peach fuzz
New York City, New York | Film Short
Horror, Thriller
On her 21st birthday, Mia faces the toughest recipe of culinary school, and the sinister caterpillar only she can see. As pressure mounts and reality distorts, she must confront her eating disorder before it devours her completely.
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$36,200
Goal: $39,500 for development
On her 21st birthday, Mia faces the toughest recipe of culinary school, and the sinister caterpillar only she can see. As pressure mounts and reality distorts, she must confront her eating disorder before it devours her completely.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: Vogue’s What’s Changing About Fashion’s Relationship to the Body? (directed by Camille Summers-Valli, DP: Maximilian Pittner)
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: The Bear, S2, EP7 (2023)
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On her 21st birthday, Mia is drowning under the pressure of her final week in culinary school, tasked with one of the most demanding recipes of her class. But the real battle isn’t in the kitchen - it’s in her mind. Her eating disorder takes shape as Cat, a cunning and relentless caterpillar only she can see, twisting her thoughts and warping her reality.
As the day unfolds, exhaustion and self-doubt cloud her focus, and Cat’s grip tightens, pushing Mia toward a breaking point she can’t escape.
Conceptual Image of Cat provided by Artery.
.png)
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp, DP: Bianca Cline, Eric Adkins)
At the center of Peach Fuzz is a question: What happens when an illness takes the form of something deceptively harmless? Through the eyes of Mia, a 21-year-old culinary student battling an eating disorder embodied by a fuzzy green caterpillar named Cat, the film examines how something small can carry a disturbing weight. As Cat’s influence grows, Mia’s grip on reality begins to slip, blurring the line between the physical and the psychological. This is a story about the insidious nature of mental illness, how it can charm, manipulate, and consume from the inside out.
In a world that still misunderstands eating disorders, Peach Fuzz asks: How do you fight a monster that lives in your mind?
.png)
Images from our pitch deck (full deck available upon request!)
The film’s visual world shifts between tight control and quiet isolation. In the kitchen, clean whites and baby blues glow under sharp, industrial light that’s almost surgical in its order. Every plate is polished, gleaming, a little too perfect, as if perfection itself might crack under the weight of it. Then we move to the locker room and bathroom, which are dark and lonely. The contrast between these spaces shapes Mia’s world: in the kitchen, she maintains spotless perfection for everyone to see, and alone in the locker room and bathroom, the eating disorder reveals itself in all its ugly reality.
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The film stars Oona Laurence (Pete’s Dragon, Southpaw, Bad Moms, The Beguiled,
Big Time Adolescence, “Matilda” on Broadway) in the role of Mia, and Nyah Juliano
(Hawaii Five-0, Reeling, Mo’o!) as Grace.
.png)
Hannah Sperling (Writer & Director), Alex Lycette (Producer), Chloe Rahal (Producer)
Fiona Hardingham (Producer), Carley Lovito (Producer), Chris Noviello (Producer)
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We’re raising $39,500 in 60 days — the minimum we need for the creation of CAT and all necessary visual effects, ensuring the film is completed at the highest quality and can reach audiences far and wide.
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (directed by Tobe Hooper, DP: Daniel Pearl)
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Behind-the-scenes images of "Cat" provided by Artery. Conceptual Art created by Zev Marinoff.
PREVIOUS WORK FROM THE TEAM: Meek (Directed by Hannah Sperling, DP: Riede Dervay)
Hannah Sperling’s last short film, Meek (pictured above), follows a teenage girl before and after she experiences sexual assault. It premiered at the Montclair Film Festival in 2024 and was featured in Variety, Gold Derby, and Yahoo Entertainment. The film also screened at NFFTY and was a semifinalist at the New York Indie Shorts Awards. Her next film is bigger and bolder.
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: Chef’s Table, Season 1
Here are three ways you can help support our film:
You can PLEDGE a donation to our project to help us finish the edit and bring the film to the world in 2026. Any amount helps!
SHARE our campaign page with 3 friends who you think might be interested in learning more.
Click the blue "FOLLOW" button at the top of our crowdfunding page – totally free!
.png)
.png)
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: Burn After Reading (directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, DP: Emmanuel Lubezki)
This project is a standalone proof of concept for a larger feature film, designed to capture the reality of eating disorders in a way that feels raw and honest.
I want this film to be something in which everyone who has struggled with an eating disorder can see themselves - a story that makes them feel truly understood.
