossible to distinguish.
CHARACTERS
Nea - Mid/late 20s. Intensely insecure. Tries unsuccessfully to hide it. A very private person. Desperately to keep up with the crowd and "fit in". Chronically nervous and unsure of herself. Avoidant.
Annabelle - A party girl. Impulsive, risk-taker with a temper. She loves hard, is fiercely loyal to her friends. Uses her tough exterior to mask her broken heart. Very charming with energy that attracts.
Lindsay - Mid/late 20s. Nea's friend. Queen-bee, leader of the group. "Nice" when it suits her interests. Very direct and manipulative.
Jess - Mid/late 20s. Non-chalant, chronically unimpressed. Gets off on putting other people down - intensely insecure. Very cliquey, always needs to be in the company of her “circle” in order to feel safe.
Liam - Late 20s/ Early 30s, man. Nea’s brother. 6 '2 or taller and very muscular (football player-type). Condescending. Self-centered. A bully.
Adam - Mid/late 20s, brown hair, man. Retired frat boy. Very self-absorbed, thinks the world revolves around him. Regular build, 5’10 or taller.
Jaden - Mid/late 20s. Very quiet, only speaks when he needs to. Adam’s best friend and side kick. Always defusing the situation.
MOOD
The audience will experience the night just as Nea tries to make sense of the world around her.
TIMELINE
Pre-production - Summer '26
Production - Fall '26
Post-production - Fall '26/Winter '27
Festival Campaign & Distribution - Winter thru Fall '27
FUNDRAISING AND SUPPORT
Your support means the world to us! We are excited that our fundraising campaign is being launched with the key crew and full cast onboard (please check out the 'Team' section to get to know them!). Your help and support will allow us to reach a greater audience and enable us to pay our incredible cast and crew for their hard work and finance the camera, sound, and lighting equipment, props, costume, and locations to create the perfect mood and world for the story.
Here are some ways through which you could support us:
- Follow the campaign to boost its visibility on Seed & Spark and our instagram account @neashortfilm
- Share the project with friends, family, and communities who may be interested in our story!
- Pledge at any level — small contributions are genuinely impactful!!! At least 80% of our goal must be reached to keep the funds that are raised.
Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know our project. We are excited to share this journey with you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $4,500
Compensation and travel for our wonderful cast and crew who will bring the story to life.
Equipment and Camera Package
Costs $3,000
To achieve the dream-like look of the film, we are planning to rent the appropriate camera package, lenses, lighting, and sound equipment.
Locations
Costs $2,000
For renting the ideal neon-lit, noir-inspired bar and Nea's apartment.
Design and Aesthetics
Costs $1,000
For creating the world of the story - mirrors, practical neon and fluorescent lighting, mismatched furniture, peeling walls, and posters.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Lucy Sarasin - Actor (Nea), Writer, and Executive Producer
Lucy is an actor and writer, born and raised in Basel, Switzerland where she was a part of a variety of different theater companies growing up.Since moving to New York City in 2021 and attending the Neighborhood Playhouse, School of the Theater, Lucy has starred in multiple short films, commercials and theater productions. In 2023, she wrote, directed, produced and starred in her debut short film, Heights. NEA is the second short film she has written and Lucy is so excited to finally bring this story to life after working on the script for several years.
Faranak Sahafian - Director
Faranak is an Iranian writer-director whose work moves between surrealism and social realism, often centering on female protagonists and their connected interior and emotional lives. Rooted in a background in Persian poetry, her films draw on lyrical and philosophical traditions to explore memory, displacement, and identity. A graduate of Columbia University’s MFA Film program, she brings a multidisciplinary background spanning narrative filmmaking, screenwriting, visual effects coordination, and film education. Her films have screened at festivals including Tribeca, Palm Springs ShortFest, BFI, SIFF, Cinequest, and Manchester. Her short film Kisses and Bullets received a Special Mention for Best U.S. Student Short at Palm Springs ShortFest and was nominated for Best LGBTQ+ Short, and has been recognized for its distinct visual language and character-driven storytelling.
Pooria Ansari - Producer
Pooria is a New York-based writer, director, and independent producer with 5+ years of experience in developing and producing short films that have gained recognition on the international festival circuit. His projects have earned multiple awards, with projects screening at prestigious festivals such as Tribeca, Palm Springs, SIFF, HollyShorts, Cinequest, and Manchester Film Festival. He specializes in collaborating with emerging filmmakers and critically acclaimed creative teams to bring bold and authentic stories with a fresh perspective to life. His work spans the full arc of filmmaking, from early development through premier.
