Logline

As partners Caroline and Maggie journey through IVF, Caroline's growing uncertainty about parenthood threatens to upend the future they've spent years building together.

Synopsis

Caroline and Maggie have finally begun the IVF journey they've been preparing for. As they navigate appointments, injections, and the emotional highs and lows of fertility treatment, each step brings new hope—and mounting pressure—to create the family they've always envisioned. While Maggie throws herself into the process with unwavering determination and support, Caroline begins to feel increasingly disconnected from the future they've planned together.

As the treatments progress, Caroline is forced to confront an unsettling question: is parenthood meant for her? Faced with fears she can no longer ignore, she must decide whether to keep hiding or risk everything by telling the person she loves most. As their shared dream begins to unravel, Caroline and Maggie must navigate the fragile intersection of love, identity, and honesty, questioning whether a relationship can survive when the future they imagined is no longer the one in front of them.

Or Not To Be is a short narrative drama exploring the courage it takes to remain true to yourself in the face of uncertainty and embrace unexpected change in life's direction.

Characters

Caroline

In her 30s. Still figuring out exactly what she wants from life. Her interior world is starting to conflict with the one she's been building with Maggie, but she loves Maggie deeply and would do almost anything for her.

Maggie

In her late 30s to 40s. She's grounded, reliable, and comfortable in who she is. Maggie desperately wants to be a mother, but is unable to carry a child. She dotes on Caroline during their fertility struggles and wishes she could take the burden off her.

Writer's Statement:

As I—and many of the people closest to me—have gotten older, conversations about parenthood have become increasingly present. I've found myself thinking more deeply about the realities that shape the decision to have children: career, fertility, finances, identity, and the many uncertainties that come with them. This story portrays one road to parenthood—the IVF experience—with nuance, empathy, and honesty, recognizing that there is no universal path through it.

At its heart, this film is about what it means to stay connected through uncertainty. It's about the difficult conversations couples navigate, the expectations we place on ourselves and each other, and the courage to be honest with the person you love. Or Not To Be isn't just a story about IVF—it's a story about partnership, identity, and the strength it takes to embrace a future that looks different from the one you imagined.

Writer/Actor/Producer

Alexandra Nedved (she/they) is an actor, writer, and producer based in New York City. A graduate of The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in England, where she earned her MFA in Acting, Alexandra has worked in the U.S. and the U.K. Beyond acting, Alexandra writes, produces, and directs independent film, and is a co-founder of Good Shout Productions. Her short film Infinity Girls earned 3rd Prize at the Saugatuck Film Festival, and her work has been recognized with the Bonnie Hurren Prize for Excellence and the Arthur Ballet Playwright Award. She is currently in development on her first feature film.

Director

Talia Light Rake is a Los Angeles–born, Brooklyn-based writer, director, and producer. A 2023 Film Independent Fellow and NYU Development Lab Fellow, her short film The Captives premiered at Mill Valley Film Festival and screened at festivals nationwide, including the American Cinematheque’s PROOF Film Festival. She has produced content for Sundance, Tribeca, and New York Fashion Week. In 2022, she founded Heavy Shovel Productions, a production company and filmmaker community reaching more than 100k creatives online, where she shares practical insights, resources, and behind-the-scenes perspectives on independent filmmaking. She also created The Big Dig, a curated filmmaker matchmaking event designed to bring artists together through intentional, data-informed pairings that foster collaboration and hiring opportunities. Her indie pilot, Too Romantic, won the Grand Jury Award at Geena Davis's Benntonville Film Festival. She is currently developing it into a TV series, executive-produced by Bachelor couple Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon.

Producer

Maiya Jannah is a filmmaker and actress born and raised in New York, who is committed to creating art that grapples with marginalized experiences. A Brown University honors graduate with a B.A. in both Modern Culture & Media and Literary Arts, her filmic practice includes writing, directing, editing, and producing. Recipient of the David Dornstein Artist Grant '25 and the Frances Mason Harris ’26 Literary Prize, Maiya is passionate about leading intimate and complex portrayals of women and intergenerational relationships. She is currently in development on her feature film directorial debut, To Bear a Holy Name, while her short, Elegy, makes its rounds in the festival circuit. (@maiya.jannah)

Associate Producers

Katie Walenta (she/they) is a Nebraska-born, Brooklyn-based writer and producer. Recent theater production credits include I Am Nobody (The Magnet, 2026); bby/mmy (The Tank, 2025); Me & My Friends; We Have So Much Fun (Ars Nova, 2025); and The End of All Flesh (The Magnet / FRIGID; 2025). Recent film production credits include “For Your Entertainment” (Dir. Katharine King So, 2026); “St. Anthony” (Dir. Verve, 2026); “The Voicemail” (Dir. JT Tsou, 2026); and The Allegory (Dir. Deniz Demirer, 2025). Katie is currently in the developmental pre-production phase for her feature-length screenplay, Up, Up Like Matchsticks. (@katie_walenta)

Siobhan O'Hea is a recent film school graduate from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts. She has written, produced, and directed many of her own short student films and has worked as an Assistant Director, Producer, Production Assistant, and Script Supervisor for many others. This is her first Associate Producer role and she is extremely grateful and excited to be a part of this project! 

Director of Photography

Emily Kordovich is a non-binary director of photography based in Brooklyn, NY. Many of the projects Emily has lensed are women’s stories, queer stories, immigrant stories, and stories with heart, humanity, and intention. Emily considers themselves an emotional translator of each project, merging the technical and creative to bring stories authentically to life. Their goal is to craft images that make people feel something, all while making the day, and having a great time doing it.

Emily is a member of the International Collective of Female+ Cinematographers (ICF+C), was accepted into the ASC Vision Mentorship Program in 2023, and received the 2024 Fresh Perspectives in Cinematography Grant presented by AbelCine, Arri, and The ASC for the short film, Remnants Of Nova. They recently completed principal photography on their first feature film, Ice Cream (dir. Liza Renzulli), and have otherwise been the DoP for 30 short films and counting.

Executive Produced by Heavy Shovel Productions

JULY 2026: We're already in pre-production for our film—finalizing cast and crew, securing locations, and fundraising to help it all happen!

AUGUST 2026: We've locked production dates and will be filming around Brooklyn over the first weekend in August.

2026/2027: We'll move into post-production as soon as we have a team solidified (your contributions help with this!). Once the film is complete, we'll submit to festivals and you'll have the opportunity to view the finished product through private, early access viewing on Kinema, at a festival near you, or after the festival run when it's available publicly!

Check out our incentives to learn more!

BUDGET

Production Goal ($9K): All of the funds we receive for our initial goal will be allocated to production costs—just getting this baby (pun intended) shot!

Mid-Tier Goal ($12K): Making it past our initial goal helps us fully fund production AND move into post right away, getting this story out to into the world that much quicker!

Stretch Goal ($15K): Hitting our stretch goal helps us fund applications, and travel, for film festivals, getting this story out to a wider audience.

Thank you for joining us on this journey, we can't wait to share more soon!!