The Nostos team is a diverse group of artists helmed and comprised primarily of women, who joined together to create a film that acts as a springboard for truthful and upfront conversations around gentrification and community in Brooklyn.

Hi! I’m Gabby Beans, the writer, executive producer, and one of the actors in "Nostos". Our team completed principal photography for this project on September 12th, 2021 after an incredible four nights of shooting on location in Bushwick. Partner with us to raise the necessary funds needed to complete post-production and make this film as chaotic and wonderful  as the neighborhood that inspired it!

 

In ancient Greek literature, “Nostos” is a theme referring to the honor bestowed upon a seafaring hero upon his return to his native shores; usually after countless adventures, trials and tribulations. Our darkly comedic film however, follows Jason Sugar, a listless, beer-soaked, recent NYC transplant, as he embarks on a pseudo-mythological quest through Bushwick to regain entry to his locked apartment after a wild night out. Playing on the ancient greek notion of homecoming, “Nostos” interrogates (both materially and metaphorically) what it means for Sugar to return to his “home” in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Throughout the film, we see Sugar interact with recognizable neighborhood figures--a bodega worker, a gas station attendant, and a bouncer of a local nightclub to name a few--and repeatedly rebuff opportunities for genuine connection. Instead, his interactions fall into one of two categories: either purely transactional (at their best) or openly antagonistic (at their worst).

Stylistically, this film lives somewhere between the feeling of Jim Jarmusch’s modern myths, and the mundane yet Lynchian strangeness of FX’s Atlanta. In addition to being a left-of-center social commentary, this film is deeply personal to me. I have been jokingly referring to "Nostos" as part-comedy, part-exorcism; as Sugar’s character is an amalgam of several humorously horrific roommates I’ve had living in the neighborhood for six years. Working on this film has been a way of making peace with those experiences, whilst examining some of the broader social dynamics at play in this rapidly developing area of Brooklyn.

 

As a volunteer housing advocate and black artist living and creating work at the intersection of various privileges and oppressions, I’m aware that gentrification is a systemic issue that many treat like a problem of individual choice. In the film, we explore the idea that though we are all subject to higher-level economic realities when acquiring housing in NYC (namely that we live where we can afford to live,) we can choose to positively engage with and contribute to the communities we move into. Hopefully, Nostos offers a funny, but unflinching look at how NOT to be a good neighbor, in the hopes that folks who may identify with our anti-hero will do the work to become better neighbors.

In the spring of 2022, we’ll screen the project in Bushwick, followed by a facilitated discussion/Q&A around the themes of the film. The event will be free, but attendees will have the opportunity to donate to Home is a Human Right (HIAHR) a media and mutual aid collective of housed and unhoused New Yorkers working together for homes and justice.

Our aim is for the film to serve as an ideological springboard for folks to interrogate how they move through the neighborhood, whilst offering practical means of giving back to the community by promoting mutual aid projects like HIAHR. I’ve worked alongside many people directly impacted by gentrification and housing instability. A huge challenge we’ve faced in our housing work is energizing stably-housed people with resources and to be part of community approaches to making housing more equitable. I feel that comedy is one of the strongest organizing tools we have, and by offering a space for us to laugh at our own foibles, we can answer an unmet but imperative need for a bridge between those who have the resources to make a difference in the housing justice movement, but have been too intimidated by the immensity of the issue to get involved, and mutual aid projects that actively help people to get or keep their housing. 

 

Gabby Beans is the writer, executive producer, and one of the actors in “Nostos.” As an actor she has worked off-Broadway at Lincoln Center, Atlantic Theater Company, and La MaMa ETC. Regionally, she has worked at the Williamstown Theater Festival, Yale Repertory Theater, and the Studio Theater in DC. She recently played the lead role in and indie horror feature “The Harbinger.” Her TV work includes HBO’s “Succession” (opposite Nicholas Braun), CBS’s “The Good Fight” (opposite Mandy Patinken), Netflix’s “House of Cards” (opposite Robin Wright), Showtime’s “Ray Donovan” (opposite Susan Sarandon), and in the leading role in an episode of Lifetime Movie Network’s “I Love You, But I Lied.” She is an award-winning screenwriter, and her debut short, OMAKASE, was accepted into film festivals across the country.

 

“Nostos” was directed and produced by George Nicholas. George has been the Director of Photography for over 70 projects, from feature films to commercials. His works have played at hundreds of festivals around the world including Raindance, Cyprus International Film Festival, and Coney Island Film Festival. In addition to his directing and producing work, George is a tenured professor in the Film, TV & Radio Department at Hofstra University.

 

The Director of Photography for the film is Holly Fischer. As in-house Director of Photography for Refinery29 from 2017-2020, she was responsible for the visual style of various editorial series, reaching millions of viewers. Holly also works on independent narratives and documentaries, workshopping stories and realizing the unique visionsof her collaborators. Two short narratives on which Holly served as DOP (#YouToo and Her Infinity) are presently screening on the global festival circuit. In addition to her work as a cinematographer, Holly is a budding director.

 

“Nostos” employed 35 NYC based filmmaking professionals during four days of principal photography in August and September. Our editor completed our rough cut on October 28th, 2021. Our goal is to have the final cut of the film complete by late January/early February. We will have logistical details of the free screening event finalized by February 20th, giving us ample time to generate interest, publicize, and prepare ahead of an early April event date.

 

We are raising $6,000 to complete post production. This money will go towards:

• Paying our editor, Jennifer Arfi, to complete editing the film and any teasers 
• Paying our Sound Mixer/Recordist, Henry Butler, to complete mixing sound for the film
• Funding supervised color correction sessions at Metropolitan Post with our director, George Nicholas
• Marketing and distribution 
• Offsetting costs of our free screening event/HIAHR fundraiser in Spring 2022

 

 

PLEDGE to our campaign. Every dollar helps!

FOLLOW this campaign here on Seed & Spark. The more followers we have, the greater momentum we will be able to generate. Also, at certain milestone numbers of followers, we are entitled to perks and support that will help us finish this film!

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Join @chaoticgoodchaoticgood and @gabybeans to complete NOSTOS; a darkly-comedic modern myth about gentrification, community, and just how much it sucks to be locked out of your apartment in NYC! Make a pledge @seedandspark: https://bit.ly/3p8F8bn

@chaoticgoodchaoticgood lives up to its name with NOSTOS: a pitch-black comedy about what it means to return "home" when you're #lowkey part of the reason others are being displaced. Donate @seedandspark: https://bit.ly/3p8F8bn  

#Gentrification is no laughing matter--but this film is! Help @chaoticgoodchaoticgood and @gabybeans complete NOSTOS, a grimly hilarious tale of the drunken mishaps of a recent NY transplant (played by the brilliant @rosskugman) who is just trying to get back into his apartment. Pledge to our campaign on @seedandspark: https://bit.ly/3p8F8bn 

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING NOSTOS!