After their son is killed by police, two young parents, Guatemoc and Mariana reconnect after years apart. One wants to grieve in silence and plan the funeral, while the other wants to hit the streets and hold the police force accountable. The Garden of Adam is their journey towards compromise.
After their son is killed by police, two young parents, Guatemoc and Mariana reconnect after years apart. One wants to grieve in silence and plan the funeral, while the other wants to hit the streets and hold the police force accountable. The Garden of Adam is their journey towards compromise.
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Story
Mission Statement
My name is Gerardo Velasquez and I'm a Mexican American actor and filmmaker. Film is my whole life, but my experience as a Latino in America has also led me to march, organize and fight for justice. I want to tell real human stories that get conversations started.About The Project
The Garden of Adam is a work of fiction motivated by real-life events that took place in March of 2021. Adam Toledo, a Mexican American child, was killed by Chicago Police in the middle of the night.
The Garden of Adam is a work of fiction about two young parents, Guatemoc and Mariana - reeling from the murder of their son at the hands of police - struggling to reconcile with the loss of their child and the reality that justice, or their idea of justice, may not be served.
GUATEMOC - The father of Adam. He's a stubborn, hardworking, and nurturing man. He doesn't believe in the power of protest and holds steadfast in his belief that the city will do nothing to prosecute the police officer who took his son's life. He wants to grieve in privacy and plan the funeral, despite pleas from Adam's mother to join in the fight for justice.
MARIANA - The mother of Adam. She's just as stubborn, if not more than Guatemoc. She's passionate, strong-willed, and independent. Mariana is determined to move mountains to bring her son's killer to justice, even if it means putting her own life in danger.
DIANA - Mariana's cousin. She's protective of Mariana and always willing to lend a hand. She help's Mariana plan a march in Adam's name and tries to help convince Guatemoc to join them.
RYAN - Ryan is a childhood friend of Guatemoc, he's always been by his side and is doing his best to be present as his friend grieves. He is understanding of Guatemoc's reluctance to join the march, he doesn't pressure his friend and offers a judgement-free shoulder to lean on in a time of need.
JUANA - Guatemoc's mother. She does her best to care for her son as he grieves the loss of his child. She is brilliant and nurturing but gets caught up in her own efforts to help, sometimes causing friction in the household.
KIMBERLY - The funeral home director. She helps Guatemoc plan Adam's funeral while Mariana is at a march. She empathizes with Guatemoc and confides in him the details of her own loss.
"The death of Adam Toledo hit me hard, it hit so close to home. My nephew, Christopher is the same age. When I read about what happened to this child, I wanted to shout from the rooftops and tell everyone about this story, but it died out in the news after only a week or so and the next big story took over our news feeds. I couldn't reconcile with the fact that Adam's story would be lost to the never-ending news feed we constantly have to wade through.
When people are killed by police, we grieve. Sometimes publicly, sometimes privately. Adam's story got me thinking: how do people suddenly step up in front of the news cameras? How do they muster the strength to hit the streets and demand justice? What do they do when justice isn't served? How do they move on? How do they compromise with a world that may not deliver the justice we so desperately crave? All while planning a funeral?
This film is an examination of that grief and compromise.This is not based on the life of Adam Toledo, I would never presume to write about someone I don't know, I do not plan to reach out to his family and pester them for information for my film. They deserve peace and quiet, they deserve to grieve the loss of their son.
This story is a work of fiction but it is a love letter to all those people, lost to the media feed, the ones who don't gain national attention, the ones who don't spark marches all throughout the country, the ones who don't get laws named after them.
Latinos in America are killed by police at almost twice the rate than white people, but the media is scared to tell their stories and often, they are treated as isolated incidents and fade out into the background noise.I'm a Latino, living in America. I have brown skin and some people see me as a threat and a target. I have the tools to tell a powerful story and contribute to the work that our Black brothers and sisters and have done for us in the struggle for liberation and justice.
I want to tell a human story that everyone can connect with. I believe it's my duty to tell this story and I hope you can help me with that.
-Gerardo Velasquez, Writer & Director of The Garden of AdamWe plan on shooting The Garden of Adam in mid/late November of this year in Houston. We have an incredible crew of experienced filmmakers and actors working tirelessly to plan out the schedule and production process of our film. We hope to raise $15,000 so that we can make the highest-quality film possible and pay everyone a living wage while doing so! We will be submitting to film festivals once the film is finished so we hope to invite you to screenings all over the country in the near future!
