Pichi
Miami, Florida | Film Short
Drama, Comedy
After finding her old BlackBerry phone in Miami, Venezuelan Valeska is reminded of her first love and calls her best friend Pichi to relive the past—unaware she’s reaching her as political unrest erupts back home. Pichi shows the world what it means to love a country that is no longer what it was!
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$2,500
Goal: $2,500 for festivals
After finding her old BlackBerry phone in Miami, Venezuelan Valeska is reminded of her first love and calls her best friend Pichi to relive the past—unaware she’s reaching her as political unrest erupts back home. Pichi shows the world what it means to love a country that is no longer what it was!
Participating In
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
PICHI IS FOR THE ONES WHO LEAVE AND FOR THE ONES WHO STAY / PARA LOS QUE SE QUEDAN Y PARA LOS QUE SE VAN
BTS from the set of the fake protest against the theft of the elections in Venezuela of 2024
Being forced to leave everything and everyone I knew in Venezuela at 15, blurred the way I loved, especially those I had to leave behind. It opened doors I would have never thought possible for myself, but it also turned everything that shaped me into my past, fragmenting my memory. Moments before Maduro stole the elections in 2024, all Venezuelans around the world had hope, and quickly, it was all taken away.
As a Film student back at Yale University and a Venezuelan in the diaspora, I knew I had to do something. And, while my country was falling apart, I reconnected with my first childhood love only to get my heart broken... again. So, I called my best friend to tell her about it back home.
THIS TURNED INTO PICHI:
Valeska finding her old BlackBerry phone in her Miami home
Valeska, a 22-year-old Venezuelan immigrant now living in Miami, was finishing packing to move to California for a film internship and to start directing her own movies, when she suddenly found her old BlackBerry. This reminded her of her first love, back in Venezuela, so she decides to call her best friend and tell her the story for the first time.
Pichi, still back in Venezuela, reacts to her story with sarcasm and shock (typical Venezuelan bullying!) as she goes through the chaos that is Venezuela after Maduro stole the elections.
WHY THIS STORY?
For many Venezuelans and immigrants, like me, our stories are fragmented. Even our love stories. So, we tend to be attached to the concept of people, how it used to be, or what it never was.
Making Pichi is my small contribution to show the world what it means to love a country that is no longer what it once was. Many documentaries have been done about the situation of my country and what it means to leave your country behind, but we're not numbers or interviewees.
We get our hearts broken but we don't get to cry to our friends in person. We do it through WhatsApp calls instead.
This is a dramatic comedy told with our Venezuelan slang reflecting our real struggles.
THE PROCESS
The director, Nicole Viloria, with all of the Venezuelan cast!
This is a fully Venezuelan movie that has taken us almost TWO YEARS to bring into the world! Pichi was filmed and now it is ALMOST at the finish line! We're STUCK in post-production and NEED YOUR HELP to bring the movie to the world so everyone knows what it's really like to be an immigrant who can't go back!
The director on set with Adult Valeska and Little Valeska!
WHERE DO WE NEED HELP?
To finish the film and get it to film festivals so everyone can know THE TRUTH, we need the following:
$750 → licensing of an original song by Venezuelan Joaquina, which is already in conversation with the labels! We just need this so we can elevate the film's message!
$1,000 → Film festival fees to make sure it gets in everywhere it has to across 20+ worldwide film festivals
$450 → Professional stereo and surround sound mixes for theater screenings!
$300 → Owed invoices for the production crew who supported us!
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From when we wrapped Day 2 with all the cast and crew!
This short film will touch my fellow young Venezuelan immigrants who had to leave their home, their friends, and EVEN old crushes to start a new life in a new country.
Please help us bring PICHI into the world! Any donation matters!!!! ALSO, PLEASE SHARE SHARE SHARE!
FOLLOW: @nicolestragicfilms for updates on the film!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Festival Funds
Costs $1,000
In order to reach as many people as we can, we must submit to film festivals so the world can watch Pichi!
Licensing of an original Venezuelan song
Costs $750
Joaquina's song is already in conversation with the labels to license it and elevate the short film's message!
Professional stereo and surround sound mixes for theater screenings
Costs $450
This will elevate the short film's sound quality so our message lands into film festivals worldwide!
