The Wait
New York City, New York | Film Short
LGBTQ, Drama
On the morning of their final IVF attempt, a queer Caribbean couple is transported from a sterile waiting room into ancestral portals of love, lineage, and healing. It’s like "A Christmas Carol", except Black, queer, and deeply personal.
The Wait
New York City, New York | Film Short
LGBTQ, Drama
2 Campaigns | New York, United States
15 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$1,048
Goal: $20,000 for post-production
On the morning of their final IVF attempt, a queer Caribbean couple is transported from a sterile waiting room into ancestral portals of love, lineage, and healing. It’s like "A Christmas Carol", except Black, queer, and deeply personal.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Wait is a short surrealist sci-fi drama that follows Camille and Rae, a queer Caribbean couple, on the morning of their final IVF attempt. They arrive at a fertility clinic carrying the weight of ten unsuccessful attempts, five years of waiting, and the knowledge that this is the final embryo transfer their insurance will cover.
IVF is a brutal journey. From hormone injections to egg retrievals and embryo transfers, every step carries the possibility of heartbreak.
When Camille is called into the exam room alone, Rae remains in the waiting room, where a mysterious cowrie shell opens a portal and summons an ancestor named Miriam. Soon, Camille and Rae are transported on a journey through time.
In the past, Rae discovers her ancestral connection to the Black doulas who helped birth generations.
In the present, Camille witnesses the possibility of healing with the mother who rejected her.
In the future, they encounter a vision that will forever shape their understanding of family.
The Wait is a story of witnessing: witnessing the wounds we inherit, the love that carries us, and the futures we must have faith enough to imagine.
NOW, WE NEED YOUR HELP TO BIRTH OUR FILM
The Wait began as an ambitious script and has already received extraordinary support.
This is an award-winning project.
Before production began, The Wait won the Black Film Space Pitch Competition supported by cliveRd x Gotham Film and Media Institute and received the NewFest + Concord Sound & Scene Grant, affirming the power of its story and cinematic vision.
The film has already been shot.
With principal photography complete this June, our next step is to finalize post-production of the film in time for its showcase at the NewFest Film Festival in October.
Now, we're asking for YOUR HELP to reach our fundraising goal we can share this important story with the world.
Your pledge is TAX-DEDUCTIBLE through our Fiscal Sponsor Black Film Space.
THIS IS A STORY OF INTERGENERATIONAL HEALING
The Wait is not a typical (in)fertility story. This is a sci-fi drama. Through magical realism and a series of ancestral portals, the film creates a cinematic space in which its characters can confront the past, tend to their present wounds, and imagine a future that once felt impossible.
Each portal is guided by the principle of Sankofa. With themes of Black midwifery and ancestral memory, intergenerational healing, motherhood, and the journey to become a parent.
AND THIS IS MY PERSONAL JOURNEY TO MOTHERHOOD
For more than four years, my wife and I have navigated IVF, a path marked by hope, uncertainty, grief, and extraordinary resilience. For some, four years is only the beginning. For others, the waiting continues. IVF is experienced by millions of people across backgrounds, identities, and family structures, yet so much of its emotional landscape remains unseen.
I made The Wait because I needed this story to heal myself. As director, I have poured the same love, vulnerability, resilience, and care that sustained my own IVF journey into every frame.
During our ambitious production, producers Lanaria Johnson and Nia Watenza guided us through the complex work of securing our cast, locations, and logistics. Our assistant director, Anndi Jinelle Liggett, an accomplished director in her own right, kept us on schedule while holding every detail of the production with care.
The Wait is fortunate to have a team that created the space for writer-director Sekiya Dorsett to realize the film’s bold and deeply personal vision.
Cinematographer Olivier Meltzer and our talented camera and lighting team brought the warm, dreamlike world of The Wait to life through intimate cinematography, luminous skin tones, evocative lighting, and inventive in-camera effects.
Now, we need your help to complete the editing, visual effects, sound, color, and accessibility work that will allow that vision to fully reach the screen.
