"Three Meals" - a narrative short film debut by Pelin Keskin Liu
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Family
I'm an Emmy award-winning director of short-form docs and winner of Filmarket Hub's "Best Feature Screenplay" competition. With your support, my team and I will produce my first short narrative film, kickstarting my narrative directing career, whereafter we'll take the film to festivals and beyond!
"Three Meals" - a narrative short film debut by Pelin Keskin Liu
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama, Family
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $37,230 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
229 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
I'm an Emmy award-winning director of short-form docs and winner of Filmarket Hub's "Best Feature Screenplay" competition. With your support, my team and I will produce my first short narrative film, kickstarting my narrative directing career, whereafter we'll take the film to festivals and beyond!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
When her brother's health worsens, Yasmin returns from living abroad to convince her mother, Suzy, to turn off his life support machine.
Set in one location and segmented across three meals in the span of a day, this mother and daughter drama charts the chasm between them, despite their intimate connection, and navigates towards a resolution that could save their relationship.
As a writer and director, I always want to explore how life is composed of two truths at all times.
Since moving away from my London birthplace and home in my mid-20's, across an ocean to America, I have often wondered what my own mother’s journey might have looked like if her life didn’t take the path it did. At the age of 20, she went from daughter, to wife and then mother, all in rapid succession. Life is a series of choices, and I know that for many women, it feels difficult to make them when the burden of responsibility is often theirs to keep. Now, in my early 30's, I see my own divergent path mirroring certain aspects of my mother's own trajectory, and my desire to engage with the truths and contradictions we face as women, daughters and mothers has lit a fire in me to tell stories we seldom see given new perspectives. This is the genesis of "Three Meals" and interrogating the question that always hangs in the air; who are we without our roles?
When I talk to my mother now—as a fellow adult—it becomes clearer to us both that we live in two different realities because of the choices she made for me, as well as the choices I've made for myself. As an adolescent, this was the source of tension, but as I’ve settled into my adulthood I’ve developed a tenderness and melancholy that I know rings true for many daughters.
As a filmmaker, we use visual storytelling, through metaphors, dialogue and light and shadow to drive at these truths. Using food as a filmic device allows me to showcase an iteration of the first tangible power dynamic we learn as humans; relying on your mother to feed you. In my own career, I've been focused on documentary filmwork for the last near-decade, but my love of narrative film and the opportunity to launch my artistic voice in that realm is an exciting prospect. "Three Meals" came to me very naturally, and while semi-biographical, my aim is to make a film about the universal, shared experience many women have in the journey of life.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are the three meals that ground this film, and allows me to showcase some of the beautiful Turkish food I grew up eating, and continue to eat today.
With my background in shooting short docs for Eater, I hope to have the opportunity to shoot food in an even more beautiful, cinematic way, similar to that of Chef's Table on Netflix. In addition, the relationship between the two women is similar to that of Lady Bird and her mother - frustration, miscommunication, deep love and admiration all mixed together. Finally, Certain Women by Kelly Reichardt was shot on 16mm and had such beautiful texture of look and feel, and I hope to emulate the look of the film itself to that.
We will be shooting on a stock of film that will be more vibrant in color, more crisp, in order to make the film itself sing and capture the wonderful colors of the food, the beauty of the domesticity and crystallize the intimacy between the two women.
It is only fitting that the first short film I make is a love letter to the most important person in my life with the nuances that only her and I can understand. We are Turkish women, where care-work is part-and-parcel of our lives at some point, and I wanted to represent my culture as well as my lived experience. In addition to this, I wanted to tell a deeply universal story about one of the most thorny relationships many of us will ever have. I hope to commit the rest of my time on earth to filmmaking, and you would be contributing to the very first step in helping make this dream happen. I cannot wait to tell stories about women, female relationships, intimacy, power, and so much more.
It was also very important for me to work with a predominantly female crew. We have all bonded over our own relationships with our mothers, and I truly believe that it is the lifeblood of this film. We emotionally understand what this film is about, and are bringing our technical knowledge to aptly communicate the emotional core of each scene.
To create "Three Meals," I've partnered with Brooklyn-based producer Max Gardner of A+M Creative, an independent film production shop, and with his help and the help of the skilled filmworkers we'll employ on the project, our goal will be to raise funds to produce a quality, shot-on-film short that will act as my debut in the field of narrative filmmaking, while also honoring the themes, stories and people who inspired this project.
