Help Cade Verrico Bring Preoccupation to Life

Help Me Bring Preoccupation to Life — A Raw, Queer Love Story

Hi, I’m Cade Verrico — a queer filmmaker, and I’m raising funds to make my most personal film yet: Preoccupation.

This story was born from experience. In the queer dating world, love can get tangled in a complicated mix of validation, imbalance, and silent heartbreak. I’ve lived through the kind of relationships where one person loves harder, holds on tighter, and loses themselves trying to be enough. Preoccupation is a reflection of that reality — when love becomes obsessive, when hope turns into desperation, and when someone disappears into a relationship that can’t hold them.

This is not a fairytale. It’s messy, emotional, and real — because sometimes that’s the truth of queer love.

Through the character of Teddy, I was finally able to explore the emotions I’ve struggled to name: longing, denial, heartbreak, and the quiet fear of not being enough. This film is my way of giving shape to those feelings — and hopefully giving voice to others who have carried them too.

Why I Need Your Help:

To bring Preoccupation to life with the care and honesty it deserves, I’m raising funds to support:

• Equipment rentals

• Paying a talented (and majority queer) cast

• Set design, costumes, and lighting( includes locations)

• Post-production (editing, sound, color)

• Film festival submissions to share this story with wider audiences

How You Can Help:

Even small donations make a huge impact. Every dollar gets me closer to creating a film that speaks to the quieter, more painful sides of love that often go unseen — especially in queer stories.

If you’ve ever felt unseen in a relationship… or if you believe in the power of queer voices telling unfiltered, honest stories — I would be so deeply grateful for your support.

Thank you for helping me tell this story.

Let’s make Preoccupation real — and remind people that their heartbreak deserves to be seen too.

With love,

Cade Verrico