About this project

Our first feature film, UPSTATE, will have it's World Premiere in competition at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Funny thing is: we don't have money to finish the film. We need a sound mix and to re-transfer our negative (that's right we shot on film) to HD.

Here's a little about the film:

A finely observed and richly cinematic meditation on friendship, intimacy and the choices we make, UPSTATE follows Liz, a young woman who emerges from a period of isolation following the death of her mother to reconnect with her oldest friend, Steve. Over the course of a long weekend in the country, old fires are rekindled as the two try to come to terms with a history of missed connections. But Steve's new wife Sylvia - beautiful, assured and ten years their senior - refuses to stand by and watch as the two “catch up”. What follows is a romantic triangle played out as a sweetly psychedelic fever-dream of antiquing, omelet preparation and alpacas.

Set against the idyllic backdrop of pastoral upstate New York - with the Catskill Mountains looming in the background and the natural world constantly asserting its presence - UPSTATE is a lushly photographed and subtly moving examination of three people wrestling with questions of adulthood, sexuality, loss and regret as they struggle to find a more honest and genuine connection with one another.

Upstate was shot over 14 days with a bare bones crew of friends. We strove to make the shoot as open and collaborative as possible. So many people gave so much to this film. Why not join them? Every dollar helps us finish the film. We truly appreciate anything you can give. You will be promoting a truly independent film.

Find out more about the film at www.theupstatefilm.com You can view images of the incentives at http://www.theupstatefilm.com/incentives.html

Thanks! Melanie, Katherine & Andrew