With your support and dollars, we'll be able to create something emotionally resonant and unique, and hopefully it will connect with a wide audience who will see some part of themselves in this story. I deeply appreciate all who can donate, and even if it's small, sharing and spreading the word of this campaign is as good as gold in our books.
Thank you so much and I can't wait to share "Three Meals" with you all on the other side of this process!
I want to work closely with my DP to ensure we have a film that looks incredible, and using 16mm film will help us achieve this. Have you ever seen "Heat" or "The Matrix?" Do you know why it looks that good, years later? It’s because it was shot on film! It elevates and makes each frame feel so cinematic, and it's an exciting medium for any filmmaker to work with. It is costlier than shooting on digital, but I believe the cost is worth it. I thank you all immensely for contributing to make this film look as beautiful as it can be.
In an effort to be transparent about the funds we're raising and the support you're kindly providing, here is a rough estimate of costs associated with the project:
Production: ~$24000
This is essentially inclusive of all pre-production, hiring and staffing our crew, providing all relevant production rentals and support (lights, camera, action!), buying film stock, and other essential needs to execute a high-quality shoot. We are shooting for two days at the end of June, and we will have a crew of 12, not including the actors. Everybody I have hired will need to be paid, we will need equipment and lighting rented for those two days, and those two days will be very long, so we need transportation, food and accommodation.
Post-Production: $6000
We're very lucky to have a pro-editor on-staff and providing their time at a significant discount, but post-production for a shot on film short will come with some associated cost for development, scanning, then the edit, sound design, color-correction and final mix + conform. All of these aspects come at their own separate cost, and so we need to ensure we have the budget to bring it to the finish line.
We hope to have the film edited and complete within 2 months of wrapping, and ready to apply to all the film festivals in the fall/autumn.
FOLLOW
Stay up to date on the campaign itself - it's completely free and it helps us on this platform! When festival submission time rolls around, the more followers we have, the likelier it will be that we get waivers for festival fees (they're so expensive!)
CONTRIBUTE AND PLEDGE
This is the greatest help and we are so grateful if you decide to pledge! We have to make 80% of our goal, otherwise we don't see the funds. You can pick any pledge level that suits your budget the best, and our incentives will help get you more excited for your contribution. No amount is too small, so we appreciate any level of pledge.
SPREAD THE WORD
The more people we reach, the more chance we have of more pledges! By sharing and spreading the word, you'll be doing an incredible help of reaching the people we might not have been able to. If you know anyone that wants to support a woman of color filmmaker with a female crew, telling stories about complicated mother/daughter relationships and showcasing delicious Turkish food, tell them about 'Three Meals'! You can share it on all the social media platforms, email, or just by telling them in person!
Below are some examples that you can copy/paste:
Help filmmaker @pelin_liu make her first narrative short by supporting 'THREE MEALS' @threemealsfilm , a heartfelt story told over three Turkish meals exploring a complicated mother/daughter relationship and caring for a dying family member. Join and pledge at https://seedandspark.com/fund/three-meals-film#story
More Middle Eastern female filmmakers need to exist, so help support @pelin_liu with her short film 'THREE MEALS' @threemealsfilm - it's about resentment, it's about food, it's about grief and everything you wish you could say to your mother. Help them out and pledge at https://seedandspark.com/fund/three-meals-film#story
I'm so excited to see 'THREE MEALS' by @pelin_liu , a Middle Eastern female filmmaker who hopes to tell female-focused, emotionally raw stories. Help her make this film by pledging at https://seedandspark.com/fund/three-meals-film#story
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew
Costs $10,000
Paying my crew is the most important!
16mm film & Gear rental
Costs $5,000
Shooting on film means development costs
Transportation
Costs $1,000
Crew has to shuttle between NYC and NJ
Feeding Cast & Crew
Costs $1,000
We have all got to eat on long set days
Editing the Film
Costs $3,000
Once it's shot, it has to be edited.
Editing for Sound
Costs $1,500
Sound is so important!
Festival Submissions
Costs $3,000
Festivals cost money to submit to!