Note: Inspirations images above are not owned by me. They are from some of my favorite films like Pariah(2008), When They See US(2019) and Everything Everywhere All At Once(2022).
Bringing a film into the world is an all-hands-on-deck process. We are inviting you to become one of our Film Doulas: a community of supporters helping us guide The Wait through its final stages and into the world.
SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN IN FIVE WAYS
1. SHARE THE CAMPAIGN
Post the campaign on social media, text it to a friend or anyone that believes in the power of family and motherhood.
Every share introduces the film to someone new.
2. FOLLOW US ON SEED AND SPARK & HELP US UNLOCK REWARDS
Following the campaign helps us build momentum and grow our community. You will also receive updates as we move closer to completing the film and the NewFest showcase.
3. MAKE A PLEDGE!
Every contribution brings us closer to our goal. Whether you pledge $5, $100, or $1,000, you are helping us complete the edit, visual effects, sound mix, and final finishing work that The Wait deserves.
Thank you for believing in this story and helping us carry it forward. We made the film, but we cannot bring it into the world without you.
4. SPONSOR THE FILM!
Sponsor the film! We are seeking partnerships with brands, companies, and individuals — who are passionate about supporting queer parents undergoing IVF and new parents.
5. BECOME A NON-PROFIT PARTNER
We are seeking non-profit partners who can join us in amplifying conversations of Black motherhood and topics of reproductive justice.
With gratitude,
The Wait Family!
AI was not used in the production of this film. We hired real actors and had a full lighting and sound team.
On this campaign page, AI was ONLY used in creating our main graphic as well as our incentive graphics as we do not have them as yet. We have not used AI in production and will not use AI to generate any visual effects. We are raising the funds to work with a graphic artist on our final titles.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editorial Post Costs
Costs $3,000
Our talented editor, Courtney Marquard, brings her experience collaborating with Oscar-nominated and Sundance Award-winning directors.
VFX
Costs $6,000
The magic of the portals are brought to life by the geniuses behind some of your favorite shows.
Sound Mix & Composition
Costs $3,000
Help bring the genius of Nelson Nance and Breton Wood's classic track, Oogum Boogum alive with a symphonic mix!
Marketing, Festival Fees & Promotions
Costs $1,000
Help us amplify the message of resilience to the masses and submit our film nationally and internationally.
Crew Costs
Costs $7,000
Ensure that our crew is made whole from overages during our production.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Above: Cinematographer Olivier Meltzer films with Jasmine Mans and Linda Khumalo.
Director, Sekiya Dorsett
Sekiya Dorsett is a GLAAD Award-winning filmmaker, educator, and founder of Seabreeze Media Inc., creating bold nonfiction and hybrid films that center Black queer life, migration, memory, and collective liberation. Her work has screened internationally at venues including the Tribeca Film Festival, Outfest, Frameline, Urbanworld, BAM, and the Brooklyn Museum. She directed the acclaimed documentary series Stonewall Revolution for NBC News/Peacock, earning both a GLAAD Media Award and the NLGJA Excellence in Digital Journalism Award.
Her forthcoming feature documentary, 20 Years of Longing, follows a Black Caribbean lesbian couple navigating immigration uncertainty, reproductive justice, and the dream of motherhood in contemporary America. Dorsett’s previous films include The Revival: Women and the Word, acquired by Women Make Movies, and Caribbean Queen, which premiered at BAM during NewFest and received the Audience Award. She was also a cinematographer on In Our Mothers’ Gardens, released by ARRAY and streaming on Netflix. A Barnard Artemis Rising Foundation Fellow, Dorsett holds an MFA from Hunter College and is an Assistant Professor of Film at Hofstra University, where she mentors emerging filmmakers while advancing socially engaged cinema.