For those who do not know what it’s like, it should offer a glimpse into the mindset, the obsession, and the physical toll. The eating disorder itself takes shape as a caterpillar, constantly feeding on fears and self-doubt, in contrast to the butterfly, symbolizing recovery.
This film isn’t just about the disorder; it’s about what it does to a person and the ripple effect it has on friends and family who struggle to understand and help. My goal is to make something real, something that resonates, and ultimately use this as a stepping stone toward a full-length feature that reaches even more people.
Thank you for taking the time to read about our project. We're so grateful for the time, attention, and love.
xo,
Hannah Sperling
Writer/ Director of Peach Fuzz
We have partnered with NEDA and ANAD to ensure Peach Fuzz is presented with the utmost care for those who have struggled with, or are currently struggling with, eating disorders. If you need support, please call:
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
Free Hotline: 1-866-662-1235
Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders (ANAD)
Free Hotline: 1-888-375-7767
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Storyboard Creation
Costs $1,000
We need to plan out every shot of the film so the story flows and nothing gets missed!
Board-A-Matic
Costs $1,200
Animating the storyboards, with an editor, roughly to test timing, plan VFX, and pacing before production.
Facial Capture Test
Costs $600
We’re testing how actors’ expressions will translate to Cat so it feels realistic.
Cat Creature Development
Costs $3,900
Designing the Cat character with all his details so it’s ready for animation.
Pre-Visualization of VFX
Costs $1,800
Testing visual effects in scenes so we know exactly how the final shots will look before we film.
On-Set Supervision
Costs $3,500
Having a VFX team on set to supervise and capture the data needed to create the Cat perfectly.
Post-Visualization
Costs $3,250
While editing is taking place, the vfx team is sharing work in progress shots for editor and director to review and use as placeholders.
Facial Capture
Costs $1,200
Recording detailed facial expressions of the actor who is portraying Cat.
Pre-Visualization of Cat
Costs $2,000
Placing Cat in scenes early to see how it moves and interacts.
Cat VFX Scenes
Costs $12,500
Help us make Cat be a real character within the film in its entirety!
VFX Scenes
Costs $6,700
Help us complete key VFX sequences beyond the Cat and finish the remaining effects to bring the film’s full look to life!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Hannah Sperling
Writer & Director
Hannah Sperling is a senior at NYU, studying Film and TV. Growing up in Los Angeles, she fell in love with filmmaking through the chaotic, low-budget videos she made with her younger siblings. As she grew older, she became increasingly conscious of the pressures girls face regarding their bodies and sexuality - an awareness that continues to shape her storytelling. Hannah has worked across the industry, with experience at NEON, Saturday Night Live, Bleecker Street, Peacock, Maven Screen Media, and American High. She spent last year abroad, studying at both the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the National Film and Television School in London, further honing her voice as a filmmaker. Her most recent short, Meek, premiered at the Montclair Film Festival and was featured in Variety, Gold Derby, and Yahoo Entertainment. She is passionate about telling women’s stories with honesty, intensity, and care, and is building a team that shares that vision through Peach Fuzz.
Chloe Rahal
Producer
Chloe Rahal is a Bulgarian-American producer and actor, and a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Growing up on film sets in Bulgaria, she began acting in feature films as a child, gaining an early education in production by watching filmmakers at work. She later transitioned to producing, co-founding Gilbara Entertainment and working on numerous independent short films and music videos in New York City. Most recently, she was part of the producing team behind Bunnylovr—written and directed by Katarina Zhu and co-starring Rachel Sennott—which premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. She is also producing the feature film ANIMA, directed by Brian Tetsuro Ivie, and currently works as part of the film unit production team at Saturday Night Live.
Alex Lycette
Producer
Alex Lycette is a Pennsylvania-born producer and graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He began making films with his younger brother and spent winters working as a ski instructor– but he cut his teeth producing on the scripted development team at Riverside Entertainment and in production on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In 2024 he co-founded Gilbara Entertainment with Chloe Rahal, producing music videos for artists like Alana Markel, Leah Kate, and Jillian Rossi. He recently served as associate producer on Brian Tetsuro Ivie’s feature documentary Serenity, set to premiere later this year, and is currently producing Ivie’s debut narrative feature ANIMA. He is passionate about supporting bold, emotionally driven projects and building creative environments where vulnerable stories can thrive. His being part of the team bringing Peach Fuzz to life is a dream come true.