Production Design
Costs $500
The location must look believable
Our Actors
Costs $2,000
There's no film without our actors
Promotional Materials
Costs $3,000
Posters, booklets, screenings and press.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Haneen Arafat Murphy – Suzy
A theatre performer with years of experience, Haneen's body of work allows her to bring a true emotive and real performance to 'Three Meals'. She is the perfect Suzy - resilient, tired, full of love and frustration.
Julia D'Angelo – Yasmin
With a BFA in Dramatic Arts from The New School, Julia has extensive acting experience in film and theatre. She wrote and starred in her debut short film, 'Worn', which went on to win Best Short Film at the New York No Limit Film Festival. Julia's Yasmin brims with emotional tension, drawing empathy so easily that you forget that it's a performance at all.
Pelin Keskin Liu – Writer and Director, EP
With two NY Emmy's and a James Beard nomination, Pelin has years of directing experience in short-form documentary. She's proud of fostering a collaborative and inclusive set from pre production all the way through to post and is excited to continue this tradition into her narrative directing career. As a writer, she has several scripts under her belt, one of which won Filmarket Hub's Feature Screenwriting Competition, and a quarterfinalist for WeScreenplay's Feature Screenwriting Lab.
Max Gardner – EP + Producer, A+M Creative
An award-winning producer, director and creative based in Brooklyn, and the co-founder of A+M Creative, an independent video production and film shop. Max has been working in the NYC indie scene for over a decade and has produced and supported a wide range of filmmakers at different stages of their respective careers.
Ranya Chen Aloui – Director of Photography
Ranya Aloui is a Brooklyn based cinematographer. Her body of work encompasses a range of mediums and genres including film and digital work in documentary, short form narrative, and commercial. Her eye is focused on visualizing the emotion at the heart of a project, creating images that balance the familiar and the surreal with an uninhibited and empathetic gaze. She holds a BFA in Film and TV production from New York University and a certification in 35mm cinematography from Prague’s prestigious FAMU Institute.
Kia Damon - Culinary Producer
Kia Damon is a Florida born chef, writer, host, recipe tester and developer. Famously known for The Supper Club from Nowhere and her rise as an Executive Chef at the age of 24, She has become widely recognized as a culinary force and cultural influence. At the age of 25 she became Cherry Bombe’s first Culinary Director. Since leaving her post, she hosted Nike Athlete’s Cookbook Season 2 and founded Kia Feeds The People, a budding mutual aid effort focusing on food apartheid in Brooklyn. She has been named one of 16 Chefs Changing Black Food in America by The New York Times and Forbes 30 under 30 in Food and Beverage for 2021.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
When her brother's health worsens, Yasmin returns from living abroad to convince her mother, Suzy, to turn off his life support machine.
Set in one location and segmented across three meals in the span of a day, this mother and daughter drama charts the chasm between them, despite their intimate connection, and navigates towards a resolution that could save their relationship.
As a writer and director, I always want to explore how life is composed of two truths at all times.
Since moving away from my London birthplace and home in my mid-20's, across an ocean to America, I have often wondered what my own mother’s journey might have looked like if her life didn’t take the path it did. At the age of 20, she went from daughter, to wife and then mother, all in rapid succession. Life is a series of choices, and I know that for many women, it feels difficult to make them when the burden of responsibility is often theirs to keep. Now, in my early 30's, I see my own divergent path mirroring certain aspects of my mother's own trajectory, and my desire to engage with the truths and contradictions we face as women, daughters and mothers has lit a fire in me to tell stories we seldom see given new perspectives. This is the genesis of "Three Meals" and interrogating the question that always hangs in the air; who are we without our roles?
When I talk to my mother now—as a fellow adult—it becomes clearer to us both that we live in two different realities because of the choices she made for me, as well as the choices I've made for myself. As an adolescent, this was the source of tension, but as I’ve settled into my adulthood I’ve developed a tenderness and melancholy that I know rings true for many daughters.
As a filmmaker, we use visual storytelling, through metaphors, dialogue and light and shadow to drive at these truths. Using food as a filmic device allows me to showcase an iteration of the first tangible power dynamic we learn as humans; relying on your mother to feed you. In my own career, I've been focused on documentary filmwork for the last near-decade, but my love of narrative film and the opportunity to launch my artistic voice in that realm is an exciting prospect. "Three Meals" came to me very naturally, and while semi-biographical, my aim is to make a film about the universal, shared experience many women have in the journey of life.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are the three meals that ground this film, and allows me to showcase some of the beautiful Turkish food I grew up eating, and continue to eat today.
