EVAN (22, he/him) is young, hungry, and fresh out of college with a degree in communications. He begins managing social media for a failing gay bar in his neighborhood on the eastside of LA. Here he meets BUSTER (45, he/him), an older gay man native to this area of town. Buster is jaded by the constant gentrification of his neighborhood, specifically the brand new high rise apartment built across the street from his bar.

On his way back to his car after work one night, Evan witnesses DAPHNE (30, she/her), a transwoman who is being harassed by a white kid BRANDON (25, he/him), outside of the new high rise apartment building. Evan watches the harassment unfold from the comfort of his car on the other side of the street, and feels indecisive on whether he should get involved. 

Evan’s indecisiveness manifests in three scenarios that take place inside of his head, each one demonstrating what it might look like if he got involved. At the end of the three visions, Evan is left with a decision that could result in life-or-death for Daphne's character. 

Hey there, this is Ethan, from that video up there! You're probably wondering why I'm making this film and why now. A) LGBTQ+ and people of color are being murdered at disproportionate rates, and B) we need to hold each other accountable for our role in these hate crimes. 

When Black Lives Matter had lost momentum on social media and posts to educate and rally had almost vanished from my feed, I became interested in what motivated me to participate in this movement in the first place. What I found about myself is I do have a genuine passion for human rights, but I also have a tendency to people-please, especially on social media. 

I began to see a similar pattern in other people. One video I remember vividly is the video of three black trans women being attacked on Hollywood Blvd. Nobody stepped up to potentially save their lives, but everybody walked away with a video that would receive millions of reactions. I’m still left with the question: what percent of this movement was propelled by a national surge for social justice, and what percent was the result of a cultural war between appearance and apathy?

Through the character of Evan, I wanted to implore this question deeper. As a young queer liberal fresh out of college, Evan thinks he knows it all: the trendy neighborhood he calls home exists on the backbone of people like his client Buster, and the injustice against trans women that he posts about online happens right in front of his eyes. 

I see this world through blue, purple, pink shades of neon, which calls upon the viewer to pay attention and echoes the transgender flag. I intend to shoot cinema verité-style, holding the camera right behind Evan’s shoulder to give the audience the feeling they’re right there with him. 

Read press release here

This is not my first rodeo as a director. I have directed two feature films and dozens of shorts and new media. I have spent the last two years working in Los Angeles as a producer and assistant director, studying under various other directors and producers, and broadening my creative voice in the process. My mission is to direct films that reflect the changes I wish to see in the world, starting with this film about how we can be better advocates for each other, specifically in the LGBTQ community. 

Meet our DP, Mariscela Méndez

Click to view reel. Mariscela Beatríz Méndez is a Director of Photograhy from San Antonio, Texas. She has worked with numerous clients including Vanity Fair, Google, Slamdance, The Clorox Company, and TVOne. Mariscela was recently selected to participate in the Women in Film INSIGHT Program as well as The American Society of Cinematographer’s Vision Mentor Program. Ms. Méndez is based in Los Angeles but works throughout the US. 

To keep our set safe, our crew will be required to test 72 hours prior and quarantine during the three days preceding the shoot. On-set, we will enforce social distancing as much as possible and crew will be required to wear KN95 masks and sanitize frequently. We have already hired a Covid Compliance Officer who will oversee these safety rules. Additionally, most of our team has already been vaccinated, and we will encourage our oncoming team to seek out the vaccination prior to shooting. Regardless, Covid safety rules will still be enforced. 

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