In the original Greek myth, Echo is a wood nymph cursed by Hera, so the only words she can speak are repetitions of the last words spoken by others. She falls in love with Narcissus, a young man renowned for his beauty. When Echo attempts to embrace him, he rejects her, and she dies of heartbreak. Narcissus is cursed, falls in love with his reflection, and wastes away.

I transform the wood nymph Echo into Eko, a black trans fem collage artist who has forsworn men and dating to focus on her artistic career. The self-obsessed youth Narcissus has become Nars, a black football player meets Greek statue come to life. He's a social media influencer, a personal trainer, a model, a CEO?, and a playboy.

Eko is hosting a toga party-themed gallery show to impress a celebrity gallerist. If Eko can impress her, this will take her career to the next level and get her work seen in front of millionaires. Eko's art centers around her experience as a black, fat, trans person in a city that worships a beauty ideal she will never reach. Love feels impossible. She feels invisible in the dating market. To make dating worse, Eko has a speech impediment. When she likes a man romantically, she loses her voice and begins to echo him. Embarrassed, Eko has sworn off men in person and prefers to fantasize about men online. Eko's current muse and obsession is Nars, the human embodiment of a Greek sculpture that was a social media influencer.

Eko has prepared a speech to impress the gallerist and is ready to give it, only when the gallerist arrives- so does Nars. Eko's voice is now gone.

How is she going to impress the gallerist?

Can she focus on her career goals, or will her desire for Nars be too much to resist when they are face to face?

Eko isn't the only one battling her desires. Nars is battling between the societal image of what a black man should be like and the reality of who he wants to be. As fantasy and reality blur, two desires battle inside Eko and Nars, which will be reflected onto the surface.

The look and feel of this short film is like a baroque painting come to life—warm light with vivid colors and deep, rich shadows. The chiaroscuro lighting will evoke the fear and desire that both Eko and Nars feel as they navigate the differences between their public and private desires. Every shot will be staged like a painting filled with depth and a deeper meaning. Several fantasy scenes that reveal the emotion and desire hiding beneath the surface are interspersed within the film.

Visual inspiration:

Dramatic Lighting from Noir Films

Surrealism from David Lynch

Beautiful Black skin tones from Barry Jenkins

The first reason is that Hollywood leaves billions on the floor by not telling diverse stories. I plan on servicing my community with empowering, beautiful, and fun art. It's 2024, and there's no excuse not to tell stories from different points of view. People are desperate to see themselves reflected in them. There is so much beauty in the diversity of body types; we should celebrate it through cinema.

The second reason is that there are people who want to erase black and trans narratives from existence. They want to ban our books from libraries and remove any mention of us from lesson plans. We must resist this every way we can; art is one of the best ways to fight back. We need to create so many narratives around black and trans joy to let everyone know that we aren't going anywhere. We are loved and supported by the communities of which we are a part.

Growing up, I never saw anyone like me loving or being loved seriously. Fat people are often seen as a romantic joke. And trans people are desired in secret but not in public. I felt it was important to showcase not only the impact this has on millions of people like myself but also what it means to reclaim your power unapologetically. Black fat, trans femmes are not seen as romantic leads, so I wanted to create that space visually. To inspire my community

I have wanted to tell stories since I was a child. This film reflects my own experiences with love and dating in Los Angeles. Desire affects everyone, and it's a story I am passionate about. This is only the first of many stories that I will tell. I fully expect to be on stage accepting an Oscar in the future, but that all starts today with you.

Your voice matters. You know that honest, authentic, and fun portrayals of life make the world a better place for everyone. It starts with your choice to build the world you want to see in the future. We all have more power than we know, and we can show Hollywood and everyone else that our stories matter, no matter how big or small. Your donation is appreciated, and no amount is too small. You are planting a seed in a creative garden that will flourish for generations. Never forget that mighty oaks start as tiny seeds. The $10, $15, and $25 or more you donate today will grow into an artistic career that inspires black and trans people to shine their brightest.

With your support, this film can enter pre-production. I can begin hiring crew and looking for the perfect Eko and Nars to bring my vision to life.

Filming will take place in December 2025. The film will be edited in the spring and ready to tour festivals by late summer or fall. I aim to use this film as my directing reel and apply to the Sundance Directors Fellowship.

$25k is the absolute minimum I need to shoot this film.

With $50k, I can increase the production value by adding key crew members, renting better equipment, and increasing everyone's day rates.

With $75k, I can cover the cost of applying and attending festivals. As a first-time filmmaker, I must participate in person to connect with other film lovers and support each other. There is not often that black queer people get to be in these spaces, so black and trans people must take up space in places like Tribeca, Cannes, SouthbySouthwest, etc.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. With your donation, I can bring my Queer Fantasy Film to life. You can also support this film by sharing this with anyone interested in Greek Mythology, queer romance, art history, and black lives. I thought they mattered!

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