“The lights come at night. They move fast. When they’re gone, someone else has disappeared.” — Gianna, age 9
Know Your Lights is a short film about a curious nine-year-old in a Mexican-American Chicago neighborhood who believes mysterious lights are making her neighbors disappear. As she follows the clues, she discovers that the threat moving through her community is not supernatural, but terrifyingly real. Seen through her eyes, the film explores immigration, childhood, and the courage it takes to face a truth larger than yourself.
We’re real, and we’re close. We’re a Shore Scripts grant recipient, a 2026 Quarterfinalist for the Hollyshorts Screenplay contest, 2026 Best Script Awards (London) semifinalist, Semifinalist for the London Independent Film Festival, and fiscally sponsored by Chicago Filmmakers. Our team has cast and made work for A24, Neon, HBO, and directed for names you know. We shoot in Chicago this August, we just need the community to help us get the camera rolling!
Here’s exactly what your support does:
- Child casting & rehearsal for our young lead
- Production insurance & location permits
- Prop, costume, set design & sound rental for the shoot
- Feeding and paying the local crew who bring this block to life
- Getting us into post production: color grading, editing, mix.
- Film festival submissions and marketing
This is a film made for the community it’s about, and we want that community to feel like they made it. Every supporter’s name goes in the case file. Give what you can, share it further than you can give, and help us turn the lights on.
CAST:
CREW:
Follow along for more updates on production, and to learn more about what we're up to!
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