Thumper follows Elijah and Dimitri, two men living together in an old farmhouse tucked deep in rural New Hampshire. Their lives are built on routine, lifting weights, tending to the cows, and sharing quiet meals. They move around each other with a familiarity that suggests care, but also unease. Little is spoken outright, yet everything between them is charged.

Elijah is younger, physically driven, and searching for something he can’t name. Dimitri, older and more set in his ways, watches over their home with a mix of pride and fear. The two depend on each other, but neither can articulate what holds them together. Their silence becomes its own language. One made of gestures, rituals, and a tension that slowly pushes the limits of their fragile bond.

As a storm approaches, their routines begin to fracture. Small moments begin to expose the power dynamics underneath their daily life. The story unfolds not through big dramatic events but through the subtle unraveling of a relationship that’s never been clearly defined.

Thumper is about intimacy that doesn’t quite have a name, the comfort and risk of isolation, and the quiet ways two people can both rely on and unsettle each other. It’s a slow burn, inviting the viewer into a world where everything unsaid matters the most.

Current Status

We already have the majority of our budget secured through personal investment, small grants, and in-kind support. We’re turning to crowdfunding now to close the final gap. The money we raise here will go directly toward:

• Crew & Cast Pay: Making sure everyone on set is compensated fairly for their labor.
• Lodging & Travel: Housing our cast and crew safely in rural New Hampshire for the duration of the shoot.
• Food: Feeding everyone well throughout production so we can maintain a healthy and humane working environment.
• Post Production: Finishing the world of Thumper with the proper post production process, i.e. sound, color, and festival submission fees. 

Every dollar goes toward the tangible materials that make the shoot possible. Just what the film truly needs to be made with integrity.

We are scheduled to film in January 2026, and all funds raised will be used immediately for the production. This campaign is the last essential piece that allows us to move forward fully prepared, fully supported, and fully resourced.

Thank you for helping us bring Thumper to life. Your support directly sustains the artists behind this film and helps create a safe, fair, and intentional production environment.

The Cast

Dimitri: BOB LAINE is an actor, poet, and playwright whose work spans more than two decades across New York’s independent theater and film communities. He began his career performing original material with several Chicago-based experimental performance groups while simultaneously working the early Poetry Slam circuit, where he became known for his sharp, emotionally driven work. His plays—including What’s That Buzz?, Cocaine Faggot, and Inventions—reflect his distinct blend of humor, vulnerability, and lyrical intensity. On screen, Bob has appeared in a range of independent projects such as The Moose Head Over the Mantel and Blood Daughter, bringing to each role a grounded presence and a deep understanding of character. His multidisciplinary background continues to shape his approach to performance, allowing him to embody complex, layered roles with subtlety and precision.

Elijah: GILLES GEARY graduated from The Juilliard School of Drama in 2017. He has since appeared in The Path for Hulu and starred in two Netflix series, The I-land and Archive 81. His film work includes the features Echo Boomers, Storm Rider: The Legend of Hammerhead, and Magic Hour. He made his New York City stage debut in Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen at the Atlantic Theatre in 2018. He starred in Terry Kinney’s production of Sam Shepard’s Curse of The Starving Class at the Signature Theatre in 2019, and Brooklyn Center for Theater Research’s production of The Jag in 2025. Gilles made his London West End debut in December 2023 in Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Gilles founded his film company Spokane Films that same year and wrote and directed his first short film ‘The Recreant’, which has won several awards. Most recently, Gilles was an Artist in Residence for writing at Fiskars AiR in Finland. He is currently associate producing the feature film “Iron Dan” with Back40 Productions and is thrilled to be producing THUMPER alongside Birthday Cat Productions. 

Aster: SOPHIA ENGLESBERG is an actor and producer based in New York City. She holds a BFA in acting from Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, and has trained at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Theater: Zoomers and Denmark by Matthew Gasda at The Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research. Film: Transactions directed by Clara Nevins, and HAGS directed by Chloe Gottlieb and Duncan Miller. Producing credits include: Invasive Species (Off-Broadway) by Maia Novi, Revolution by Brett Neveu at The Flea, The Jag by Robin Schavoir, A Doll House directed by John Gould Rubin, There are No Diving Pools in Hell by Aliza Jane Cosgrove, and Zoomers at The Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research. Sophia hosts a developmental reading series for new screenplays called ‘Flight Club’ monthly in New York City.