Greta Hicks - Actor (Annabelle)
Greta is an actor and model originally from Wichita, Kansas. Greta’s debut film performance, Weapons and Their Names, premiered at Sundance, and her films have been to festivals around the world. You can also see her in national commercials for KFC, Glow Recipe and various other beauty brands. Greta is a graduate of the University of Miami.
Jake Steinberg - Actor (Adam)
Jake Steinberg is an actor hailing from Rockville, MD but currently based in NYC. He received his MFA from Columbia University. Some of his favorite works include Fifth of July by Lanford Wilson (Jed) and Passion Play by Sarah Ruhl (Jesus). Catch him on the upcoming season of “Cupertino” on CBS, and Season 17 of ABCs “What Would You Do?”! He is an avid lover of gorillas, pancakes, and competing in Hyrox and Ironman triathlons. He is represented by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and CESD Talent.
Grant Jay - Actor (Liam)
After serving six years in the US Marine Corps and attending the Neighborhood Playhouse, Grant discovered a new path in the arts. His latest credits include "Law & Order: SVU" playing opposite Ice T, "God of Tides," acting alongside Grant Gustin and appearing in a national "USAA" Commercial.
Lindsay Wheeler - Actor (Lindsay)
Lindsay is a Midwestern actor, writer and singer based in New York City, and is a graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre class of 23’. Some of her favorite credits include POTUS (Bernadette), Men On Boats (Hawkins), and her off-Broadway musical debut in 44 Lights (Nellie). She is a cast member of the Rocky Horror Picture Show NYC, and also collaborates as a singer in a band. As someone who is working towards more involvement in film, she could not be more excited to be a part of this production and work with such a stellar cast and crew.
Maria Karolina - Actor (Jess)
Maria is an actor and punk musician in NYC originally from Venezuela, but raised in Miami. She is intrigued by this project because she loves all things surreal- but it’s not often where she, as an actor gets to become an utter mirror of someone else and work in a completely impersonal manner without any selfish personal goals for her own character. Jess is Nea’s shadow, the parts of herself that isn’t always quite positive. The parts that we often repress in own psyche- but what if we just let that shadow rip? Maria is so excited to be a part of this project!
Dalton Grant - Actor (Jaden)
Dalton Grant is an actor based in New York. He graduated from SUNY Purchase in 2019 with a BA in Theatre and Performance. In 2024, he graduated from The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, continuing his training in the Meisner technique. He is passionate about bringing authenticity, emotional depth, and humanity to every character he portrays.
-
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
SYNOPSIS
After an argument at a bar with her best friend, Annabelle, Nea returns to her apartment disheveled. Waking up in the middle of the night, Nea decides to take her dog on a walk that leads to a long journey through the night in which she unexpectedly runs into many familiar faces. First, it is a group of her friends that talk her into going out with them, dragging her into a bar. Next, her brother appears seemingly out of the blue. Finally, Nea remembers that Annabelle is at the same bar and decides to go looking for her.
This long, seemingly never-ending night of Nea’s is undoubtedly peculiar. As she stumbles through the night, she finds her interactions with others to be different than usual; she is constantly being accused, blamed, berated for something… something, but what? As the memories of her argument with Annabelle constantly flash through her mind, she tries to make sense of the world. Or, more specifically, the way she perceives it. Can she trust her own mind? Is she a reliable narrator or her own worst enemy? This film takes us on a journey through Nea’s head.
WRITER'S STATEMENT
At its core, this film is about friendship in its deepest, most purest form. When I started writing NEA, I wanted to capture that very rare, platonic love that is shared between two people that happen to meet, to exist at the same point in time as each other and whose paths somehow managed to cross. Friendships like these will come into our lives maybe once, or twice if we’re lucky. But when described, there is always that one person that immediately springs to mind. That one special someone that either still serves as our anchor in life, or that we know quietly watches over us from afar.