Producer, Lanaria Johnson
Lanaria Johnson is a filmmaker and producer whose work explores historical memory, identity, and the lived experiences of Black communities. Raised in Birmingham, Alabama, her artistic practice is shaped by the city’s civil rights legacy and its intergenerational impact. She most recently served as associate producer on LOVE, BROOKLYN, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and won Outstanding Independent Motion Picture at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards. Her experience spans film, television, and commercial production for companies including New Line Cinema, Netflix, Hulu, Paramount, Sephora, and Dyson. She holds a B.A. from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Producer, Nia Watenza
A producer, writer, and voiceover actor, Nia Watenza is drawn to stories that explore the complexities of human connection with honesty, humor, and emotional depth. As producer and contributing writer of the award-winning short film I Hate My Love Life, Nia is committed to creating character-driven stories that resonate long after the credits roll. In addition to narrative filmmaking, Nia has produced numerous commercial campaigns and has a 15-year background in brand marketing and strategy. Whether producing films, writing, or lending a voice to animation or commercial performance, Nia believes the most memorable stories are the ones that leave audiences feeling seen, challenged, and inspired.
Cinematographer, Olivier Meltzer
Olivier Metzler is a New York City-based cinematographer born and raised in Luxembourg.
His work spans narrative, commercial, and documentary projects, with narrative films having premiered at the Chicago Latino Film Festival, San Diego Comic–Con International Independent Film Festival, and OutFest Fusion Film Festival, among others. His work was also recognized for lensing "Fairydust" which won a DGA Award for Best African American Short. Olivier combines a keen sensibility for lighting and the emotional impact it has on an image with a passion for creating meaningful and poignant compositions that support a director's creative vision. Drawn to intimate and culturally-relevant stories, his work has taken him across the globe to Iceland, Oman, Puerto Rico, England, France, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and Germany. Olivier holds an MFA with a cinematography specialty from the College of Motion Picture Arts at Florida State University.
Editor, Courtney Maquard
Courtney Marquard is an editor based in New York City. Her work has screened at notable festivals and online platforms including BFI Flare, Frameline Film Festival, HotDocs, and more. Recent credits include Ari Aster’s EDDINGTON and Joel Coen’s JACK OF SPADES. In the branded space, she’s edited content for clients like Adidas, Puma, and The New York Times. Courtney contributed to the Sundance Director’s Lab in both 2023 and 2024, and is 1/3 of @girlsinfilm_nyc, where she programs local screenings and events.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Wait is a short surrealist sci-fi drama that follows Camille and Rae, a queer Caribbean couple, on the morning of their final IVF attempt. They arrive at a fertility clinic carrying the weight of ten unsuccessful attempts, five years of waiting, and the knowledge that this is the final embryo transfer their insurance will cover.
IVF is a brutal journey. From hormone injections to egg retrievals and embryo transfers, every step carries the possibility of heartbreak.
When Camille is called into the exam room alone, Rae remains in the waiting room, where a mysterious cowrie shell opens a portal and summons an ancestor named Miriam. Soon, Camille and Rae are transported on a journey through time.
In the past, Rae discovers her ancestral connection to the Black doulas who helped birth generations.
In the present, Camille witnesses the possibility of healing with the mother who rejected her.
In the future, they encounter a vision that will forever shape their understanding of family.
The Wait is a story of witnessing: witnessing the wounds we inherit, the love that carries us, and the futures we must have faith enough to imagine.
NOW, WE NEED YOUR HELP TO BIRTH OUR FILM
The Wait began as an ambitious script and has already received extraordinary support.
This is an award-winning project.
Before production began, The Wait won the Black Film Space Pitch Competition supported by cliveRd x Gotham Film and Media Institute and received the NewFest + Concord Sound & Scene Grant, affirming the power of its story and cinematic vision.
The film has already been shot.
With principal photography complete this June, our next step is to finalize post-production of the film in time for its showcase at the NewFest Film Festival in October.
Now, we're asking for YOUR HELP to reach our fundraising goal we can share this important story with the world.
Your pledge is TAX-DEDUCTIBLE through our Fiscal Sponsor Black Film Space.
