Ballad of a Cicada: A Student Short Film

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Due to the extreme weather caused by Hurricane Helene and the changing of seasons, the Ballad of a Cicada shoot has been postponed. We have every intention to still get this film made! Your donations and the hard work of the cast/crew in pre-production will not go to waste. We will resume production when the green returns to the trees! Thank you for your understanding and patience <3

Before leaving home for whatever comes next, a girl walks back through memories of her hometown and her two childhood best friends, facing doubts about the solidity of it all.

Ballad of a Cicada is a short film made by Western Carolina University FTP students that is scheduled to film in September of 2024. It centers around the sacredness of feminine friendships, as well as the grief that comes with leaving childhood behind.

Director’s Statement:

This little movie is a love letter to my two childhood best friends. I was inspired by our final summer together before we parted ways to begin our adult lives. I wanted to capture the loss of the nostalgic hometown summer and the feeling of preparing to shed your childhood skin. Leaving home means your relationships change, both with the spaces and the people you’re leaving behind. When the threshold is approaching, what suddenly becomes significant that never was before?

What We Need:

We are hoping to raise $600 for Ballad of a Cicada to thrive!! The money will be distributed to pay for things like, feeding the cast and crew, locations, and production design. Our team is raising funds to make the filming process run smoothly and make Mallory's story come to life!

Additional funds will be used to submit to film festivals, because one of the best parts about making movies is sharing them with an audience!

What You Get:

Recognition of course! Everyone who donates to the film will be featured in the credits. We'll want to offer special thanks for your generosity.

Meet Our Team!

We are a team made up of Western Carolina University students! Our program and school as a whole cultivate an environment of collaboration that supports us as we work together to make so many amazing films and kickstart our careers in the entertainment industry.

Writer/Director - Mallory Jennette (she/they)

Mallory is approaching their second year in the Film & Television Production program. She has been involved in 13 projects so far at WCU, with roles ranging from Writer, to Boom Operator, all the way to 1st Assistant Director. She's directed several smaller class projects, but this will be her debut independent as a director/writer. They have a lot of love for this story and hope to create something that can connect with audiences in both big and small ways.

Director of Photography - Gabbi Flynn (she/her)

Gabbi is a junior in the FTP program at Western Carolina University. She’s had previous experience in many different roles while at WCU, and is excited to be DP for this film. She can’t wait to help bring this story to life!

Producer - Julia Dougherty (she/her)

Julia is a sophomore at WCU and the Producer of this project! She has been on a variety of films at WCU and loves to assistant direct student films. Julia also loves to support female centered projects and is so excited to be working through the logistics of Ballad of a Cicada!!

Cover Art by Ben Jennette