BENVENUTO!

Welcome to the fundraising page for the Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Thesis Film: Crepi Il Lupo.

THE STORY

In the midst of a ruthless war between families, an eager mafia employee must learn to prioritize her and her niece’s safety over gaining the respect of her manipulative and power-hungry boss.

After the shop of long-time Queens resident, Gino Bianchi, was the target of a brutal attack from another mafia family, Pia begins to worry about her and her niece’s safety. As a young numbers runner who frequents the illegal lottery at a Bronx flower shop for her boss, she senses the danger they might be in. Although her boss tries to act like a giant teddy bear, if you push him too far, his tone tells a different story. Pia must find the will to go against him and jeopardize her newly found place in the family.

Take a look at our LOOKBOOK to see elements of our story's vision.

MEET THE CREW

A story for women, told by women.

Written & Directed by Aidan Zahn

Produced by Ilana Kreger

Cinematography by Lily Burke

Production Design by Elizabeth Jannetta

Editing by Jane Dever

Sound Design by Anika Kumar

UPM by Mackenzie Kim

& more wonderful student creatives who will make this possible

A NOTE FROM OUR WRITER/DIRECTOR:

Hi, this is Aidan, the writer and director! Thank you for choosing to read this page and learn more about the project we are so passionate about. This film is inspired by my grandmother’s childhood in 1950s New York, surrounded by the mafia. Her Aunt was an incredibly strong, fierce woman who ran numbers for an Italian family. I find that the mafia is really interesting, yet a very masculine space - as are the films that have been made about it. I want to share a powerful female perspective of this world and time, as well as what it was like to have/be a child surrounded by those types of people. It’s important to share the point of view of the workers, the women, and the children in this world, who had very little power. Through this perspective, the story shares a message of empowerment, individuality, the real meaning of family, and finding belonging in places where you are accepted for who you are. We are beyond excited for these characters to come to life! Thank you for any support you can provide, and we look forward to having you as a part of our journey :)

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

No matter the contribution, anything can help bring this story to life! Your donations will help directly to fund…

All of these elements enhance our story and bring our characters to life. Student films are rigorous learning experiences; your contributions towards our funding enable us to creatively execute our story and demonstrate how films can build community, even beyond Dodge College.

NOT ABLE TO DONATE?

That's okay! Simply sharing the link, word of mouth, or posting about the project is very helpful! As student filmmakers, sharing our ideas builds a community that enables our projects to come to fruition; every contribution can make a difference.

GRAZIE MILLE!

Thank you so much. With your support, emerging filmmakers are one step closer to achieving their dreams as we enter the film industry and share stories that are meaningful to our communities. Crepi Il Lupo is our senior thesis film and our final project while attending Chapman, and it represents the culmination of everything we’ve learned throughout our time here and beyond.

This film is incredibly close to our hearts. It’s the kind of story you want to share with your own family, as we all have been on this journey together, and now we have the opportunity to bring this story to life. For us, Crepi Il Lupo is about leaving Chapman having made something honest and intentional—something we’re proud of, and something we hope will stay with the people who watch it. We put in the hours, stay curious, and fight for every detail.

Any support we receive goes directly toward enhancing the authenticity and vision of Crepi Il Lupo, and we are deeply committed to using every dollar with intention and care. We’re incredibly grateful for the chance to share this world with you.

If you’d like to learn more or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we’d love to connect and tell you more about the film.

LET'S STAY IN TOUCH!

Follow our film on Instagram for production updates & behind-the-scenes content. @crepiillupofilm

DISCLAIMER

There are no returns or refunds for the donations and contributions made towards this GoFundMe.