Weekend From Hell
New York City, New York | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
A Gen-Z horror comedy steeped in Catskills’ history, Weekend from Hell tackles gentrification and land back with a dark comedic flare, drawing from the iconic imagery and revolutionary spirit of the Anti-Rent War of 1839 - a rebellion that took land from greedy landlords and gave back to the people.
Weekend From Hell
New York City, New York | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
1 Campaigns |
Green Light
This campaign raised $11,500 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
57 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
A Gen-Z horror comedy steeped in Catskills’ history, Weekend from Hell tackles gentrification and land back with a dark comedic flare, drawing from the iconic imagery and revolutionary spirit of the Anti-Rent War of 1839 - a rebellion that took land from greedy landlords and gave back to the people.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Since the days of the so-called Borscht Belt, the Catskills have been a destination for New Yorkers looking to escape the big city. But what happens when the second-homers go home?
What skeletons live in the ghost towns they leave behind?
The Catskills are just one of the many places where we can observe, in real time, the culture clash that exists wherever tourism does: the rich city slickers versus the exploited and embittered locals.
Enter Weekend from Hell, a Gen-Z horror comedy short film set in the present day, influenced by real historical events. This story is personal to our team in many ways; one of us grew up alongside the abandoned hotels and buildings of the Catskills, going to a local post office with a mural depicting angry farmers protesting against their exploitative landlords, pictured here:
The towns we plan to film in are rife with remnants of the rich history of the Catskill Mountains featuring vast open spaces and beautiful mountain ranges... none of which our three main characters care much about; they just want a weekend getaway.
THE CHARACTERS
Weekend from Hell follows three annoying but (kind of?) lovable friends that we all know: Molly, Eli, and X.
Molly's your favorite millennial-core bestie. The mom friend who can't go anywhere without her iced coffee. Addicted to TJ Maxx and definitely pronounces Target "Tar-jay". Queer but unclockable... unless you look at her nails.
Next we have our resident semi-famous influencer "friend", Eli. The only thing he loves more than clout is himself. He may be an insufferable demon twink, but he'll make you laugh until your sides hurt.
Finally, you've probably seen them around Bushwick – it's X. Dressed in Realtree and REI, X is outdoorsy, adventurous, and naive. Honestly, if X had gone upstate by themselves, they might have been able to make it. Has taken a bunch of foraging tours in Prospect Park and will not let you forget it.
Like all of us Brooklynites, these three need to get out of the city for the summer and touch some grass (their words, not mine!). Unfortunately, the grass they decide to touch has a lot of history that they know nothing about. The signs are everywhere, but our trio is too self-involved to pick up on them.
Weekend from Hell is a story about violent delights and violent ends; it's a story about land and capital; and it's a story about your bitchiest friends from college.
Weekend from Hell will feel absurd, queer, nightmarish, and experimental. We'll be playing with found footage through the lens of social media and employing an array of sound and puppetry techniques to achieve our creatures. It'll feel disorienting and confusing as we immerse the viewer in our story. It's not just the characters who should feel scared – our audience should too.
We’re making Weekend from Hell for a lot of reasons. For one thing, we are a bunch of hungry creatives who, in a post-strike world, are desperate to make something. But more than that, Weekend from Hell feels both personal and prescient. It shares its roots with members of its creative team, and addresses issues that are incredibly relevant to the world today.
Spread the word about our campaign! Share our campaign with your friends and family on social media, or tell them about it directly. Every like, share, and conversation brings us closer to our goals. We're in pre-production right now, planning on shooting in the beginning of September. If you can help now, then, or later on in post-production, let us know. Thank you!
You can follow the film’s progress on Instagram:
@weekendfromhell.mov
Our sizzle features clips from the following sources: The Cabin in the Woods, Bodies Bodies Bodies, You're Next, American Horror Story, The Purge, The Blair Witch Project, Sissy, Yellowjackets, and Tiktok.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Meals
Costs $4,000
We’ll need to feed our cast and crew during 5 days of production. Fed workers = happy workers. Help buy us lunch! And dinner!
Cast and Crew
Costs $3,000
Help us pay our talented actors, cinematographer, sound team, hair and makeup, production assistants, and more.
Sound and Lighting Equipment
Costs $3,500
We have access to some high quality camera equipment, and we need sound and lighting equipment to match. Help us out with gear rental!
Transportation
Costs $500
This will cover the cost of gas, bus tickets, rental cars, and other modes of transportation during production.
Props and set dressing
Costs $500
Help us transform our cabin into an Airbnb with “live, laugh, love” prints and an etsy-esque sign-in book with classic millennial charm.
Share this update!
