Help us make our indie feature film REBEL GIRL!

When the grandfather she never knew dies suddenly, headstrong 13-year-old Maisie and her artist dad Kurt leave their Brooklyn bubble to return to Kurt’s small-town Minnesotan childhood home– where Maisie will upend old family patterns, fall in love with a headstrong girl, and force her family to confront each other and themselves.

This film is a special one: made in true DIY indie spirit (and WGA and SAG approved), a labor of love that unites friends, family and an incredible cast (many of whom you know from TV and film), tells a heartfelt, funny, authentic dysfunctional-family story with a strong female protagonist and LGBTQ youth themes--and contributes to the revitalization of Minnesota’s incredible film scene.

We're gearing up to shoot this August, but we need your help to make it happen.

The film is a low-budget labor of love– and quite literally a family affair. Long-time (married) collaborators Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen are directing; we wrote the film with our dear friend of 20 years, Han Shan; and we are inviting our extraordinary 13-year-old daughter Sadie into the family business to star opposite her dad Erik. Han’s partner Heather (who’s got some serious chops) will also feature in the film among a cast of well-known TV and film actors, and Han has pulled in his longtime friends and collaborators, Emmy-nominated Minneapolis production company Rikshaw Films, who have incredible film and production infrastructure in the Twin Cities—all of which they’re sharing with us.

Our creative team has deep ties to Minnesota: Erik grew up in Detroit Lakes and Apple Valley, Jess went to college at Macalester and the U of M, and Han has produced multiple projects in MN with Rikshaw. We are working with MN State Film and TV and an all-Minnesota crew to help serve and build Minnesota’s burgeoning film industry–and raise its profile by telling a Minnesota story with a team that will give it a national platform.

That team’s got a long track record–Erik and Jess have been creative partners for more than 20 years, collaborating on award-winning, nationally known theater, film, and TV, and working as directors, producers and actors on 150+ TV & film sets. Han has produced documentary work around the world (including in conflict zones, the pressures of which make indie narrative features look like a vacation in comparison), we’re working with award-winning NYC indie producer Michael Cuomo, whose films have won SXSW, sold to Showtime and more–and we have a cast made up of nationally beloved TV and film actors.

Our start date is August 7 and we are in active prep–script locked (before the WGA strike!) storyboarding with our DP, talented and experienced crew lined up, most locations locked, and serious momentum. Because of the devotion of our collaborative team, we’ve secured a ton of what we need for free–high-end equipment, locations, soft prep–so what we’re able to put on the screen will be about twice the film’s actual cost. We're confident our little indie feature will earn serious buzz on the 2024 festival circuit (once the AMPTP makes a good deal!) and we're excited to push it out into the world from there.

Why are we reaching out for funding here, now?

We have a hard start date of August 7. Sadie–who plays our lead, Maisie–is at a magical age that only happens once in a lifetime. The film has other young actors as well, so we have to shoot outside the school year. Many of our well-known cast are only available this summer. Summer in Minnesota is irreplaceable, and our hero location–a gorgeous lake house–is only available to us in August.

It’s now or never.

We’ve secured partial funding through investors while prepping the film, have more pledged and in the works, and we’ve qualified for all the MN rebates for which we’re eligible–but we still have a gap.

Can you help us close that gap and make this magical film?

Any and all contributions are welcome. We are currently working to fill a $150,000 gap (but if we can secure more than that, we’ll be able to do some great things like extend the shoot for two days, fill out a kick-ass musical budget, and create more jobs on the ground in Minnesota).

ALSO! We need FREQUENT FLYER MILES. If you have spare miles you might be willing to donate, please reach out directly at [email redacted] -- miles are a HUGE help and just as good as money!

REWARDS AND CREDITS:

$500 and up: Special Thanks in the film’s credits

$1000 and up: Special Thanks and invitation to a screening of the film

$2500 and up: Special Thanks, invitation to a screening of the film and private reception with cast and creative team

$15,000: Special Thanks, invitation to a screening and private reception with cast and creative team, and Associate Producer credit on the film

If you are interested in contributing $25,000 or more, that is considered an investment eligible for Executive, Co-Executive, or Co- producer credit, return of your investment, a premium, and profit participation. If you’re interested in investing in the film, please reach out directly to us to discuss.