THIS IS A STORY OF INTERGENERATIONAL HEALING
The Wait is not a typical (in)fertility story. This is a sci-fi drama. Through magical realism and a series of ancestral portals, the film creates a cinematic space in which its characters can confront the past, tend to their present wounds, and imagine a future that once felt impossible.
Each portal is guided by the principle of Sankofa. With themes of Black midwifery and ancestral memory, intergenerational healing, motherhood, and the journey to become a parent.
AND THIS IS MY PERSONAL JOURNEY TO MOTHERHOOD
For more than four years, my wife and I have navigated IVF, a path marked by hope, uncertainty, grief, and extraordinary resilience. For some, four years is only the beginning. For others, the waiting continues. IVF is experienced by millions of people across backgrounds, identities, and family structures, yet so much of its emotional landscape remains unseen.
I made The Wait because I needed this story to heal myself. As director, I have poured the same love, vulnerability, resilience, and care that sustained my own IVF journey into every frame.
During our ambitious production, producers Lanaria Johnson and Nia Watenza guided us through the complex work of securing our cast, locations, and logistics. Our assistant director, Anndi Jinelle Liggett, an accomplished director in her own right, kept us on schedule while holding every detail of the production with care.
The Wait is fortunate to have a team that created the space for writer-director Sekiya Dorsett to realize the film’s bold and deeply personal vision.
Cinematographer Olivier Meltzer and our talented camera and lighting team brought the warm, dreamlike world of The Wait to life through intimate cinematography, luminous skin tones, evocative lighting, and inventive in-camera effects.
Now, we need your help to complete the editing, visual effects, sound, color, and accessibility work that will allow that vision to fully reach the screen.
Note: Inspirations images above are not owned by me. They are from some of my favorite films like Pariah(2008), When They See US(2019) and Everything Everywhere All At Once(2022).
Bringing a film into the world is an all-hands-on-deck process. We are inviting you to become one of our Film Doulas: a community of supporters helping us guide The Wait through its final stages and into the world.
SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN IN FIVE WAYS
1. SHARE THE CAMPAIGN
Post the campaign on social media, text it to a friend or anyone that believes in the power of family and motherhood.
Every share introduces the film to someone new.
2. FOLLOW US ON SEED AND SPARK & HELP US UNLOCK REWARDS
Following the campaign helps us build momentum and grow our community. You will also receive updates as we move closer to completing the film and the NewFest showcase.
3. MAKE A PLEDGE!
Every contribution brings us closer to our goal. Whether you pledge $5, $100, or $1,000, you are helping us complete the edit, visual effects, sound mix, and final finishing work that The Wait deserves.
Thank you for believing in this story and helping us carry it forward. We made the film, but we cannot bring it into the world without you.
4. SPONSOR THE FILM!
Sponsor the film! We are seeking partnerships with brands, companies, and individuals — who are passionate about supporting queer parents undergoing IVF and new parents.
5. BECOME A NON-PROFIT PARTNER
We are seeking non-profit partners who can join us in amplifying conversations of Black motherhood and topics of reproductive justice.
With gratitude,
The Wait Family!
AI was not used in the production of this film. We hired real actors and had a full lighting and sound team.
On this campaign page, AI was ONLY used in creating our main graphic as well as our incentive graphics as we do not have them as yet. We have not used AI in production and will not use AI to generate any visual effects. We are raising the funds to work with a graphic artist on our final titles.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editorial Post Costs
Costs $3,000
Our talented editor, Courtney Marquard, brings her experience collaborating with Oscar-nominated and Sundance Award-winning directors.
VFX
Costs $6,000
The magic of the portals are brought to life by the geniuses behind some of your favorite shows.
Sound Mix & Composition
Costs $3,000
Help bring the genius of Nelson Nance and Breton Wood's classic track, Oogum Boogum alive with a symphonic mix!
Marketing, Festival Fees & Promotions
Costs $1,000
Help us amplify the message of resilience to the masses and submit our film nationally and internationally.
