The Doukhobor
Vancouver, Canada | Film Short
Drama, Horror
A horror allegory following Violet, a teenage girl who has returned home after being held captive for years by a monster in the woods. Inspired by personal experiences of 1950s Canadian history, when the government interned over 200 Freedomite Doukhobor children in a residential school.
The Doukhobor
Vancouver, Canada | Film Short
Drama, Horror
1 Campaigns | British Columbia, Canada
Green Light
This campaign raised C$12,315 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
87 supporters | followers
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A horror allegory following Violet, a teenage girl who has returned home after being held captive for years by a monster in the woods. Inspired by personal experiences of 1950s Canadian history, when the government interned over 200 Freedomite Doukhobor children in a residential school.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Hi everyone!
Ken, Chris, and Cole here! Thank you so much for visiting our page. We've recently wrapped filming on The Doukhobor and we’re so excited about how it’s all coming together. We’re now in post-production and we'd love your support in helping us finish this film and get it out into the world!
THE STORY
A small Doukhobor settlement in British Columbia is thrown into chaos when the children of the settlement suddenly disappear. Many believe the children are being held captive by a dark creature in the woods. Six years later, the children return. Among them is our protagonist Violet Chernoff, a 16 year old girl who is traumatized and haunted by her ordeal. Unable to reconnect with her family and feel at home once more, Violet starts to hear the creature calling to her from the woods again.
When her little sister ventures into the forest, Violet is forced to confront her past, facing the monster and reclaiming her freedom. In a moment of courage and hope, she finally breaks free from the monster's grip and returns home, reconciling with her family and finding a sense of closure.
WHY WE'RE TELLING IT
The Doukhobor is a deeply personal story about what happened to Ken Kabatoff's community and family 70 years ago. From 1953 to 1959, the government of British Columbia interned over 200 Freedomite Doukhobor children in a residential school in an act of religious persecution and forced assimilation.
You're probably wondering what exactly a Doukhobor is, and that's okay -- hardly anyone in Canada knows who they are either. The Doukhobors are a group of pacifist Russians who were exiled in 1895 for standing against the Orthodox church, and they came to Canada for a peaceful life. But Canada wasn’t exactly the safe haven they hoped for…
Rather than telling this harrowing true story as a period drama, we decided that a horror allegory in the style of The Witch would be the most effective and respectful way to share the survivors' stories with the world.
Helen Chernoff Freeman. She was held against her will by the BC government in a residential school from 1955-1959.
Many survivors suffered in silence over the decades since these events, and the BC government only apologized in February of this year for its actions 70 years ago. This is a story that needs to be shared with the world before it's lost forever -- and with your help, that can happen!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Our shoot was amazing, and we’re really excited about how the film looks! But that’s also why we’re reaching out to the community for help. Post production is expensive, and in order to make the film as great as possible AND to share it with the world, we’d love your support in whatever way you can provide it.
PRIMARY GOAL - $12,000
This covers the four key elements of post production such as editing, sound design, original score, and color correction. We have an incredibly talented post team on board with major credits and decades of experience between them. If we can reach this goal the film will look and sound truly amazing!
STRETCH GOAL - $20,000
Helps us take the film around the world by entering top tier festivals, attending screenings, and interacting with audiences such as yourself! Every dollar beyond our primary goal will go toward the festival circuit and help us share this deeply personal story with the world.
Please contribute what you can, follow this page, and share our posts on social media to help us deliver a film that each and every one of us can be proud of!
Follow Ken Kabatoff (@ken_kabatoff) and Cole Hewlett (@cole_hewlett) on Instagram and help us get the word out!
From the bottom of our hearts...
THANK YOU!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editing
Costs C$3,000
Now that we have all the footage we have to cut it together! Our editor has worked for Netflix, Apple, and other major studios/streamers!
Sound Design
Costs C$3,000
Have you ever watched a movie with bad sound? It's awful, right? That's why we've hired one of Canada's best sound designers!
Original Score
Costs C$3,000
Nothing ties a movie together like an original score and our composer is elevating The Doukhobor to new heights!
Color Correction
Costs C$3,000
Our incredibly talented colorist/director of photography will put the finishing touches on the film, enhancing each and every frame.
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
KEN KABATOFF - Director/Writer
Ken Kabatoff is a filmmaker with over fifteen years of production experience in the film/TV industry, having played an integral role on over one hundred episodes of television. In 2016, Ken joined the writing staff of the Netflix series, Travelers, where he became a co-producer over three seasons. In April 2020, Ken was nominated for a Writers Guild of Canada award in the category “Best Drama” for one of his episodes in the final season of Travelers. In 2023, Ken was awarded the prestigious Directors Guild of Canada Emerging Greenlight to direct the short film, The Doukhobor.
CHRISTOPHER NASH - Writer/Producer
Christopher Nash is a screenwriter, independent filmmaker, film critic, and academic. He has written, produced, and/or directed several no-budget feature films, and runs a YouTube channel releasing independent films that has over 65K subscribers. He earned a Master’s degree in English from Dalhousie University with a thesis that reconsiders arguments against literary utility in Harold Bloom’s The Western Canon in light of contemporary scholarship about canonicity.