Although there is a love story hidden in this twisted, surreal, dream-like fable, it is not romantic love that raises the stakes, but that deeply rare, platonic love. The potential loss of her friendship with Annabelle is the anxiety, the nightmare fuel that fuels this nightmare, that drags Nea through the streets of New York, half asleep, half awake, where she encounters her deepest, darkest emotions in human form.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
Nea is about the terrifying distance between what we feel and what we allow ourselves to express.The fragile line where the desire for intimacy collides with the instinct to protect friendship. What immediately drew me to Lucy's script was the way it transforms this emotional conflict into a night that feels dreamlike but painfully real. I have always been drawn to stories where romance and fear exist side by side, and Nea and Annabelle's relationship captures that tension with honesty. Nea's determination to push away Annabelle's attraction, despite her own feelings, comes from a fear many of us know too well: risking the one meaningful relationship we already have. When Lucy described Nea's anxiety as something that makes her hyper-aware of herself, causing the world around her to become increasingly bizarre, I immediately saw the film.
I was reminded of the emotional surrealism of Mulholland Drive and the restless loneliness of Fallen Angels: films where cities become emotional landscapes, and every encounter feels like a new doorway into danger. Through wide lenses with the camera always intimately close to the characters, placing them inside a city glowing with seductive neon lights that feels both alive and deeply unsettling, what begins as an ordinary walk quickly transforms into a strange journey. Friends, and strangers feel like extensions of Nea's subconscious, reflecting the anxiety that convinces her every glance is directed right at her.
Within this increasingly distorted night, Annabelle becomes Nea's one source of warmth and relief. Their reunion on the dance floor allows Nea to briefly escape her own mind, until their most intimate moment together is interrupted by Annabelle's kiss. Perhaps Nea envies Annabelle's courage to express what she feels, or perhaps she is terrified that accepting those feelings will destroy the friendship she cares for the most. Her reaction is immediate, exaggerated, and a last attempt to save herself from the nightmare, but instead it takes everything even more out of her control. At its heart, this film explores the painful distance between what we feel and what we allow ourselves to express. I want the audience to experience the night through Nea's perspective, where the boundaries between romance and fear, reality and nightmare, become impossible to distinguish.
CHARACTERS
Nea - Mid/late 20s. Intensely insecure. Tries unsuccessfully to hide it. A very private person. Desperately to keep up with the crowd and "fit in". Chronically nervous and unsure of herself. Avoidant.
Annabelle - A party girl. Impulsive, risk-taker with a temper. She loves hard, is fiercely loyal to her friends. Uses her tough exterior to mask her broken heart. Very charming with energy that attracts.
Lindsay - Mid/late 20s. Nea's friend. Queen-bee, leader of the group. "Nice" when it suits her interests. Very direct and manipulative.
Jess - Mid/late 20s. Non-chalant, chronically unimpressed. Gets off on putting other people down - intensely insecure. Very cliquey, always needs to be in the company of her “circle” in order to feel safe.
Liam - Late 20s/ Early 30s, man. Nea’s brother. 6 '2 or taller and very muscular (football player-type). Condescending. Self-centered. A bully.
Adam - Mid/late 20s, brown hair, man. Retired frat boy. Very self-absorbed, thinks the world revolves around him. Regular build, 5’10 or taller.
Jaden - Mid/late 20s. Very quiet, only speaks when he needs to. Adam’s best friend and side kick. Always defusing the situation.
MOOD
The audience will experience the night just as Nea tries to make sense of the world around her.
TIMELINE
Pre-production - Summer '26
Production - Fall '26
Post-production - Fall '26/Winter '27
Festival Campaign & Distribution - Winter thru Fall '27
FUNDRAISING AND SUPPORT
Your support means the world to us! We are excited that our fundraising campaign is being launched with the key crew and full cast onboard (please check out the 'Team' section to get to know them!). Your help and support will allow us to reach a greater audience and enable us to pay our incredible cast and crew for their hard work and finance the camera, sound, and lighting equipment, props, costume, and locations to create the perfect mood and world for the story.
Here are some ways through which you could support us:
- Follow the campaign to boost its visibility on Seed & Spark and our instagram account @neashortfilm
- Share the project with friends, family, and communities who may be interested in our story!
- Pledge at any level — small contributions are genuinely impactful!!! At least 80% of our goal must be reached to keep the funds that are raised.
Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know our project. We are excited to share this journey with you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $4,500
Compensation and travel for our wonderful cast and crew who will bring the story to life.
Equipment and Camera Package
Costs $3,000
To achieve the dream-like look of the film, we are planning to rent the appropriate camera package, lenses, lighting, and sound equipment.
Locations
Costs $2,000
For renting the ideal neon-lit, noir-inspired bar and Nea's apartment.
