The STORY

A son the day before his prom struggling to find the right time to tell his "man's man" of a father he is gay. A father struggling to tell his son that his mother is dying of Sickle Cell Anemia. Is the son strong enough to accept his mother's sickness? Does a man who is stereotypically considered very "masculine" mean that he won't be accepting of his son's sexuality? 

The CONTEXT

Being a Latinx actor with over 200 tattoos, you can imagine the type of roles I go out for: thug, hitman, gang member, bouncer…the list goes on. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining - I’m grateful to be working. But these roles, although fun to play, don’t capture all that I am. With that said, this is dedicated to the hundreds of BIPOC tattooed people whose images have been painted with a broad stroke in the media, in society, in many of our minds. We are multifaceted, creative, educated, kind, compassionate, loving and accepting human beings. We are brothers and sisters, parents, and grandparents. We are professors and veterans. We are firefighters, paramedics, doctors and healers.

We are all colorful. 

WRITER'S NOTE

I think so often, even within our own families, we assume that because someone is tough or stereotypically "masculine" that they wouldn't be accepting. In this film, we display Chris, a teenager learning to embrace his sexuality. He struggles with revealing this to his father, Javier, a tough, machismo-appearing, heavily-tattooed man would not be accepting of who his son chooses to love. As I see it, however, a father's love for his son outweighs any misconceptions he has of him. 

This is a story of LOVE, COMPASSION and ACCEPTANCE.

I know what the opposite of love feels like, I know what not being accepted feels like, I know what being judged feels like. 

Let's be honest: if I didn't tell you I wrote this film, If I didn't show my face, If I picked another actor to play the role of Javier how shocked would you be when they introduced me after the premiere? What would be the whispers in the audience? I'm not saying I wouldn't be accepted because I know that's not the case. our initial thought would probably be "holy crap, he wrote this film?"

For this reason, I have to be the one to tell this story! Because it is unexpected. It's not the NORM and I aim to shift this perspective. 

The PRODUCTION

BUDGET + TIMELINE

Rainbow Sun is currently in the pre-production phase, with shooting dates set for this December. Our production team has been working diligently to nail down our budget, talented cast, and compelling visual elements for 3 days of filming. Our campaign will run for 30 days. With your help, we can raise $15,000 to invest in:

• Production team
• Cast (3)
• Makeup artist
• Sound + lighting equipment
• Location fees
• Props + wardrobe
• COVID safety officer 
• Food for our hardworking team
• Editor + post-production costs

Our Stretch Goal:

If we are able to raise more than $15,000, we can submit to film festivals, screenings and pay for distribution costs.

COVID-19 STATEMENT:

As COVID-19 is still an active threat to health and safety, our team will practice social distancing, conduct COVID testing, and have a certified COVID officer on set to keep our cast and crew safe at all times.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT!

Sign up for updates so we can keep you informed about the film along the way. You can also follow us on Instagram @rainbowsunthemovie to be kept in the loop and to share our campaign.

My hope is that after seeing this film, the next time you see a black woman or a member of the LGBTQIA+ community or a heavily-tattooed latinx person like me, maybe you see them in a different light than you ever have and you interact with them with a little more compassion. The themes in this film are universal, with a message that deserves to be widely shared. With your support, we can create a compelling story that we hope will enrich the lives of all who watch.

With love and gratitude,

Carlos Aviles & Cast and Crew of Rainbow Sun