COLE HEWLETT - Producer
Cole Hewlett boasts over a decade of experience in the film industry, during which he has produced numerous award-winning short films, such as 'Love you, Mama,' 'To Save One's Self', and 'Cat Vs. Man'. His journey led him to the role of Unit Manager on the feature film 'No Men Beyond This Point'. Most recently, he spearheaded the production of an indie horror feature film titled ‘The Stickeman’s Hollow. Cole's expertise extends to working as a Production Coordinator on prominent projects like Netflix's 'Altered Carbon,' 'Haunting of Bly Manor,' 'Midnight Mass,' 'Midnight Club,' and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher.’
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Hi everyone!
Ken, Chris, and Cole here! Thank you so much for visiting our page. We've recently wrapped filming on The Doukhobor and we’re so excited about how it’s all coming together. We’re now in post-production and we'd love your support in helping us finish this film and get it out into the world!
THE STORY
A small Doukhobor settlement in British Columbia is thrown into chaos when the children of the settlement suddenly disappear. Many believe the children are being held captive by a dark creature in the woods. Six years later, the children return. Among them is our protagonist Violet Chernoff, a 16 year old girl who is traumatized and haunted by her ordeal. Unable to reconnect with her family and feel at home once more, Violet starts to hear the creature calling to her from the woods again.
When her little sister ventures into the forest, Violet is forced to confront her past, facing the monster and reclaiming her freedom. In a moment of courage and hope, she finally breaks free from the monster's grip and returns home, reconciling with her family and finding a sense of closure.
WHY WE'RE TELLING IT
The Doukhobor is a deeply personal story about what happened to Ken Kabatoff's community and family 70 years ago. From 1953 to 1959, the government of British Columbia interned over 200 Freedomite Doukhobor children in a residential school in an act of religious persecution and forced assimilation.
You're probably wondering what exactly a Doukhobor is, and that's okay -- hardly anyone in Canada knows who they are either. The Doukhobors are a group of pacifist Russians who were exiled in 1895 for standing against the Orthodox church, and they came to Canada for a peaceful life. But Canada wasn’t exactly the safe haven they hoped for…
Rather than telling this harrowing true story as a period drama, we decided that a horror allegory in the style of The Witch would be the most effective and respectful way to share the survivors' stories with the world.
Helen Chernoff Freeman. She was held against her will by the BC government in a residential school from 1955-1959.
Many survivors suffered in silence over the decades since these events, and the BC government only apologized in February of this year for its actions 70 years ago. This is a story that needs to be shared with the world before it's lost forever -- and with your help, that can happen!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Our shoot was amazing, and we’re really excited about how the film looks! But that’s also why we’re reaching out to the community for help. Post production is expensive, and in order to make the film as great as possible AND to share it with the world, we’d love your support in whatever way you can provide it.
PRIMARY GOAL - $12,000
This covers the four key elements of post production such as editing, sound design, original score, and color correction. We have an incredibly talented post team on board with major credits and decades of experience between them. If we can reach this goal the film will look and sound truly amazing!
STRETCH GOAL - $20,000
Helps us take the film around the world by entering top tier festivals, attending screenings, and interacting with audiences such as yourself! Every dollar beyond our primary goal will go toward the festival circuit and help us share this deeply personal story with the world.
Please contribute what you can, follow this page, and share our posts on social media to help us deliver a film that each and every one of us can be proud of!
Follow Ken Kabatoff (@ken_kabatoff) and Cole Hewlett (@cole_hewlett) on Instagram and help us get the word out!
From the bottom of our hearts...
THANK YOU!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editing
Costs C$3,000
Now that we have all the footage we have to cut it together! Our editor has worked for Netflix, Apple, and other major studios/streamers!
Sound Design
Costs C$3,000
Have you ever watched a movie with bad sound? It's awful, right? That's why we've hired one of Canada's best sound designers!
Original Score
Costs C$3,000
Nothing ties a movie together like an original score and our composer is elevating The Doukhobor to new heights!
Color Correction
Costs C$3,000
Our incredibly talented colorist/director of photography will put the finishing touches on the film, enhancing each and every frame.
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
KEN KABATOFF - Director/Writer
Ken Kabatoff is a filmmaker with over fifteen years of production experience in the film/TV industry, having played an integral role on over one hundred episodes of television. In 2016, Ken joined the writing staff of the Netflix series, Travelers, where he became a co-producer over three seasons. In April 2020, Ken was nominated for a Writers Guild of Canada award in the category “Best Drama” for one of his episodes in the final season of Travelers. In 2023, Ken was awarded the prestigious Directors Guild of Canada Emerging Greenlight to direct the short film, The Doukhobor.
CHRISTOPHER NASH - Writer/Producer
Christopher Nash is a screenwriter, independent filmmaker, film critic, and academic. He has written, produced, and/or directed several no-budget feature films, and runs a YouTube channel releasing independent films that has over 65K subscribers. He earned a Master’s degree in English from Dalhousie University with a thesis that reconsiders arguments against literary utility in Harold Bloom’s The Western Canon in light of contemporary scholarship about canonicity.
COLE HEWLETT - Producer
Cole Hewlett boasts over a decade of experience in the film industry, during which he has produced numerous award-winning short films, such as 'Love you, Mama,' 'To Save One's Self', and 'Cat Vs. Man'. His journey led him to the role of Unit Manager on the feature film 'No Men Beyond This Point'. Most recently, he spearheaded the production of an indie horror feature film titled ‘The Stickeman’s Hollow. Cole's expertise extends to working as a Production Coordinator on prominent projects like Netflix's 'Altered Carbon,' 'Haunting of Bly Manor,' 'Midnight Mass,' 'Midnight Club,' and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher.’