With my background in shooting short docs for Eater, I hope to have the opportunity to shoot food in an even more beautiful, cinematic way, similar to that of Chef's Table on Netflix. In addition, the relationship between the two women is similar to that of Lady Bird and her mother - frustration, miscommunication, deep love and admiration all mixed together. Finally, Certain Women by Kelly Reichardt was shot on 16mm and had such beautiful texture of look and feel, and I hope to emulate the look of the film itself to that.
We will be shooting on a stock of film that will be more vibrant in color, more crisp, in order to make the film itself sing and capture the wonderful colors of the food, the beauty of the domesticity and crystallize the intimacy between the two women.
It is only fitting that the first short film I make is a love letter to the most important person in my life with the nuances that only her and I can understand. We are Turkish women, where care-work is part-and-parcel of our lives at some point, and I wanted to represent my culture as well as my lived experience. In addition to this, I wanted to tell a deeply universal story about one of the most thorny relationships many of us will ever have. I hope to commit the rest of my time on earth to filmmaking, and you would be contributing to the very first step in helping make this dream happen. I cannot wait to tell stories about women, female relationships, intimacy, power, and so much more.
It was also very important for me to work with a predominantly female crew. We have all bonded over our own relationships with our mothers, and I truly believe that it is the lifeblood of this film. We emotionally understand what this film is about, and are bringing our technical knowledge to aptly communicate the emotional core of each scene.
To create "Three Meals," I've partnered with Brooklyn-based producer Max Gardner of A+M Creative, an independent film production shop, and with his help and the help of the skilled filmworkers we'll employ on the project, our goal will be to raise funds to produce a quality, shot-on-film short that will act as my debut in the field of narrative filmmaking, while also honoring the themes, stories and people who inspired this project.
With your support and dollars, we'll be able to create something emotionally resonant and unique, and hopefully it will connect with a wide audience who will see some part of themselves in this story. I deeply appreciate all who can donate, and even if it's small, sharing and spreading the word of this campaign is as good as gold in our books.
Thank you so much and I can't wait to share "Three Meals" with you all on the other side of this process!
I want to work closely with my DP to ensure we have a film that looks incredible, and using 16mm film will help us achieve this. Have you ever seen "Heat" or "The Matrix?" Do you know why it looks that good, years later? It’s because it was shot on film! It elevates and makes each frame feel so cinematic, and it's an exciting medium for any filmmaker to work with. It is costlier than shooting on digital, but I believe the cost is worth it. I thank you all immensely for contributing to make this film look as beautiful as it can be.
In an effort to be transparent about the funds we're raising and the support you're kindly providing, here is a rough estimate of costs associated with the project:
Production: ~$24000
This is essentially inclusive of all pre-production, hiring and staffing our crew, providing all relevant production rentals and support (lights, camera, action!), buying film stock, and other essential needs to execute a high-quality shoot. We are shooting for two days at the end of June, and we will have a crew of 12, not including the actors. Everybody I have hired will need to be paid, we will need equipment and lighting rented for those two days, and those two days will be very long, so we need transportation, food and accommodation.
Post-Production: $6000
We're very lucky to have a pro-editor on-staff and providing their time at a significant discount, but post-production for a shot on film short will come with some associated cost for development, scanning, then the edit, sound design, color-correction and final mix + conform. All of these aspects come at their own separate cost, and so we need to ensure we have the budget to bring it to the finish line.
We hope to have the film edited and complete within 2 months of wrapping, and ready to apply to all the film festivals in the fall/autumn.
FOLLOW
Stay up to date on the campaign itself - it's completely free and it helps us on this platform! When festival submission time rolls around, the more followers we have, the likelier it will be that we get waivers for festival fees (they're so expensive!)
CONTRIBUTE AND PLEDGE
This is the greatest help and we are so grateful if you decide to pledge! We have to make 80% of our goal, otherwise we don't see the funds. You can pick any pledge level that suits your budget the best, and our incentives will help get you more excited for your contribution. No amount is too small, so we appreciate any level of pledge.