Fiona Hardingham
Producer
Fiona Hardingham’s mission is to create powerful, emotive stories to promote empathy and drive social change. She produced documentary series GO GENTLY with Emmy-nominated Dash Pictures, hosted by climate activists Bonnie Wright (Harry Potter) and Pattie Gonia. Was the 2nd Unit Production Manager for Netflix's QUEEN CHARLOTTE: A BRIDGERTON STORY and Series Associate Producer on the IDA-nominated MY LOVE: SIX STORIES OF TRUE LOVE for Netflix, highlighted as one of IndieWire's ‘Best of 2021’. A 2023 Film Independent Producing Lab Fellow and recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Producer Grant, Fiona recently produced FIRELINE for Indeed’s Rising Voices 2024. Supported by Hillman Grad and 271 Films, the film premiered at Tribeca 2024 and will be released on HULU. As a 2021 Project Involve Fellow, she produced award-winning shorts: THE MASON RING, which won HBO Max's ‘Best Short Film’ at the MVAAFF, and ALL I EVER WANTED, winner of ‘Best Comedy’ at HollyShorts.
Carley Lovito
Producer
Carley Lovito is a writer, director, producer and recent graduate from NYU’s Tisch School of Drama, recently making her debut as a filmmaker across major festivals worldwide with the award winning poetic short film “Everything I Never Told You”. Carley’s work focuses on cultivating creative community and uplifting female voices while making space for representation in under-presented storylines that drive pivotal, queer and female focused narratives. Carley is currently the lead producer and creative director of the world premiere of Clifford Odets’ “The Nursery”. She is also in development for “Cant’ You See I’m Trying” and “LIVING”, coming in 2026.
Christopher Noviello
Producer
Christopher Noviello is an accomplished producer and post supervisor. He has been involved in a combined total of 947 music videos & commercials, & many short and long form projects in multiple roles and hats. He has covered everything from inventing a non-existing camera & sound device for a Green Day music video to a three-day 23 camera shoot to taking over a small village with a population of 612 in England for 5 weeks for a documentary project. Broad experience, roll up your sleeves & get crackin’ mantra combined with the concept of "producing from post” has allowed him to continue to create high-quality content. He currently has multiple documentary & narrative films in development, several documentary projects in production & a short film he will not let anyone see a rough cut of. He is a PGA and Television Academy Member. Partial Film Credits include: How To Die In Oregon (Sundance Winner), Long Live Benjamin (Emmy Winner), Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé, Boys State (Sundance & Emmy Winner), Time (Oscar Nominated), Operation Varsity Blues, A Man Named Scott, Val, Audible (Oscar Nominated), Fairyland & Resynator (SXSW Audience Award Winner).
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: Vogue’s What’s Changing About Fashion’s Relationship to the Body? (directed by Camille Summers-Valli, DP: Maximilian Pittner)
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: The Bear, S2, EP7 (2023)
On her 21st birthday, Mia is drowning under the pressure of her final week in culinary school, tasked with one of the most demanding recipes of her class. But the real battle isn’t in the kitchen - it’s in her mind. Her eating disorder takes shape as Cat, a cunning and relentless caterpillar only she can see, twisting her thoughts and warping her reality.
As the day unfolds, exhaustion and self-doubt cloud her focus, and Cat’s grip tightens, pushing Mia toward a breaking point she can’t escape.
Conceptual Image of Cat provided by Artery.
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp, DP: Bianca Cline, Eric Adkins)
At the center of Peach Fuzz is a question: What happens when an illness takes the form of something deceptively harmless? Through the eyes of Mia, a 21-year-old culinary student battling an eating disorder embodied by a fuzzy green caterpillar named Cat, the film examines how something small can carry a disturbing weight. As Cat’s influence grows, Mia’s grip on reality begins to slip, blurring the line between the physical and the psychological. This is a story about the insidious nature of mental illness, how it can charm, manipulate, and consume from the inside out.
In a world that still misunderstands eating disorders, Peach Fuzz asks: How do you fight a monster that lives in your mind?
Images from our pitch deck (full deck available upon request!)
The film’s visual world shifts between tight control and quiet isolation. In the kitchen, clean whites and baby blues glow under sharp, industrial light that’s almost surgical in its order. Every plate is polished, gleaming, a little too perfect, as if perfection itself might crack under the weight of it. Then we move to the locker room and bathroom, which are dark and lonely. The contrast between these spaces shapes Mia’s world: in the kitchen, she maintains spotless perfection for everyone to see, and alone in the locker room and bathroom, the eating disorder reveals itself in all its ugly reality.