Design and Aesthetics
Costs $1,000
For creating the world of the story - mirrors, practical neon and fluorescent lighting, mismatched furniture, peeling walls, and posters.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Lucy Sarasin - Actor (Nea), Writer, and Executive Producer
Lucy is an actor and writer, born and raised in Basel, Switzerland where she was a part of a variety of different theater companies growing up.Since moving to New York City in 2021 and attending the Neighborhood Playhouse, School of the Theater, Lucy has starred in multiple short films, commercials and theater productions. In 2023, she wrote, directed, produced and starred in her debut short film, Heights. NEA is the second short film she has written and Lucy is so excited to finally bring this story to life after working on the script for several years.
Faranak Sahafian - Director
Faranak is an Iranian writer-director whose work moves between surrealism and social realism, often centering on female protagonists and their connected interior and emotional lives. Rooted in a background in Persian poetry, her films draw on lyrical and philosophical traditions to explore memory, displacement, and identity. A graduate of Columbia University’s MFA Film program, she brings a multidisciplinary background spanning narrative filmmaking, screenwriting, visual effects coordination, and film education. Her films have screened at festivals including Tribeca, Palm Springs ShortFest, BFI, SIFF, Cinequest, and Manchester. Her short film Kisses and Bullets received a Special Mention for Best U.S. Student Short at Palm Springs ShortFest and was nominated for Best LGBTQ+ Short, and has been recognized for its distinct visual language and character-driven storytelling.
Pooria Ansari - Producer
Pooria is a New York-based writer, director, and independent producer with 5+ years of experience in developing and producing short films that have gained recognition on the international festival circuit. His projects have earned multiple awards, with projects screening at prestigious festivals such as Tribeca, Palm Springs, SIFF, HollyShorts, Cinequest, and Manchester Film Festival. He specializes in collaborating with emerging filmmakers and critically acclaimed creative teams to bring bold and authentic stories with a fresh perspective to life. His work spans the full arc of filmmaking, from early development through premier.
Greta Hicks - Actor (Annabelle)
Greta is an actor and model originally from Wichita, Kansas. Greta’s debut film performance, Weapons and Their Names, premiered at Sundance, and her films have been to festivals around the world. You can also see her in national commercials for KFC, Glow Recipe and various other beauty brands. Greta is a graduate of the University of Miami.
Jake Steinberg - Actor (Adam)
Jake Steinberg is an actor hailing from Rockville, MD but currently based in NYC. He received his MFA from Columbia University. Some of his favorite works include Fifth of July by Lanford Wilson (Jed) and Passion Play by Sarah Ruhl (Jesus). Catch him on the upcoming season of “Cupertino” on CBS, and Season 17 of ABCs “What Would You Do?”! He is an avid lover of gorillas, pancakes, and competing in Hyrox and Ironman triathlons. He is represented by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and CESD Talent.
Grant Jay - Actor (Liam)
After serving six years in the US Marine Corps and attending the Neighborhood Playhouse, Grant discovered a new path in the arts. His latest credits include "Law & Order: SVU" playing opposite Ice T, "God of Tides," acting alongside Grant Gustin and appearing in a national "USAA" Commercial.
Lindsay Wheeler - Actor (Lindsay)
Lindsay is a Midwestern actor, writer and singer based in New York City, and is a graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre class of 23’. Some of her favorite credits include POTUS (Bernadette), Men On Boats (Hawkins), and her off-Broadway musical debut in 44 Lights (Nellie). She is a cast member of the Rocky Horror Picture Show NYC, and also collaborates as a singer in a band. As someone who is working towards more involvement in film, she could not be more excited to be a part of this production and work with such a stellar cast and crew.
Maria Karolina - Actor (Jess)
Maria is an actor and punk musician in NYC originally from Venezuela, but raised in Miami. She is intrigued by this project because she loves all things surreal- but it’s not often where she, as an actor gets to become an utter mirror of someone else and work in a completely impersonal manner without any selfish personal goals for her own character. Jess is Nea’s shadow, the parts of herself that isn’t always quite positive. The parts that we often repress in own psyche- but what if we just let that shadow rip? Maria is so excited to be a part of this project!
Dalton Grant - Actor (Jaden)
Dalton Grant is an actor based in New York. He graduated from SUNY Purchase in 2019 with a BA in Theatre and Performance. In 2024, he graduated from The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, continuing his training in the Meisner technique. He is passionate about bringing authenticity, emotional depth, and humanity to every character he portrays.
-