About This Team
Alana Liu Moskowitz – Writer, Co-Director
Alana Liu Moskowitz (she/they) is a queer writer/director based in Brooklyn, NY. Inspired by their multi-cultural background, various places they've called home (from rural Upstate NY to sunny Los Angeles), and the caustic nihilism inherent to all Gen-Z, Alana is drawn to stories about social issues, friendship, and its counterpart — loneliness. Alana recently served as a WA on Star Wars: The Acolyte and a staff writer on Angry Birds: Mystery Island. They are repped by Alison Mann and Claire Jennings at Fourth Wall Management.
Mia Shmariahu – Co-Director, Editor
Mia Shmariahu (she/they) is a filmmaker and editor currently living in Brooklyn, NY. After directing and producing an award-winning student short film in 2019, she took a break to pursue and develop her editing skills. In the past five years, Mia has edited hundreds of videos for different artists and brands, including Macy's, reacHIRE, and The Friends Experience. With a BA in Psychology and Communications, Mia approaches filmmaking from a human-first perspective, prioritizing stories that address social issues and interpersonal relationships. IG: miashmariahu
Michael J Poyntz – Producer, Assistant Director
Michael J Poyntz (he/him) is a Harlem-based actor/producer of film and live events. His most recent film, Nice Knives, premiered at the Big Apple Film Festival in May 2024. Michael has worked on films that have screened at HollyShorts Film Festival, Berkshire International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Long Island International Film Expo, Lonely Seal International Film Festival, Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival, Mott Haven Film Festival, Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, Montauk Film Festival, among others. Film credits include BREAK/FIX (Amanda Pinto), Nice Knives (Connor Copeland), to have and to hold (Daniel Gaymon), It Is A Dog (Eli Shapiro), and many others. Theatre credits include Singin' In the Rain (Ogunquit Playhouse), YOUR OWN THING (Red Bull Theatre), The Puppet Master (LaMaMa), A Part of Out Lives (HB Studio), Dead Man Walking (Chain Theatre), The Haves (IRT). Michael coordinates and produces live events for YouTube, Comcast, WB-Discovery, Duolingo, TIME, 2nd Stage, and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. He currently is the leading event producer for Fooji, helping brands ideate and execute small activations to reach their and grow their fanbase. His band, Postcards., is releasing an EP later this year. IG: Mikejpoyntz Web: michaeljpoyntz.com
Makenna Masenheimer – Producer
Makenna Masenheimer (she/they) is a Brooklyn-based director and producer of theatre and film. Their New York theatre credits include Othello (New Place Players), His is a Cage (Columbia University), Gloria, 365 Days/365 Plays, Fifth Planet, Rodger & Vanessa (ASDS). Film credits include Outen the Light (GirlSoup) Oranges (Alaina Huffman) and Little Boy (Malik Yoba). They were a 2023 SDC Professional Development Directing shadow.
Sabeena Singhani – Producer
Sabeena Singhani is a multimedia artist and producer.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Since the days of the so-called Borscht Belt, the Catskills have been a destination for New Yorkers looking to escape the big city. But what happens when the second-homers go home?
What skeletons live in the ghost towns they leave behind?
The Catskills are just one of the many places where we can observe, in real time, the culture clash that exists wherever tourism does: the rich city slickers versus the exploited and embittered locals.
Enter Weekend from Hell, a Gen-Z horror comedy short film set in the present day, influenced by real historical events. This story is personal to our team in many ways; one of us grew up alongside the abandoned hotels and buildings of the Catskills, going to a local post office with a mural depicting angry farmers protesting against their exploitative landlords, pictured here:
The towns we plan to film in are rife with remnants of the rich history of the Catskill Mountains featuring vast open spaces and beautiful mountain ranges... none of which our three main characters care much about; they just want a weekend getaway.
THE CHARACTERS
Weekend from Hell follows three annoying but (kind of?) lovable friends that we all know: Molly, Eli, and X.
Molly's your favorite millennial-core bestie. The mom friend who can't go anywhere without her iced coffee. Addicted to TJ Maxx and definitely pronounces Target "Tar-jay". Queer but unclockable... unless you look at her nails.
Next we have our resident semi-famous influencer "friend", Eli. The only thing he loves more than clout is himself. He may be an insufferable demon twink, but he'll make you laugh until your sides hurt.
Finally, you've probably seen them around Bushwick – it's X. Dressed in Realtree and REI, X is outdoorsy, adventurous, and naive. Honestly, if X had gone upstate by themselves, they might have been able to make it. Has taken a bunch of foraging tours in Prospect Park and will not let you forget it.
Like all of us Brooklynites, these three need to get out of the city for the summer and touch some grass (their words, not mine!). Unfortunately, the grass they decide to touch has a lot of history that they know nothing about. The signs are everywhere, but our trio is too self-involved to pick up on them.
Weekend from Hell is a story about violent delights and violent ends; it's a story about land and capital; and it's a story about your bitchiest friends from college.
