My name is Antonio Cota, and I’m a filmmaker from Tucson, Arizona.

Twenty percent of all funds raised will go to the Cesar Chavez Foundation. This helps support working families and the Latino community.

My film, Song for the Dead, comes from family. It grows out of the quiet, the music, and the spirit of the Chicano experience that too often goes unseen. The film will run about thirty minutes, but for me, it carries a lifetime of meaning.

I’m creating something I rarely saw growing up in the movie theater. A film that reflects us, our voices, our struggle, and our beauty. Chicano stories don’t often make it to the screen, but when I share this project, people lean in. They tell me it feels real, like something that belongs to all of us.

Recently, SAG actors have reached out, wanting to be part of this film. That kind of faith moves me. But to truly make it happen, I need help.

I’m asking for $10,000, or even $5,000, to bring this vision to life. Every dollar will go toward creating something honest and meaningful. It will pay the artists who believe in it, support the crew who stand in the desert sun with me, and help tell the story that deserves to be told.

This project is more than a film. It is proof that Chicano cinema is alive and that our stories matter.

All updates and financial details will be shared openly with donors.

Thank you for reading this and for believing in something small that could become something unforgettable.

Antonio Cota

Filmmaker | Tucson, AZ

Song for the Dead