Hi everyone,

My name is Maria Fernanda, and I’m a filmmaker currently completing my Master’s degree in Screen Arts. I’m reaching out for support to help bring my final thesis project to life – a deeply personal and powerful short film titled Outlier - Beneath the Surface.

The Story

Outlier / Beneath the Surface is a 10-minute drama that follows Mia, a highly gifted teenage girl with an IQ of 160 – a fact that has gone undiagnosed for most of her life. Struggling at school and socially isolated, Mia is often misunderstood by her peers and teachers, labeled as difficult or strange rather than recognized for her exceptional mind.

Everything changes when she unexpectedly cracks a complex code connected to her father’s work – a moment that not only reveals her rare intelligence, but also forces the adults around her to see her in a new light. She’s soon offered a place at a prestigious boarding school for highly gifted students.

While this opportunity opens doors, it also creates emotional turmoil. Her father, who has always been her closest confidant, now faces the painful reality of letting her go so she can grow. Caught between loyalty to her and the chance for her to finally belong, The Dad must navigate the tension between her freedom and excitement about her new life and attachment to her.

The film explores the complex bond between a gifted child and a parent who wants what’s best, even when it means letting go. It’s a quiet, emotional story about finding belonging, facing change, and the hidden costs of brilliance.

OUTLIER -

Noun: A person or thing differing from all other members of a particular

group or set.

This is a story about the silent battles of growing up “different,” about emotional connection, and about how true intelligence goes far beyond numbers.

Why We Need Your Support

As a student project, we’re working with a very limited budget – but we want to tell this story with the care, quality, and authenticity it deserves. Your donations will help cover essential production costs such as:

• Extra Equipment rental (camera, lights, sound)

• Locations and set design

• Costumes and props

• Transportation & catering for cast and crew

Every contribution, no matter the size, will bring us closer to sharing this story with the world. If you can’t donate, sharing this campaign with your friends and networks is just as powerful. Every contribution will appear in the Credits so please make sure to write your name with it :) <3

Let’s make something beautiful together.

Thank you so much for believing in this story and in independent filmmaking and supporting my Masters Project. I can’t wait to share the finished film with you.

With gratitude and love,

Maria Fernanda

Writer, Producer and Director of Outlier - Beneath the Surface