Trans-Led Indie film MONICA - Publicity Funds
Donation protected
Hi and thanks for taking the time! My name is Trace Lysette and I am attempting to give this indie project the love and fair chance it deserves by raising money for a publicist. As a working actor who is still waiting for her “big break,” it is very hard to play the publicity game in Hollywood.
I’d like to start by telling you a little about my work. While this is a family story, it centers on a trans woman. The entire film is shot through her lens, which is so very rare. This is a film that I believe will humanize trans people. There are no preachy moments, no glitz, no shiny veneer, just a raw story of a family and a woman who is in desperate need to reconnect. I had the absolute honor of bringing the character of MONICA to life in the swampy Cincinnati summer heat in 2021. A full circle moment for me being that I grew up in Dayton just 45 minutes north. I initially auditioned for this role in early 2017, and later came on as an Executive Producer as well. It’s been nothing short of a slow boil getting this film out to the world.
Last September we premiered at Venice Film Festival to some amazing reviews, a nearly 12-minute standing ovation, and settled at 90% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Additionally, a group of 40 young filmmakers aged 18-26, a sidebar to the official jury, voted our film Best Picture!
Once Venice came to a close, the hunt for distribution began. Unfortunately, we did not find US distribution in time to release last year. As most of us know, publicity is crucial for a small film to even be noticed amongst the giant studio films and the big money we are up against. But the good news is we now have distribution and are set for a 2023 release!
The ask:
Industry insiders know that every article, interview, and magazine cover happens because you have someone in your corner pitching you to prestigious outlets in the hopes that you will get to talk about your work. So in other words… pouring yourself into a passion project like MONICA is only half of the battle. A good publicist will cost you 5 to 6k per month. And most have a minimum commitment of a certain number of months. It’s been recommended to me to try and secure six months. I can cover two myself and I’m asking friends and supporters to help me secure the other months so that this film, this trans story, and our work can have a fair shot.
Any contributions you can make would be greatly appreciated. Even a simple share will help so much.
Thank you for the love and support,
-T
**In the event that I exceed my goal I will put 100% of excess donations towards additional months to fill out the year.**
Trailer, interviews, and reviews about our film below :
Organizer
Trace Lysette
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
