One Less Lonely Man is a slow-burning film that explores loneliness. It tells the uncomfortable, often unspoken reality of aging. Grandpa Edward is a widowed, retired chef who desperately wants to spend time with his family. However, his family is too busy with their own lives and responsibilities. After cancelling a scheduled lunch, Grandpa Edward finds connection in someone he wasn’t expecting, leaving him One Less Lonely Man.

THE STORY BEHIND "ONE LESS LONELY MAN"

"Last summer, my grandpa and I were watching “City Lights”, a film by Charlie Chaplin. My grandfather has seen this movie dozens of times, so naturally he kept spoiling it to me. I was getting irritated. I tried to say something to him, but then I saw his smile. He didn’t care that he was spoiling it, or that he was watching the same film for the hundredth time. The only thing he cared about was enjoying the time we were spending together. That alone made me really sad, as it made me realize the older you get, the lonelier you become."

"As a writer and director, my goal for this film is to raise awareness that tomorrow is not guaranteed. A lot of the time, people think that grandparents, family members, and loved ones will live on forever. However, that is not true. The time we have together is limited, and we should spend it loving each other."

- Sara, Writer/Director

"One Less Lonely Man is an important story with an important message and we believe we have assembled the right crew to tell it. It aims to blend excellent, heartwarming writing with stunning visuals and a talented cast. We look to create a rich nostalgic atmosphere where the characters can feel lived in and real. My goal is to help everyone achieve their highest potential and help foster a creative environment where everybody can thrive"

- Owen, Producer

"One Less Lonely Man is a deeply personal and relatable story about human relationships that tugs at heartstrings. I want to connect audiences to the story through creative lighting and camerawork in a way that will help resonate and inspire them to reflect on their own lives. Using long and uninterrupted takes to immerse them in the world, forcing the audience to sit with the character’s emotional weight and decisions. Playing with space and framing within the shots to create a sense of loneliness that the characters are feeling. Using powerful lighting and color choices, such as a combination of high contrast, realistic lighting, and stylized lighting that follow the emotional beats of the story. My goal is to help seamlessly submerge audiences into this world through visual cues, challenging them to see the world from different perspectives."

- Victoria, Director Of Photography

"For this film, I hope to make the editing feel as invisible as possible, allowing the story’s emotional core to be the audience’s primary focus. I envision using longer shots, fewer cuts, and montage work when needed to adjust the pace. Ultimately, my goal is to support the film’s themes and create an experience that resonates emotionally with the audience."

- Jordan, Editor

"For this film, I want to try to focus on the sound of objects and movement. I want the cooking of the food to sound inviting and to make the world sound lived in but inviting. I also want to be able to spend a lot of time editing dialogue and making audio, such as the phone call, sound like it is really happening around you in the theater."

- Josh, Sound Supervisor

We plan to shoot in the late fall, outside of Phoenix, preferably in the northern area of Arizona, to really capture the slow and quiet pace of Edward's lonely life. As we wrap up the pre-production stage, we need your help! All donations will go towards securing locations, lodging, and feeding the cast and crew, production design, getting our equipment and insurance, and even submissions to film festivals all around the world! Every contribution, follow, share, and repost helps as we try to bring this important story, just waiting to be told, to life.

Tomorrow is not guaranteed, and the time we have together should be spent loving each other. The story of "One Less Lonely Man" is a reminder to slow down, look, and appreciate the people around you.

We invite you to be a part of this film, story, and message. You can do so by donating and sharing our campaign, but more importantly, by checking in on your loved ones.

100% of donations will go to the production and promotion of the film.

For more information about the project and how you can be a part of it, contact Owen Manning at [email protected] and follow @onelesslonelyman on Instagram.