Stuck follows a Palestinian woman who has been stuck in avoidance and anxiety her whole life, never fully breaking through. Her father and family are all famous activists and Dana finds herself at the opposite side of the spectrum, avoidant and anxious. Until one day in October comes around and changes her life forever.

We go through a day in her life, October 7th to be exact. We see her interactions with the rich characters in her life who aren't stuck. We see what it is like to be a Palestinian-American Woman on that day that will live in history.  All culminating in an activist rally, where she has to make the choice to speak up or continue to stay silent. When lives are on the line, will she find the courage to speak up when it means the most?

Story Inspiration:

Stuck is a dark comedy. Its inspiration comes from a lot of different brilliant minds, but mostly it's a healthy blender of the cultural vibe of Ramy, the humor of PEN15 and the identity/love crisis of Master of None ...with a side of anxiety a la Barry.

Tone Inspirations:

Since this pilot is set in Chicago and has a longer scene set in a bar, one of my tonal inspirations is The Bear (see below). Chicago will be another unspoken character in the Pilot (and hopefully the series) so it follows the same blueprint The Bear follows injecting different locations as an interlude between scenes. The pilot will also touch on being on stage (A Star is Born) and will have multiple flashbacks which cinematically are close to Sex Education and Stranger Things. All of these tonal inspirations combined will effectively tell the story and create a new and refreshing exploration for this show.

Character Inspirations:

Most famous activist characters are set in the Science Fiction world (see below). Don't get me wrong, I love these stories. But part of why I wanted to create this was to show that activists are just people. I wanted to remove the glitz and glamour, the bombastic soundtrack and remind the everyday person what they are capable of. Stuck takes a person who hasn't made the leap into the nitty gritty of what it means to be an activist. This story takes Dana and her audience through that. I wanted to tell a story that was reminiscent of these characters but invoked a sense of reality and made it tangible for viewer.

Themes/Human Experiences:

Avoidance

Anxiety

Activism

Love as a distraction

Immigration

First Generation Experience

Childhood

Feeling Stuck

Identity

And so much more...

Why This Story?

This story was born in 2016. I was inspired to get to know my roots and starting writing letters to my ailing father (back then, recently diagnosed with Parkinson's). It started as an exploration of identity and a deep dive into the similarities and differences between being an immigrant and being a first generation kid.

But as time passed and the world shifted, it became about so much more. I realized in the history of famous cinematography, there really wasn't a character driven story about activists besides true stories or science fiction based films. There certainly weren't any tv shows. I wanted to show a character go through the transition of being debilitated to being a leader, and all of the real life baggage that comes with that. I wanted to show that activists really are just people who care more about the world than themselves. I didn't want to just portray the activist as a loud mouthed side kick, or a person from a distant galaxy...but rather just a person who puts love first. As James Baldwin says, "Love has never been a popular movement. The world is held together, it really is, held together by the love and passion of a very few people". My quest for this project is to show those very few people who make the world go round.

Why Now?

Over the last nine months, I have witnessed the entire world have to confront themselves. They had to look in the mirror and make the decision: Do I say something about the horror I am witnessing, or do I stay silent?

I realized I had to make this now because I was witnessing the effects of what happens when the world stays silent. I wanted to accomplish what my heroes have accomplished before me, and hold up a mirror to humanity. I wanted to take the hand of every viewer and show them the absolute potential they have to change the world if they just got past their own baggage.

The dehumanization campaign against arabs, muslims and palestinians is at an all time high. There is never a more important time to tell our stories, and to remind everyone we are still human just like you. That we all feel and hurt and avoid and weep. And that sometimes, we are all stuck.

Why Me?

I have always thought I saw the world in a way that very few did. I think I can tell stories in a really unique way that incorporates the journey of the human spirit. Most of all, I think stories can change the world. I dedicated my life as an actor to telling other people's stories...it's time I tell my own.

To find out more about me, check my site out: Danasalehomar.com

Who is this for?:

First and foremost, this story is made for Palestine. It is also meant for first generation children, their immigrant parents, people who struggle with anxiety and depression, those who hide, those who avoid, and all those who feel stuck.

Bigger Plans:

I am uniquely positioned in that I have connected with a lot of people in my industry and outside of it as well. I am actor and musician, but I am also someone who is heavily connected to her community. I plan on reaching out to activist groups like USPCN and Good Kids Maad City in distributing the pilot as a teaching tool for anyone who feels scared to be an activist. The overall arching goal is to connect to all activist groups across the nation (and even the world). I want this to be an artistic endeavor but I also see it as a great way to invite folks into caring for their community as a life long committment.

The overarching goal is to shoot a season of this (or two!). I hope to spread the word through a grassroots campaign, applying for grants and festivals to gain momentum and continue telling this story past the pilot. I have so much to give and would dedicate my life to this project.

Updates:

I have plans to engage community worldwide, to distribute and loop in activists on the ground and more exciting announcements as they unfold. Thank you for checking us out!

More updates soon...