Weekend from Hell will feel absurd, queer, nightmarish, and experimental. We'll be playing with found footage through the lens of social media and employing an array of sound and puppetry techniques to achieve our creatures. It'll feel disorienting and confusing as we immerse the viewer in our story. It's not just the characters who should feel scared – our audience should too.
We’re making Weekend from Hell for a lot of reasons. For one thing, we are a bunch of hungry creatives who, in a post-strike world, are desperate to make something. But more than that, Weekend from Hell feels both personal and prescient. It shares its roots with members of its creative team, and addresses issues that are incredibly relevant to the world today.
Spread the word about our campaign! Share our campaign with your friends and family on social media, or tell them about it directly. Every like, share, and conversation brings us closer to our goals. We're in pre-production right now, planning on shooting in the beginning of September. If you can help now, then, or later on in post-production, let us know. Thank you!
You can follow the film’s progress on Instagram:
@weekendfromhell.mov
Our sizzle features clips from the following sources: The Cabin in the Woods, Bodies Bodies Bodies, You're Next, American Horror Story, The Purge, The Blair Witch Project, Sissy, Yellowjackets, and Tiktok.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Meals
Costs $4,000
We’ll need to feed our cast and crew during 5 days of production. Fed workers = happy workers. Help buy us lunch! And dinner!
Cast and Crew
Costs $3,000
Help us pay our talented actors, cinematographer, sound team, hair and makeup, production assistants, and more.
Sound and Lighting Equipment
Costs $3,500
We have access to some high quality camera equipment, and we need sound and lighting equipment to match. Help us out with gear rental!
Transportation
Costs $500
This will cover the cost of gas, bus tickets, rental cars, and other modes of transportation during production.
Props and set dressing
Costs $500
Help us transform our cabin into an Airbnb with “live, laugh, love” prints and an etsy-esque sign-in book with classic millennial charm.
Share this update!
About This Team
Alana Liu Moskowitz – Writer, Co-Director
Alana Liu Moskowitz (she/they) is a queer writer/director based in Brooklyn, NY. Inspired by their multi-cultural background, various places they've called home (from rural Upstate NY to sunny Los Angeles), and the caustic nihilism inherent to all Gen-Z, Alana is drawn to stories about social issues, friendship, and its counterpart — loneliness. Alana recently served as a WA on Star Wars: The Acolyte and a staff writer on Angry Birds: Mystery Island. They are repped by Alison Mann and Claire Jennings at Fourth Wall Management.
Mia Shmariahu – Co-Director, Editor
Mia Shmariahu (she/they) is a filmmaker and editor currently living in Brooklyn, NY. After directing and producing an award-winning student short film in 2019, she took a break to pursue and develop her editing skills. In the past five years, Mia has edited hundreds of videos for different artists and brands, including Macy's, reacHIRE, and The Friends Experience. With a BA in Psychology and Communications, Mia approaches filmmaking from a human-first perspective, prioritizing stories that address social issues and interpersonal relationships. IG: miashmariahu
Michael J Poyntz – Producer, Assistant Director
Michael J Poyntz (he/him) is a Harlem-based actor/producer of film and live events. His most recent film, Nice Knives, premiered at the Big Apple Film Festival in May 2024. Michael has worked on films that have screened at HollyShorts Film Festival, Berkshire International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Long Island International Film Expo, Lonely Seal International Film Festival, Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival, Mott Haven Film Festival, Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, Montauk Film Festival, among others. Film credits include BREAK/FIX (Amanda Pinto), Nice Knives (Connor Copeland), to have and to hold (Daniel Gaymon), It Is A Dog (Eli Shapiro), and many others. Theatre credits include Singin' In the Rain (Ogunquit Playhouse), YOUR OWN THING (Red Bull Theatre), The Puppet Master (LaMaMa), A Part of Out Lives (HB Studio), Dead Man Walking (Chain Theatre), The Haves (IRT). Michael coordinates and produces live events for YouTube, Comcast, WB-Discovery, Duolingo, TIME, 2nd Stage, and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. He currently is the leading event producer for Fooji, helping brands ideate and execute small activations to reach their and grow their fanbase. His band, Postcards., is releasing an EP later this year. IG: Mikejpoyntz Web: michaeljpoyntz.com
Makenna Masenheimer – Producer
Makenna Masenheimer (she/they) is a Brooklyn-based director and producer of theatre and film. Their New York theatre credits include Othello (New Place Players), His is a Cage (Columbia University), Gloria, 365 Days/365 Plays, Fifth Planet, Rodger & Vanessa (ASDS). Film credits include Outen the Light (GirlSoup) Oranges (Alaina Huffman) and Little Boy (Malik Yoba). They were a 2023 SDC Professional Development Directing shadow.
Sabeena Singhani – Producer
Sabeena Singhani is a multimedia artist and producer.