Crew Costs
Costs $7,000
Ensure that our crew is made whole from overages during our production.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Above: Cinematographer Olivier Meltzer films with Jasmine Mans and Linda Khumalo.
Director, Sekiya Dorsett
Sekiya Dorsett is a GLAAD Award-winning filmmaker, educator, and founder of Seabreeze Media Inc., creating bold nonfiction and hybrid films that center Black queer life, migration, memory, and collective liberation. Her work has screened internationally at venues including the Tribeca Film Festival, Outfest, Frameline, Urbanworld, BAM, and the Brooklyn Museum. She directed the acclaimed documentary series Stonewall Revolution for NBC News/Peacock, earning both a GLAAD Media Award and the NLGJA Excellence in Digital Journalism Award.
Her forthcoming feature documentary, 20 Years of Longing, follows a Black Caribbean lesbian couple navigating immigration uncertainty, reproductive justice, and the dream of motherhood in contemporary America. Dorsett’s previous films include The Revival: Women and the Word, acquired by Women Make Movies, and Caribbean Queen, which premiered at BAM during NewFest and received the Audience Award. She was also a cinematographer on In Our Mothers’ Gardens, released by ARRAY and streaming on Netflix. A Barnard Artemis Rising Foundation Fellow, Dorsett holds an MFA from Hunter College and is an Assistant Professor of Film at Hofstra University, where she mentors emerging filmmakers while advancing socially engaged cinema.
Producer, Lanaria Johnson
Lanaria Johnson is a filmmaker and producer whose work explores historical memory, identity, and the lived experiences of Black communities. Raised in Birmingham, Alabama, her artistic practice is shaped by the city’s civil rights legacy and its intergenerational impact. She most recently served as associate producer on LOVE, BROOKLYN, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and won Outstanding Independent Motion Picture at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards. Her experience spans film, television, and commercial production for companies including New Line Cinema, Netflix, Hulu, Paramount, Sephora, and Dyson. She holds a B.A. from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Producer, Nia Watenza
A producer, writer, and voiceover actor, Nia Watenza is drawn to stories that explore the complexities of human connection with honesty, humor, and emotional depth. As producer and contributing writer of the award-winning short film I Hate My Love Life, Nia is committed to creating character-driven stories that resonate long after the credits roll. In addition to narrative filmmaking, Nia has produced numerous commercial campaigns and has a 15-year background in brand marketing and strategy. Whether producing films, writing, or lending a voice to animation or commercial performance, Nia believes the most memorable stories are the ones that leave audiences feeling seen, challenged, and inspired.
Cinematographer, Olivier Meltzer
Olivier Metzler is a New York City-based cinematographer born and raised in Luxembourg.
His work spans narrative, commercial, and documentary projects, with narrative films having premiered at the Chicago Latino Film Festival, San Diego Comic–Con International Independent Film Festival, and OutFest Fusion Film Festival, among others. His work was also recognized for lensing "Fairydust" which won a DGA Award for Best African American Short. Olivier combines a keen sensibility for lighting and the emotional impact it has on an image with a passion for creating meaningful and poignant compositions that support a director's creative vision. Drawn to intimate and culturally-relevant stories, his work has taken him across the globe to Iceland, Oman, Puerto Rico, England, France, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and Germany. Olivier holds an MFA with a cinematography specialty from the College of Motion Picture Arts at Florida State University.
Editor, Courtney Maquard
Courtney Marquard is an editor based in New York City. Her work has screened at notable festivals and online platforms including BFI Flare, Frameline Film Festival, HotDocs, and more. Recent credits include Ari Aster’s EDDINGTON and Joel Coen’s JACK OF SPADES. In the branded space, she’s edited content for clients like Adidas, Puma, and The New York Times. Courtney contributed to the Sundance Director’s Lab in both 2023 and 2024, and is 1/3 of @girlsinfilm_nyc, where she programs local screenings and events.