The film stars Oona Laurence (Pete’s Dragon, Southpaw, Bad Moms, The Beguiled,
Big Time Adolescence, “Matilda” on Broadway) in the role of Mia, and Nyah Juliano
(Hawaii Five-0, Reeling, Mo’o!) as Grace.
Hannah Sperling (Writer & Director), Alex Lycette (Producer), Chloe Rahal (Producer)
Fiona Hardingham (Producer), Carley Lovito (Producer), Chris Noviello (Producer)
We’re raising $39,500 in 60 days — the minimum we need for the creation of CAT and all necessary visual effects, ensuring the film is completed at the highest quality and can reach audiences far and wide.
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (directed by Tobe Hooper, DP: Daniel Pearl)
Behind-the-scenes images of "Cat" provided by Artery. Conceptual Art created by Zev Marinoff.
PREVIOUS WORK FROM THE TEAM: Meek (Directed by Hannah Sperling, DP: Riede Dervay)
Hannah Sperling’s last short film, Meek (pictured above), follows a teenage girl before and after she experiences sexual assault. It premiered at the Montclair Film Festival in 2024 and was featured in Variety, Gold Derby, and Yahoo Entertainment. The film also screened at NFFTY and was a semifinalist at the New York Indie Shorts Awards. Her next film is bigger and bolder.
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: Chef’s Table, Season 1
Here are three ways you can help support our film:
You can PLEDGE a donation to our project to help us finish the edit and bring the film to the world in 2026. Any amount helps!
SHARE our campaign page with 3 friends who you think might be interested in learning more.
Click the blue "FOLLOW" button at the top of our crowdfunding page – totally free!
Visual Inspiration / Comp for the film: Burn After Reading (directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, DP: Emmanuel Lubezki)
This project is a standalone proof of concept for a larger feature film, designed to capture the reality of eating disorders in a way that feels raw and honest.
I want this film to be something in which everyone who has struggled with an eating disorder can see themselves - a story that makes them feel truly understood.
For those who do not know what it’s like, it should offer a glimpse into the mindset, the obsession, and the physical toll. The eating disorder itself takes shape as a caterpillar, constantly feeding on fears and self-doubt, in contrast to the butterfly, symbolizing recovery.
This film isn’t just about the disorder; it’s about what it does to a person and the ripple effect it has on friends and family who struggle to understand and help. My goal is to make something real, something that resonates, and ultimately use this as a stepping stone toward a full-length feature that reaches even more people.
Thank you for taking the time to read about our project. We're so grateful for the time, attention, and love.
xo,
Hannah Sperling
Writer/ Director of Peach Fuzz
We have partnered with NEDA and ANAD to ensure Peach Fuzz is presented with the utmost care for those who have struggled with, or are currently struggling with, eating disorders. If you need support, please call:
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
Free Hotline: 1-866-662-1235
Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders (ANAD)
Free Hotline: 1-888-375-7767
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Storyboard Creation
Costs $1,000
We need to plan out every shot of the film so the story flows and nothing gets missed!
Board-A-Matic
Costs $1,200
Animating the storyboards, with an editor, roughly to test timing, plan VFX, and pacing before production.
Facial Capture Test
Costs $600
We’re testing how actors’ expressions will translate to Cat so it feels realistic.
Cat Creature Development
Costs $3,900
Designing the Cat character with all his details so it’s ready for animation.
Pre-Visualization of VFX
Costs $1,800
Testing visual effects in scenes so we know exactly how the final shots will look before we film.
On-Set Supervision
Costs $3,500
Having a VFX team on set to supervise and capture the data needed to create the Cat perfectly.
Post-Visualization
Costs $3,250
While editing is taking place, the vfx team is sharing work in progress shots for editor and director to review and use as placeholders.
Facial Capture
Costs $1,200
Recording detailed facial expressions of the actor who is portraying Cat.
Pre-Visualization of Cat
Costs $2,000
Placing Cat in scenes early to see how it moves and interacts.
Cat VFX Scenes
Costs $12,500
Help us make Cat be a real character within the film in its entirety!
VFX Scenes
Costs $6,700
Help us complete key VFX sequences beyond the Cat and finish the remaining effects to bring the film’s full look to life!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Hannah Sperling
Writer & Director
Hannah Sperling is a senior at NYU, studying Film and TV. Growing up in Los Angeles, she fell in love with filmmaking through the chaotic, low-budget videos she made with her younger siblings. As she grew older, she became increasingly conscious of the pressures girls face regarding their bodies and sexuality - an awareness that continues to shape her storytelling. Hannah has worked across the industry, with experience at NEON, Saturday Night Live, Bleecker Street, Peacock, Maven Screen Media, and American High. She spent last year abroad, studying at both the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the National Film and Television School in London, further honing her voice as a filmmaker. Her most recent short, Meek, premiered at the Montclair Film Festival and was featured in Variety, Gold Derby, and Yahoo Entertainment. She is passionate about telling women’s stories with honesty, intensity, and care, and is building a team that shares that vision through Peach Fuzz.
