Support our indie dance film “Loser”, an Innovate selection

Hello!

We are excited to share with you our film’s pitch acceptance to Innovate Dance Film Showcase 2025. The three of us have come together not only as best friends, but as a creative team to produce, direct and choreograph a film that is very personal to us. As a part of our filmmaking process, we discovered that we need additional funding to make our vision possible. We would greatly appreciate any contribution that you can provide to help us bring to life this short dance film that we are so passionate about.

- Melody Safavi, Shantel G Ramos & Rachael Withers

Why This Film

This film came to fruition when we spent many days and nights laughing, crying and leaning on each other for support when we needed it the most. At its core, the film transforms our shared experiences with intimate feelings of loss and human connection into art. It’s a satirical take on the often unspoken weight women carry in relationships; the emotional labor and the compromise between desire and true fulfillment. Through movement, we aim to embody the complexity of internal conflict, and the empowerment that comes from choosing yourself fully and unapologetically.

The Story

In a surreal, subliminal office, four disillusioned women sever ties with their counterpart “losers” - transforming heartbreak into acts of bizarre liberation.

Team Highlights

This is Rachael’s second short dance film, building on the success of her first Innovate selection; longing/belonging, which is now making its way through the short film circuit. It also marks the directorial debuts of Shantel and Melody, who will be taking their vast experience as choreographers and transmitting that into these new roles. We’re lucky to have Erin Purghart on board as our lead producer, and Saar Taneja as Director of Cinematography. Their most recent short drama, DTF is currently up for nine Leo Awards.

Our Unique Vision

How Your Donation Can Help

We need your help! As emerging artists, we are only able to self-fund 50% of this project. We look to our community for support in completing financing. A donation of any size would greatly impact our ability to produce the film that we have envisioned. These are examples of what your contribution would be going towards:

Additionally, we hope to raise enough funding to provide some of our key crew members with an honorarium for their time and efforts. As this is a volunteer project with an award-winning crew on board, we hope to be able to pay them a portion of what they deserve.

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