Romans 1:26 (a Sapphic Short)

Hi y'all, my name is Lindsay Kramer. I am twenty-one years old, and I am the director/writer of Romans 1:26. I grew up in a small, conservative town West Bend, Wisconsin where for the longest time, I didn't feel safe to be gay. My mission is to provide the LGBTQ+ community with positive representation because WE DESERVE BETTER!!!

My family isn't a very religious one, even so, I grew up in the Catholic church. I attended church school every Sunday and I got to experience firsthand the brainwashing the church puts you through starting at a very young age. If you're a homosexual, you're made to think that all that waits for you after death is hellfire and chains. The only way to protect your soul from this gruesome fate is to swear to a life of chastity and recognize that you have an "intrinsic disorder".

This thought process is something I struggled with for a long time and finally came to a head at my confirmation retreat when I was seventeen. My priest started acting like he was a doctor/psychologist and that he had all the answers regarding gender and sexuality and then called being gay a “disorder”. But then, later on, I went to confession and got a different answer from another priest who assured me that who I am didn’t mean I was going to be damned to hell. And that’s the thing with religion, nobody has the answers. And if they claim to, they are lying.

I’m not damning religion with this short film. Religion is a comfort for many people and I respect and understand that. It’s the perversion of religion for power and selfish gain that I am condemning. In this film, I want to focus on the complexity of what it’s like to be a product of the Catholic church. Of how the church gaslights you into believing what they want you to believe. It’s going to be about Devon’s internal struggle with her homosexuality and whether or not she can accept herself and be truly happy.

TAGLINE: For thou art with me… as long as I am someone else.

LOGLINE: A straight-laced Catholic teenager longs to bring an old friend back into her life, but her dogmatic instructor continuously manipulates her to keep them apart.

SYNOPSIS: Devon follows Maddie after class and a confrontation ensues. Devon opens up to her after years of separation but it does not end painlessly. Devon is left to ruminate over her feelings and decisions from the past couple of years. A tense meeting with her teacher helps her figure out what she wants from life and who she wants in it.

REWARDS:

$5 -

$10 - Special thanks in credits

$20 - Digital copy of the poster

$50 - Physical poster

$150 - Disposable camera with exclusive BTS stills

$250 - Physical copy of Script autographed by keys and main cast

$500- Co-producer credit

$1000+ - Executive producer credit

OUR GOAL IS TO RAISE $2,500 by December 3rd

Your generous donation will go towards location expenses, travel expenses, catering, production costs, as well as materials to ensure our set is Covid-19 free!

Any extra money made from this campaign will be donated to :

The Trevor Project

Meet the keys! (Our lovely key creatives):

James McTamney (he/him): Producer: I'm 23 years old and I'm from Newmarket, ON. I believe that this is a story that needs to be told. I am very excited and honoured to be a part of this project. As a filmmaker, it's exciting to work on a project where the writer/director is passionate about their film, and I believe that Lindsay Kramer will do this story justice and tell it the way it needs to be told.

Paige Thomson (she/her): Co-Producer: I'm a soon-to-be graduate of TFS. I love movies that tell a women's story, and I have loved Lindsay's story from the first time I heard her pitch it. I think it's a great chance to express how different situations need to be shown on film.

Ethan Watrich (he/him): Director of Photography: My name is Ethan Watrich, I am 19 years old and I am the Director of Photography on Romans 1:26. I am currently a student at Toronto Film School. The most important part of a film is the picture and I strive to craft beautiful images when shooting all projects.

This project is very important to me as someone who grew up forced into a religious atmosphere. This story explores the negative effects the Catholic Church and those in educational roles can have on someone who is only trying to become who they truly are. I believe in the expression of oneself and Romans 1:26 will have a very positive impact on those who struggle with their own identity.

Madelyn Forrest (she/her): 1st Assistant Director: My name is Madelyn Forrest (she/her) but I go by Maddi. I am an aspiring film student at Toronto Film Student and the First Assistant Director for Lindsay’s Short Film! I’m a huge supporter of the LGBTQIA and have been behind Lindsay as soon as I heard her story and read the script. These kinds of films are lacking in the film industry, and we’re here as allies and fellow members of the community to tell this story and make it heard. Lesbians in film need way better representation, and Lindsay and our crew are perfect to do this justice.

Your support would mean the world to people like me who are underrepresented in the media and who are constantly victims of harmful tropes and incorrect/offensive portrayals of us. Donating to our campaign and contributing to a lesbian director's production will help lift LGBTQ+ voices so one day we can ensure a permanent place up on the silver screen. One day, kids won't have to toil over whether or not they will be rejected by their family members, friends, and society because of their sexuality, and you can be a part of that brighter future.

Any donation helps and if you aren't able to donate I encourage you to please share our campaign. Having positive representation is incredibly essential and I wish I had it when I was questioning my sexuality. It's all a younger me wanted and I plan to make her proud.

Earnestly,

Lindsay Mae Kramer