My name is JENDAYA, and I’m directing and producing a student short film called Exit Wound. This project has lived in my mind and soul for four years, shaped by my experiences and a desire to see more authentic representation on screen. Exit Wound isn’t autobiographical, but it’s deeply personal—it explores the tension between the lives we build and the people we’ve had to leave behind to build them. Influenced by powerful dramas and the lack of diverse stories in film, I feel a responsibility to use my voice and bring forward the kind of representation I want to see.

Exit Wound is a film about Black love, but not the kind that’s often romanticized. It’s about the messier, unspoken kind—the kind that comes with baggage, loyalty, regret, and trauma. The story asks: What happens when two people are victims of the same system, but only one gets out? Visually, I want the film to feel close, immediate, and emotionally raw, with the camera lingering in the space between words. This is not a spectacle—it’s a conversation with consequences.

Funds raised will help cover essential costs like securing locations, reimbursing our dedicated cast, and submitting the finished film to festivals. Filming begins in September, with post-production starting in January and distribution planned for late April. In a world where conversations about systemic inequity, criminalization, trauma, and survival are more urgent than ever, Exit Wound offers a deeply human portrait of the fallout. It interrogates the idea of “success” when not everyone starts from the same place—and what it costs to try and love someone still trapped behind the starting line. Your support will help bring this important story to life and share it with audiences who need to see it.