Support ACROSS: An AFI Cinematic Masterpiece shot on 35mm

We are excited to share our vision for our AFI film ACROSS, and we need your support to make it a reality. Your donations will play a crucial role in bringing this compelling story to life, allowing us to capture its essence and share it with a wider audience.

FEW FACTS:

WHO WE ARE?

We are all students of MA program of American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles. And ACROSS is our last film shot on 35mm in AFI before graduation in 2025.

DOMINIKA PODCZASKA, PSC

Cinematographer / Writer

Dominika is a Polish Director of Photography and a member of the Polish Society of Cinematographers (PSC) with more than 15 years of experience behind the camera. Her career began in 2005 with documentary films and music videos. Dominika later expanded her portfolio, working on a wide range of TV commercials. Driven by her passion for narrative storytelling, she transitioned to narrative films, working on projects across Europe. In 2021, PRESS Magazine recognized her as one of the Top 10 Directors of Photography to watch in Poland. She is represented by Point of You talent agency.

ROBYN WHOLEY

Director

Robyn Wholey is a Directing Fellow at AFI who previously served as an executive producer on the Oscar®-nominated film VICE, co-produced THE BIG SHORT and worked alongside Adam McKay on the pilot of the Emmy®-nominated HBO series SUCCESSION. Other producing credits include the HBO series FUNNY OR DIE PRESENTS, ANCHORMAN 2 and HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS. Robyn got her start in the theater after earning her BFA in Directing from Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama. As a director, she has worked with Funny or Die, IAMA Theatre Company in Los Angeles, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the Berkshires. She recently finished the post process on a series of three short films she directed and is currently prepping her AFI thesis film that will shoot early next year.

HECTOR MARTINEZ

Producer

With a decade of industry experience, Hector is a seasoned content creator and producer from South Florida. His portfolio boasts branded content for renowned national and international companies such as Virgin Voyages, Carnival Corp., Tim Horton's, Disney, and St. Jude Children's Hospital. His work focuses on themes of connection and explores the intricacies of human relationships, the unifying bonds, and the life experiences that give our existence meaning. A recent graduate of the esteemed Film Producing program at the American Film Institute, Hector's academic foundation, combined with his extensive hands-on experience, assures his competence and readiness for any challenge on set. His leadership style fosters collaboration and innovation, bringing out the best in his crew and resulting in high-quality storytelling that aims to resonate with audiences.

MIKOŁAJ TCHÓRZEWSKI

Composer / Sound Designer

As a sound designer and Foley artist, he has already collaborated with AFI movies and continues to contribute to various other productions. His live spatial audio performance “Voices”, created in collaboration with Amanda Butterworth and Diego Ramos, was showcased at the 2024 Open City Documentary Festival at Rich Mix, London. With his own project, Error C.D, he has played in various venues across the UK, including Rich Mix as part of the CruxAV Festival, and internationally at the SFORA Festival in Poland. Mikołaj is currently pursuing an MA in Designing Audio Experiences at UCL’s Anthropology Department.

LET'S GO BACK TO ACROSS STORY

PLOT

Night. Lena parks her car across the street. The lively party is in full swing, and she proudly wears her newly acquired prized accessory—an extraordinary white hat. However, shortly after her arrival, she is startled to discover he is entangled with gangsters. As the scene turns deadly, Lena slips out the back window to escape, crawling toward her car while carefully avoiding detection. As she maneuvers through the shadows, she spots a gangster stepping out of the front door wearing her white hat. He crosses the street to keep watch while his accomplices finish their business inside the house. Fueled by a mix of anger and determination, Lena resolves to reclaim her hat. All she needs to do is cross the street unnoticed and find a clever way to take back what belongs to her.

ACROSS is a tribute to the movies from the 90s. We grew-up watching them on the other side of the ocean - Robyn in US, Dominika in Poland.

Still shot from "Kill Bill, Vol. 2", shot by DP Robert Richardson. It's a good reference of the mood and fearless character we want to create in our movie.

Scene 9 from our storyboard.

Thanks to Redford Studios support we will film our story here, in front of this house.

Our Lena could be a sister of Nikita, a main character of La Femme Nikita (dir. Luc Besson).

Visual Essay is a kind of film where a key role plays a CINEMATOGRAPHY, so it's important for Dominika to demonstrate the highest standard of the quality of the image.

Every contribution, no matter the size, will help cover essential production costs, including equipment, locations, transportation and crew. Together, we can create something truly special that resonates with viewers.

HERE YOU READ OUR VISUAL ESSAY ACROSS PRESENTATION