Hello! My name is Maggie Garduno, and I am the producer of Letting Go here to raise funds for the film.

Here are some words from the director for you to learn a little bit more about the film and how to support us in making it.

Hello! My name is Yair Pavon, and I am a Honduran-American writer and director. I am from Los Angeles, California, and I am currently an undergraduate in Television, Film, and Media Studies at California State University, Los Angeles.

Letting Go is a short film about a stubborn high school soccer player who must confront her strained relationship with her demanding father and star-athlete sister to rediscover her passion for the game. The story is set around three characters: Liliana, her sister Catalina, and their father. Their relationship dynamic is heavily explored throughout the film, as Liliana begins to crack under the pressure of her father’s command for her to be a better player, like Catalina, who must deal with the consequences of the two quarreling. With the CIF final for their high school team just around the corner, Liliana must figure out a way to reinvigorate her dedication to the game, but will her self-doubt completely take over?

I wrote this story to analyze and demonstrate how the pressure to meet the expectations of others, particularly from a parental figure, can distort one’s sense of self. I wanted to show that making mistakes is not a weakness, and showing vulnerability to others is a step towards healing. This story in particular is very special to me because it reminds me of how important it is to trust yourself, even when people closest to you do not always know exactly how to support you. I believe it serves as a reminder that while letting go of things you cannot control and learning from them is scary, taking the first steps to do so with the help of others is extremely important. We cannot do everything alone, and healing cannot be done without the help of someone or something.

The intended audience for this is everyone, but I want the story to connect to the Hispanic communities in the U.S. Our community has gone through so much in recent years, and I want this story to feel as if there can still be at least some hope in such dark, distressing times. I also believe that the story particularly relates to younger athletes who may have issues with self-stability and self-worth, but it is also for anyone who has a passion for a specific craft, whether that be for their art, their education, or more. It emphasizes how important the connection with other people is, and it is not limited to family members. Our communities sticking together and helping each other through these times is the first step towards healing.

A few complications we expect to encounter are our budget. We are a smaller, student film crew that is eager and very passionate about learning more about the process of filmmaking by having a hands-on experience with this project! This GoFundMe would provide the funds and the means to tell this story, and help us with providing the following amenities to our crew: craft services, equipment rentals, production design, and permit fees!

Thank you so much for any support you may give us! Any amount of donation helps. We will continue to update the GoFundMe and our social media, and we are so excited to begin production on this film!