Hi everyone, my name is Cristian Castillo, and I'm an Ecuadorian-Mexican film student from Inglewood, California. To the same community that has supported me throughout my journey as a filmmaker, I am asking for your support to help produce my NYU Senior Thesis Film, Heaven All Around Us. We will begin shooting in February.

Logline: A devoted young man’s faith in God is challenged when he meets a fierce cave-dwelling firekeeper, whose defiance of God illuminates a new kind of divinity in their connection.

Heaven All Around Us is centered around Andres, a dedicated young man who is ordained by God to deliver a holy gift across a snowy forest. In the intense cold, he falls unconscious, but is saved by a young woman, Alejandra, who shelters him in her cave. She shows him fire for the first time, and together they discover that the divine gift he was tasked to protect isn’t for God, but for each other.

Heaven All Around Us challenges the conventional notion of heaven as a place of tranquility, peace, and perfection to illuminate the possibility that true divinity lies in the flawed beauty of human passion, connection, and liberation.

How could we, as imperfect humans, eventually belong to a perfect heaven? Through times of anguish, despair, and injustice, faith in a peaceful afterlife brings solace and reassurance to our tumultuous reality - but nothing can truly exist without its opposite. To belong to heaven is to belong to perfection: to belong to perfection is to cease to be human.

This film is a celebration of what makes us fallible. In times of uncertainty, pain, and suffering, we need only look to one another to give us the strength and wisdom to continue. The mistakes we make are what allow us to redeem ourselves; the suffering we experience is an opportunity to connect with other souls who understand it.

There is an innate poetry to nature - from its flowing rivers to its raging fires. I’ve always seen my role as a filmmaker as an opportunity to unlock and reveal that wonder and wisdom to audiences across cultures, regions, and times. As our world becomes obsessed with speed and information, this story aims to remind its audience of the power of presence. The small moments between us reveal the worlds within our souls. Sometimes, we don’t need words to be understood, only the courage to be vulnerable, merciful, and loved.

Below is a pie chart that illustrates our specific budget needs:

The majority of the budget is dedicated to ensuring a safe and professional production environment, enabling our cast and crew to effectively manage the logistical demands of filming on location within a real cave and forest. Each donation helps give us the spark that will carry over to ignite the on-set fire, ultimately bringing this production to life.

The will and spirit of every single collaborator, no matter their role, shows up in the final film. Beyond skill alone, connection and community are integral to the assembly of our crew. Our lead producer, Andrew, has worked with Cristian since his directorial debut in 2023. They met in community college, and both helped each other transfer into NYU, where they’ve collaborated closely on narrative, documentary, and experimental works. Our Cinematographer, Emilio, co-founded Latinidad, a Latine film club at NYU Tisch, where Cristian found a much-needed community among artists he felt he belonged with. Whether through years of friendship or a shared cultural background, there is a level of mutual trust and understanding that ties our entire crew together to authentically tell this story of deep human connection.

To our supporters and strangers alike, thank you so much for your time and attention to our most ambitious project yet. Every member of our team has been deeply committed to bringing this film to life, putting in the work day by day to make it a reality. We have secured our crew, locations, and equipment- elements that, with your support, will provide the final push needed to move fully into production.

While we are seeking financial backing, you can also help us grow our audience by following our journey on Instagram at @heavenallaroundusfilm, where we’ll be sharing updates and behind-the-scenes progress along the way.