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Anything helps! There is no minimum amount you can pledge to our project! Please follow us and support us on Seed & Spark. Even if you pledge $0, creating an account and following us on Seed & Spark helps a TON! Be sure to also follow us on Instagram to see live updates of our production! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. <3- The Garden of Adam Crew
Incentives
$25
Friend
A $25 pledge will bring us one step closer to finishing this film! By giving $25 you will receive a shoutout from us in the form of a graphic on our Instagram story, thanking you by name and tagging your profile (if desired) which will live permanently in our "highlights" section of our page.
Be sure to leave your info for us to tag you, you're a member of our community and you should be celebrated!
$50
Family
This is huge for us! For your $50 pledge, we will post a video on our Instagram story, thanking you by name and tagging your profile which will live permanently in our "highlights" section of our page!
You will also be listed as a supporter in our email list and have access to pre-production materials, such as story boards, director's notes and pre-writing notes.
Be sure to leave your info for us to tag you, you're a member of our community and you should be celebrated!
$100
Crew
You're part of the crew! This is a huge push towards finishing our film! For your $100 pledge, we will list you as a "Supporter" in the credits of the film. You will also be invited to watch a live stream of our pre-production process.
Also includes: all other perks from previous tiers.$250
Leading Supporter
We're completely blown away by you!
For your $250 pledge, you will be listed as a "Leading Supporter" in the credits of the film.
You will also get two tickets to a private screening in Houston (travel + accommodations not included) or a private online screening if you prefer!
Also includes: all other perks from previous tiers.$500
Partner
You're a huge part of this process!
This level is perfect for those who own businesses that want to put their resources behind us and get their names out there.Your $500 contribution will gain you a special thank you in the credits of our film! Your brand logo will be included in the credits of our film under a "Special Thanks" section.
Also includes: all other perks from previous tiers.$1,000
Associate Producer
You can officially call yourself an Associate Producer on our film!
For your $1,000 pledge, we will list you as an Associate Producer in the credits of our film.
You will also get a product placement featured in a shot if you have a small business or brand that we can reasonably include in the film.
You will also be invited to shadow us on set for a day while we film our production.Also includes: all other perks from previous tiers.
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$25
Friend
A $25 pledge will bring us one step closer to finishing this film! By giving $25 you will receive a shoutout from us in the form of a graphic on our Instagram story, thanking you by name and tagging your profile (if desired) which will live permanently in our "highlights" section of our page.
Be sure to leave your info for us to tag you, you're a member of our community and you should be celebrated!
$50
Family
This is huge for us! For your $50 pledge, we will post a video on our Instagram story, thanking you by name and tagging your profile which will live permanently in our "highlights" section of our page!
You will also be listed as a supporter in our email list and have access to pre-production materials, such as story boards, director's notes and pre-writing notes.
Be sure to leave your info for us to tag you, you're a member of our community and you should be celebrated!
$100
Crew
You're part of the crew! This is a huge push towards finishing our film! For your $100 pledge, we will list you as a "Supporter" in the credits of the film. You will also be invited to watch a live stream of our pre-production process.
Also includes: all other perks from previous tiers.$250
Leading Supporter
We're completely blown away by you!
For your $250 pledge, you will be listed as a "Leading Supporter" in the credits of the film.
You will also get two tickets to a private screening in Houston (travel + accommodations not included) or a private online screening if you prefer!
Also includes: all other perks from previous tiers.$500
Partner
You're a huge part of this process!
This level is perfect for those who own businesses that want to put their resources behind us and get their names out there.Your $500 contribution will gain you a special thank you in the credits of our film! Your brand logo will be included in the credits of our film under a "Special Thanks" section.
Also includes: all other perks from previous tiers.$1,000
Associate Producer
You can officially call yourself an Associate Producer on our film!
For your $1,000 pledge, we will list you as an Associate Producer in the credits of our film.
You will also get a product placement featured in a shot if you have a small business or brand that we can reasonably include in the film.
You will also be invited to shadow us on set for a day while we film our production.Also includes: all other perks from previous tiers.
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Our team consists of a group of determined, young talent based in Houston, Texas. We're a majority Latino cast and crew with a range of experience including film, television, commercial, theatre, and even music! Many of us have also spent time organizing and donating time and resources to local nonprofits and social justice groups. Everyone involved in this project is extremely passionate about the story we're trying to tell and has already put countless hours into bringing this film to life.
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