One Night is a personal student thesis film that aims to portray the quiet, disorienting reality of sexual assault and the lasting impact it leaves behind. This film intentionally avoids sensationalism, instead presenting the experience in a straightforward and honest way to reflect how quickly safety can turn into fear. The film follows Taylor, and the story explores themes of consent, trust, and the internal freezing that so many survivors experience. This film emphasizes the importance of fostering empathy, sparking conversation, and reminding survivors that they are not alone.

Logline:

Based on a true story, an inexperienced freshman college student starts fresh across the country to a big city, but a traumatic encounter with a close friend shatters her trust, forcing her to confront a harsh new reality about relationships.

Synopsis:

When a group of friends decides to go to a house party to celebrate the end of their first month, Taylor is eager to join the fun. The night begins with energy and laughter, filled with music and dancing, as everyone indulges in drinks and an enjoyable time. Taylor lets herself relax, surrounded by good friends, and for the first time in a long time, she believes she truly belongs.

As the evening unfolds, however, the atmosphere shifts. The drinks flow, and the lines between friendship and careless behavior blur. Taylor finds herself in the center of drunken actions, unaware that the true nature of her surroundings is about to change drastically. In a moment that will shatter Taylor's sense of safety, surrounded by laughter and loud music, she is approached by Austin, who crosses boundaries that Taylor never expected.

Directors Statement:

Victoria has established a community of people interested in supporting her development or work. She has recently started submitting some of her short films to film festivals around the East Coast. With unique access to the industry in a different part of the country, she will be able to gain a way to show and possibly sell her projects. While spending countless hours creating and writing stories, she continues to watch, learn, and understand the role of a director. The relationships she has gained through networking will aid her in having a trustworthy and hardworking crew for any project she may have. As a director, her knowledge of the entire filmmaking process will be a great strength. After her first film has been released and received positive feedback, she will be confident and in a strong position to continue her goal of being a successful director. Her main goal is to help people through storytelling.

How You Can Help:

1. Donations made through GoFundMe will go towards multiple things, such as food, art direction, costumes, actors, and more.

2. If you are unable to donate, we would still love your support in other ways, such as food donations or help with transportation.

3. Share our fundraiser and Instagram to help us grow our One Night community!

Meet the crew:

Victoria Raczkowski: Originally from Detroit, Victoria Raczkowski (Tori!) is a director currently studying Film and Media Arts at Temple University with a minor in Journalism. Her work explores themes of identity, self-image, and personal growth, often focusing on character-driven stories inspired by real-life experiences. She has written and directed several short films, including Mirrorless, Self Image, and Unknown, with screenings at Temple University’s Women’s Film Festival and Diamond Screen Film Festival. Victoria has gained hands-on industry experience through production and development internships at Mike Tollin Productions and Vanishing Angle, contributing to research, pitch development, and on-set production support. In addition to directing, she has worked as a camera operator for Temple’s student-run television program (TUTV) and collaborated closely with fellow student filmmakers. Victoria is passionate about creating meaningful, visually compelling films that resonate with audiences. After graduation, she plans to move to Los Angeles, California to work hands-on in the film industry and continue building her career in entertainment.

Morgan Weir: Morgan Weir is a producer from the Pittsburgh area who moved to Philadelphia to study Film and Media Arts with a Producing concentration and a minor in Event and Entertainment Management at Temple University. She is passionate about telling stories that amplify underrepresented voices and highlight the power of individual narratives and relationships. Her work has been featured in festivals including the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival and Temple University’s Diamond and Women’s festivals. She recently gained experience in the Los Angeles film industry as a creative intern for a commercial and documentary production company. Morgan plans to continue building her producing career on the West Coast.

Angelo Ferraro: Angelo Ferraro is a 23 year old Maryland-born cinematographer currently based in Philadelphia. He studied his craft at Temple University, earning a degree in Film and Media Art with a concentration in cinematography. His work is rooted in exploring personal, character driven stories in both narrative and documentary formats, utilizing a style that blends the expressive nature of human emotions with the grounded conditions of reality. He has a priority of expressing the director’s vision in the most authentic and unapologetic way possible, putting an emphasis on exploring how every individual uniquely visualizes their story. Outside of documentary and narrative works, Angelo has a fondness for commercials and music videos, seeing them as an opportunity to create visual expression that can be unfiltered and experimental. He is currently working as freelance cinematographer, photographer, colorist and editor across the Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey area.

Eamon Hoye: Eamon Hoye is a 23-year-old video editor and collaborator from Silver Spring, Maryland, currently living in Philadelphia, where he is in my senior year at Temple University majoring in Film and Media Arts with a concentration in postproduction. He is working on a few projects this year that he's excited to present. He will be looking to work in postproduction after graduation and is excited to be working on this project.