Owed invoices for the production crew
Costs $300
We still have some owed invoices for our team who gave it their own to make this special film!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
We’re happy that most of our main crew is Latino and understand the meaning behind a story like Pichi! All of us being Miami-based means we understand the immigrant experience and telling this story and getting it to reach as many people as possible means the world to us!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
PICHI IS FOR THE ONES WHO LEAVE AND FOR THE ONES WHO STAY / PARA LOS QUE SE QUEDAN Y PARA LOS QUE SE VAN
BTS from the set of the fake protest against the theft of the elections in Venezuela of 2024
Being forced to leave everything and everyone I knew in Venezuela at 15, blurred the way I loved, especially those I had to leave behind. It opened doors I would have never thought possible for myself, but it also turned everything that shaped me into my past, fragmenting my memory. Moments before Maduro stole the elections in 2024, all Venezuelans around the world had hope, and quickly, it was all taken away.
As a Film student back at Yale University and a Venezuelan in the diaspora, I knew I had to do something. And, while my country was falling apart, I reconnected with my first childhood love only to get my heart broken... again. So, I called my best friend to tell her about it back home.
THIS TURNED INTO PICHI:
Valeska finding her old BlackBerry phone in her Miami home
Valeska, a 22-year-old Venezuelan immigrant now living in Miami, was finishing packing to move to California for a film internship and to start directing her own movies, when she suddenly found her old BlackBerry. This reminded her of her first love, back in Venezuela, so she decides to call her best friend and tell her the story for the first time.
Pichi, still back in Venezuela, reacts to her story with sarcasm and shock (typical Venezuelan bullying!) as she goes through the chaos that is Venezuela after Maduro stole the elections.
WHY THIS STORY?
For many Venezuelans and immigrants, like me, our stories are fragmented. Even our love stories. So, we tend to be attached to the concept of people, how it used to be, or what it never was.
Making Pichi is my small contribution to show the world what it means to love a country that is no longer what it once was. Many documentaries have been done about the situation of my country and what it means to leave your country behind, but we're not numbers or interviewees.
We get our hearts broken but we don't get to cry to our friends in person. We do it through WhatsApp calls instead.
This is a dramatic comedy told with our Venezuelan slang reflecting our real struggles.
THE PROCESS
The director, Nicole Viloria, with all of the Venezuelan cast!
This is a fully Venezuelan movie that has taken us almost TWO YEARS to bring into the world! Pichi was filmed and now it is ALMOST at the finish line! We're STUCK in post-production and NEED YOUR HELP to bring the movie to the world so everyone knows what it's really like to be an immigrant who can't go back!
The director on set with Adult Valeska and Little Valeska!
WHERE DO WE NEED HELP?
To finish the film and get it to film festivals so everyone can know THE TRUTH, we need the following:
$750 → licensing of an original song by Venezuelan Joaquina, which is already in conversation with the labels! We just need this so we can elevate the film's message!
$1,000 → Film festival fees to make sure it gets in everywhere it has to across 20+ worldwide film festivals
$450 → Professional stereo and surround sound mixes for theater screenings!
$300 → Owed invoices for the production crew who supported us!
From when we wrapped Day 2 with all the cast and crew!
This short film will touch my fellow young Venezuelan immigrants who had to leave their home, their friends, and EVEN old crushes to start a new life in a new country.
Please help us bring PICHI into the world! Any donation matters!!!! ALSO, PLEASE SHARE SHARE SHARE!
FOLLOW: @nicolestragicfilms for updates on the film!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Festival Funds
Costs $1,000
In order to reach as many people as we can, we must submit to film festivals so the world can watch Pichi!
Licensing of an original Venezuelan song
Costs $750
Joaquina's song is already in conversation with the labels to license it and elevate the short film's message!
Professional stereo and surround sound mixes for theater screenings
Costs $450
This will elevate the short film's sound quality so our message lands into film festivals worldwide!
Owed invoices for the production crew
Costs $300
We still have some owed invoices for our team who gave it their own to make this special film!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
We’re happy that most of our main crew is Latino and understand the meaning behind a story like Pichi! All of us being Miami-based means we understand the immigrant experience and telling this story and getting it to reach as many people as possible means the world to us!