SPREAD THE WORD
The more people we reach, the more chance we have of more pledges! By sharing and spreading the word, you'll be doing an incredible help of reaching the people we might not have been able to. If you know anyone that wants to support a woman of color filmmaker with a female crew, telling stories about complicated mother/daughter relationships and showcasing delicious Turkish food, tell them about 'Three Meals'! You can share it on all the social media platforms, email, or just by telling them in person!
Below are some examples that you can copy/paste:
Help filmmaker @pelin_liu make her first narrative short by supporting 'THREE MEALS' @threemealsfilm , a heartfelt story told over three Turkish meals exploring a complicated mother/daughter relationship and caring for a dying family member. Join and pledge at https://seedandspark.com/fund/three-meals-film#story
More Middle Eastern female filmmakers need to exist, so help support @pelin_liu with her short film 'THREE MEALS' @threemealsfilm - it's about resentment, it's about food, it's about grief and everything you wish you could say to your mother. Help them out and pledge at https://seedandspark.com/fund/three-meals-film#story
I'm so excited to see 'THREE MEALS' by @pelin_liu , a Middle Eastern female filmmaker who hopes to tell female-focused, emotionally raw stories. Help her make this film by pledging at https://seedandspark.com/fund/three-meals-film#story
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Crew
Costs $10,000
Paying my crew is the most important!
16mm film & Gear rental
Costs $5,000
Shooting on film means development costs
Transportation
Costs $1,000
Crew has to shuttle between NYC and NJ
Feeding Cast & Crew
Costs $1,000
We have all got to eat on long set days
Editing the Film
Costs $3,000
Once it's shot, it has to be edited.
Editing for Sound
Costs $1,500
Sound is so important!
Festival Submissions
Costs $3,000
Festivals cost money to submit to!
Production Design
Costs $500
The location must look believable
Our Actors
Costs $2,000
There's no film without our actors
Promotional Materials
Costs $3,000
Posters, booklets, screenings and press.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Haneen Arafat Murphy – Suzy
A theatre performer with years of experience, Haneen's body of work allows her to bring a true emotive and real performance to 'Three Meals'. She is the perfect Suzy - resilient, tired, full of love and frustration.
Julia D'Angelo – Yasmin
With a BFA in Dramatic Arts from The New School, Julia has extensive acting experience in film and theatre. She wrote and starred in her debut short film, 'Worn', which went on to win Best Short Film at the New York No Limit Film Festival. Julia's Yasmin brims with emotional tension, drawing empathy so easily that you forget that it's a performance at all.
Pelin Keskin Liu – Writer and Director, EP
With two NY Emmy's and a James Beard nomination, Pelin has years of directing experience in short-form documentary. She's proud of fostering a collaborative and inclusive set from pre production all the way through to post and is excited to continue this tradition into her narrative directing career. As a writer, she has several scripts under her belt, one of which won Filmarket Hub's Feature Screenwriting Competition, and a quarterfinalist for WeScreenplay's Feature Screenwriting Lab.
Max Gardner – EP + Producer, A+M Creative
An award-winning producer, director and creative based in Brooklyn, and the co-founder of A+M Creative, an independent video production and film shop. Max has been working in the NYC indie scene for over a decade and has produced and supported a wide range of filmmakers at different stages of their respective careers.
Ranya Chen Aloui – Director of Photography
Ranya Aloui is a Brooklyn based cinematographer. Her body of work encompasses a range of mediums and genres including film and digital work in documentary, short form narrative, and commercial. Her eye is focused on visualizing the emotion at the heart of a project, creating images that balance the familiar and the surreal with an uninhibited and empathetic gaze. She holds a BFA in Film and TV production from New York University and a certification in 35mm cinematography from Prague’s prestigious FAMU Institute.
Kia Damon - Culinary Producer
Kia Damon is a Florida born chef, writer, host, recipe tester and developer. Famously known for The Supper Club from Nowhere and her rise as an Executive Chef at the age of 24, She has become widely recognized as a culinary force and cultural influence. At the age of 25 she became Cherry Bombe’s first Culinary Director. Since leaving her post, she hosted Nike Athlete’s Cookbook Season 2 and founded Kia Feeds The People, a budding mutual aid effort focusing on food apartheid in Brooklyn. She has been named one of 16 Chefs Changing Black Food in America by The New York Times and Forbes 30 under 30 in Food and Beverage for 2021.