Before the Light Changes is my graduation short film. It follows two friends on a carefree European road trip whose lives are upended when war suddenly breaks out in their home country. In a single moment, they must decide: return to fight, or stay behind and be seen as deserters. The choice will define who they are—for themselves and for each other.

I’m a filmmaker from Georgia currently completing a Master’s in Film Directing at MetFilm School Berlin. I make films that invite audiences to look closer—at themselves, at the world around them, and at the silent moments that often go unnoticed. My work is less about answers and more about questions—about ambiguity, beauty, and the quiet truths we tend to overlook.

Coming from a country that has experienced war, I’ve seen how these kinds of choices—whether to leave, to return, to fight, or to stay—can haunt people for a lifetime. These aren’t ideological decisions; they’re deeply human ones, made in a split second, often without clarity or certainty.

This is not a war film. There are no guns, no soldiers, no battlefields. Instead, it is a story about the space between knowing and acting—the internal fracture that occurs when youth, freedom, and responsibility collide. The lake in the film becomes a threshold: a quiet witness to transformation, where nature reflects the characters' doubt, fear, and solitude.

To bring this story to life, we need support. All funds raised will go toward:

• Paying our professional actors fairly

• Covering location rental fees

• Transportation for cast, crew, and equipment

Even the smallest contribution makes a big difference. We would be forever grateful.

The project is produced by a fellow student Erika Narvaez.

Erika is a producer from Colombia currently completing an MA in Producing at MetFilm School Berlin. She has been working as an associate producer for the past 5 years, with experience in video, documentary, and branded content.