Chloe Rahal
Producer
Chloe Rahal is a Bulgarian-American producer and actor, and a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Growing up on film sets in Bulgaria, she began acting in feature films as a child, gaining an early education in production by watching filmmakers at work. She later transitioned to producing, co-founding Gilbara Entertainment and working on numerous independent short films and music videos in New York City. Most recently, she was part of the producing team behind Bunnylovr—written and directed by Katarina Zhu and co-starring Rachel Sennott—which premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. She is also producing the feature film ANIMA, directed by Brian Tetsuro Ivie, and currently works as part of the film unit production team at Saturday Night Live.
Alex Lycette
Producer
Alex Lycette is a Pennsylvania-born producer and graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He began making films with his younger brother and spent winters working as a ski instructor– but he cut his teeth producing on the scripted development team at Riverside Entertainment and in production on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In 2024 he co-founded Gilbara Entertainment with Chloe Rahal, producing music videos for artists like Alana Markel, Leah Kate, and Jillian Rossi. He recently served as associate producer on Brian Tetsuro Ivie’s feature documentary Serenity, set to premiere later this year, and is currently producing Ivie’s debut narrative feature ANIMA. He is passionate about supporting bold, emotionally driven projects and building creative environments where vulnerable stories can thrive. His being part of the team bringing Peach Fuzz to life is a dream come true.
Fiona Hardingham
Producer
Fiona Hardingham’s mission is to create powerful, emotive stories to promote empathy and drive social change. She produced documentary series GO GENTLY with Emmy-nominated Dash Pictures, hosted by climate activists Bonnie Wright (Harry Potter) and Pattie Gonia. Was the 2nd Unit Production Manager for Netflix's QUEEN CHARLOTTE: A BRIDGERTON STORY and Series Associate Producer on the IDA-nominated MY LOVE: SIX STORIES OF TRUE LOVE for Netflix, highlighted as one of IndieWire's ‘Best of 2021’. A 2023 Film Independent Producing Lab Fellow and recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Producer Grant, Fiona recently produced FIRELINE for Indeed’s Rising Voices 2024. Supported by Hillman Grad and 271 Films, the film premiered at Tribeca 2024 and will be released on HULU. As a 2021 Project Involve Fellow, she produced award-winning shorts: THE MASON RING, which won HBO Max's ‘Best Short Film’ at the MVAAFF, and ALL I EVER WANTED, winner of ‘Best Comedy’ at HollyShorts.
Carley Lovito
Producer
Carley Lovito is a writer, director, producer and recent graduate from NYU’s Tisch School of Drama, recently making her debut as a filmmaker across major festivals worldwide with the award winning poetic short film “Everything I Never Told You”. Carley’s work focuses on cultivating creative community and uplifting female voices while making space for representation in under-presented storylines that drive pivotal, queer and female focused narratives. Carley is currently the lead producer and creative director of the world premiere of Clifford Odets’ “The Nursery”. She is also in development for “Cant’ You See I’m Trying” and “LIVING”, coming in 2026.
Christopher Noviello
Producer
Christopher Noviello is an accomplished producer and post supervisor. He has been involved in a combined total of 947 music videos & commercials, & many short and long form projects in multiple roles and hats. He has covered everything from inventing a non-existing camera & sound device for a Green Day music video to a three-day 23 camera shoot to taking over a small village with a population of 612 in England for 5 weeks for a documentary project. Broad experience, roll up your sleeves & get crackin’ mantra combined with the concept of "producing from post” has allowed him to continue to create high-quality content. He currently has multiple documentary & narrative films in development, several documentary projects in production & a short film he will not let anyone see a rough cut of. He is a PGA and Television Academy Member. Partial Film Credits include: How To Die In Oregon (Sundance Winner), Long Live Benjamin (Emmy Winner), Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé, Boys State (Sundance & Emmy Winner), Time (Oscar Nominated), Operation Varsity Blues, A Man Named Scott, Val, Audible (Oscar Nominated), Fairyland & Resynator (SXSW Audience Award Winner).