Why Milk?

Milk explores motherhood in the aftermath of displacement, through the body, through work, and through the small routines we hold onto when life has been interrupted. At the center of the film is May, a Palestinian woman rebuilding her life in Chicago after being displaced from Gaza. As she moves through long housekeeping shifts at a worn-down motel, she carries a breast pump with her, a private object woven into the rhythm of her day.

But the pump is beginning to fail. It stops, starts, and stops again, slowly disrupting the fragile routine May has built around it. Through this small, ordinary object, Milk explores the intimacy of motherhood, memory, absence, and what the body continues to carry even after everything around it has changed.

At a time when Palestinian life is so often seen through images of crisis, Milk turns toward something quieter. It asks us to sit with one woman in the aftermath, to notice her work, her body, her silence, and the ordinary moments in which life continues.

Story:

*Milk* is a 12 to 15 minute narrative short film following May, a Palestinian woman rebuilding her life in Chicago after being displaced from Gaza. Living with her sister, Fatimah, and their older brother, May spends her days working alongside Fatimah as a housekeeper in a run-down motel.

Over the course of a single day, May moves from room to room with a breast pump tucked inside her bag, a private object woven into the rhythm of her life. But the pump is beginning to fail. As it stops and starts throughout her shift, the fragile routine May depends on begins to break, quietly bringing her closer to what she has been carrying all along.

Timeline:

We are currently in pre-production for Milk, with plans to film in Chicago at the end of March 2027 for a 3-day shoot.

We are actively casting our lead roles and raising funds to bring the film into production. Fundraising will continue through March 2027 as we build the resources and team needed to tell this story with the care it deserves.

Mood Board:

Budget Breakdown:

Our total budget for this film is $34,000, but our primary goal on this platform is to raise $18,000, which represents approximately 53% of our total budget.

The remaining amount will come from other funding sources, such as grants, investors, and sponsors, to cover additional crew fees, PR & marketing, legal expenses, and post-production costs.

These baseline funds will help us pay for:

Team:

Director/Writer:

Tasnim is a Chicago-based filmmaker and photographer of Palestinian and Mexican descent, with a focus on identity and cultural resilience. She began her career in Dubai and Amman, contributing to indie Arab films such as The United and 7 Hours Difference. Her short film Valeria, which delves into intergenerational trauma, has been featured at festivals including Chicagoland Shorts, the Summer Spirit of Chicago, and in Santiago, Chile.

Producer:

Gustavo is an award-winning Peruvian-American director based in Chicago. His documentary Fupa has screened at global festivals, winning Best Documentary at the 2021 Midwest Weirdfest. His feature script American Warrior was a quarter-finalist at Final Draft’s Big Break and Blue-cat Screenplay competitions. Gustavo made his feature directorial debut with American Warrior, starring Danny Trejo and Veronica Falcón, which opened the 2024 Santa Fe Film Festival and was an Official Selection at Heartland International and Tallgrass.

Impact Producer:

Sumana is a Desi Muslim-American screenwriter and filmmaker based in Chicago with a BA in Film and Television from Columbia College. Her debut short film Make Them Proud explores mental health and the eldest daughter experience in South Asian culture, sparking important conversations about therapy and representation.

Art Director:

Ava is a Chicago-based Production Designer with a BFA in Film and Television from Columbia College Chicago. Her Art Department credits include acclaimed shows like The Bear (FX), Somebody Somewhere (HBO), and Shining Girls (Apple TV), as well as indie films and commercials. Ava is also a key member of the Chicago Palestine Film Festival's film procurement team and a 35mm film projectionist.

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Thank you for your unwavering support and belief in this story. Your contribution is vital in bringing Milk to life and ensuring that our voices are powerfully amplified in the world of indie filmmaking.