Help get Riz to Palm Springs ShortFest in California!
Donation protected
Hello! I'm Riz - thanks so much in advance for reading!
I'm raising funds to help get me to a Palm Springs Shortfest in California. My film has been selected to screen in their 2025 programme, taking place in late June.
I wrote A Loud Piece of Armour the day after the tragic disappearance of Sarah Everard in 2021. I realised I was on my evening run in the exact spot Sarah was abducted, just 10 minutes before it happened.
This script draws on my immediate response that day: the fear I felt, and the questions I asked myself: Could that have been me? And if it was, could I have screamed for help?
I then went around London on a strange mission: to see if I still had a gutteral scream in me. I obviously struggled to find a private corner in London to practise screaming (and encountered lots of awkwards looks) but when I managed it, I felt POWER. I know having a strong scream may not save my life, but I felt a sense of ownership and relief in knowing it's there and it's in my disposal.
And being a typical screenwriter, I of course then went home, opened Final Draft and turned it into my first ever short film.
A short synopsis:
A Loud Piece of Armour is a simple, stripped-down story about the measures women take to feel safe on the streets. It begins after news of a woman's abduction hits London. Holly - our protagonist - has a disturbing realisation: she can't remember the last time she screamed. She notices how easily it comes to her seven-year-old daughter. She remembers that she, too, found it easy once upon a time. Holly is determined to find out if she can still scream, but finding somewhere in London to unleash a blood-curdling cry proves to be quite awkward. And even if she does, will it come to her rescue?
The Team:
Director: Molly Burdett
Writer: Riz Moritz
DOP: Robbie Ryan
Cast: Jo Hartley, Sheyi Cole, Kayla Meikle, Jerome Lance, Mia Millichamp-Long
From writing the script, to getting the most impressive team on board to make it, it's so surreal that it's now been selected to screen at such a prestigious festival.
But as a working-class filmmaker, I've hit a familiar barrier: the cost.
This industry is incredibly tough for working-class creatives, and I would hate for the financial struggles I face to stop me from experiencing these rare occasions to celebrate my work.
Getting to this festival would mean the world to me - not just to celebrate the film, but to meet fellow filmmakers, network with key industry voices, and open doors for future work.
I know it’s a big ask to help send me to sunny California - but the professional opportunities this festival presents are rare, and could genuinely change the trajectory of my career.
If you’re able to contribute anything towards flights, accommodation, or even just sharing this campaign to those who can, I’d be so deeply grateful.
Thanks for reading till the end!
Love,
Riz x