Help Marie's 'Escape from Flat Earth' Black Queerdo Comedy

Hi, I'm Marie Alarcon and I am a professor of Film and Digital Arts in New Mexico and a lifelong queerdo. And I want to tell you about a movie I am making that needs your support.

For the past 18 years I have dedicated my life to documentary filmmaking and community media. I have supported countless people telling their stories on their own terms. From immigrants facing detention, to neighbors resisting gentrification, to autobiographical pieces about environmental racism, and identity. I am so lucky to have spent my career documenting and pushing the boundaries of realness.

Which brings me to my newest project, my first ever narrative short film!

For the first time I will be bringing a story that I dreamed up to the screen with actors, and costumes and sets. Please welcome, "Escape from Flat Earth."

Let me tell you a little bit about the project.

In Escape from Flat Earth, three adult siblings in the desert face adversity with grace and wry hilarity. This 8-minute film features experiences that are rarely seen on screen but highly relatable: Queer siblings raising each other, a rich array of genuine Blerds, and an unfortunate encounter with a Hotep. All of this set in the pastel sun-drenched background of Northern New Mexico and laden with original artwork and sculpture.

In order to make this film I have received an immense amount of generosity with talented Chichi Castillo volunteering as Assistant Director and my genius brother Manny Alarcon agreeing to direct photography pro bono. I have locations secured cost free, and a host of friends donating their time. But the one thing I do not have enough of is MONEY.

At the very least i need to insure said equipment and lights, to feed and transport cast and crew, for art direction, editing and color correction and to pay the amazing actors.

That adds up to $25,000.

That's alot of money! But not too much if everyone who watched this video donated $5 to $500, or passed it along to a friend with more. Maybe even to a patron of Black arts?

If you can make a contribution I will feature your name as a producer in the film's credits.

If you can contribute $1,000 or more I will list you as executive producer.

I believe that this film is needed. At film festivals and basement screenings around the world. In college classrooms and queer study groups. For its laughs, its craft, and its intimate look at belonging and siblinghood in our (certainly round) world.