About this project
I began working on Keep the Lights On with my co-writer Mauricio Zacharias because we were both frustrated by how few films exist that reflect life as we have known it as gay men living in New York City. I also wanted to make a very personal film, in the vein of some of the filmmakers that I have most loved, artists like Jean Eustache, Jacques Nolot, Chantal Akerman, and that great film-memoirist Ingmar Bergman. Inspired by the ten years of my last relationship, Keep the Lights On tells the story of two men torn apart by addiction and secrets, but bound together by love and hopefulness. It's a story fueled by shame that I intend to make shamelessly. My hope is that when completed Keep the Lights On will be an honest new work that can be added to the short list of dramatic films that have been made about the contemporary gay experience.
What's the story?
1997. Ben is another gay man in New York trying to make a connection through a phone sex line. He meets Nick - closeted, handsome and with a girlfriend attached. From the start, this casual encounter extends itself into a hopeful moment between potential lovers. As Ben negotiates life as a documentary filmmaker, his relationship with Nick, a precociously young lawyer in a prominent publishing house, becomes more than just a fling. Nick breaks up with his girlfriend and soon the two men move in together and start to build a home. But over the years, they discover that it’s easier to get out of the closet, than it is getting rid of its shadow. Nick’s drug use gets out of control, as Ben becomes increasingly sexual compulsive. After 10 years together, Ben realizes that it’s not the relationship he needs to save: it’s himself.
Why Kickstarter?
Hard as it is to believe, a film about gay life in contemporary America is rarer today than it’s ever been. Films like Brokeback Mountain and The Kids Are Alright were not, unfortunately, followed by a flood of new movies in our cinemas depicting queer relationships. From the start, we knew that to tell a story like this we would need the support of friends, families, gays, straights, filmmakers, film-lovers, the socially-committed, the generous-minded.... any one who would be interested in seeing a frankly explicit film about intimate relationships like this one get made. Thus, Kickstarter!
Keep the Lights On has recently received an Annenberg Grant from the Sundance Institute, as well as generous support from local vendors and institutions, and many, many individuals. But having successfully raised a good portion of our budget, we are now at the point we really need your help. If we can reach our $25,000 Kickstarter goal we will reach our funding needs, and can start shooting our movie this summer. With your help, we are confident you'll see the movie at a theater near you in the year 2012! And when you buy your popcorn, and the lights start to dim, you'll have the extra satisfaction of knowing that you were a real part of bringing this new work to the screen.
We thank you in advance for considering being a part of this project. All of us who are working on Keep the Lights On feel grateful for the community that we are a part of, and for the support that we continue to receive.
Ira Sachs, co-writer & director
The painting used for KEEP THE LIGHTS ON is by Boris Torres. To see more of his work, go to: boristorres.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CAN I INCREASE MY PLEDGE ONCE IT'S BEEN MADE?
Yes! Once you donate to our campaign, you may want to change your
incentive reward to a different one, or increase your pledge amount. To
do so, go to Kickstarter and sign in. If you go to our campaign page,
the green “Back This Project” button has been replaced with a blue
“Manage Your Donation” button. Click it and you can enter a new amount,
or choose a new incentive.
CAN WE EXCEED THE GOAL?
Yes! Exceeding the goal would help us pay for more of the costs to finish the film.
IS MY PLEDGE AMOUNT PUBLICLY DISPLAYED?
No. Only you and the project owner will be able to see your pledge amount.
I'M NOT IN THE US, CAN I STILL PLEDGE?
Yes, you can pledge from anywhere.
CAN I GIFT AN INCENTIVE?
Yes! To "gift" your reward to someone else,
please follow the normal process with the pledge and payment in your
name. Once we've reached the deadline, we'll send you an email
requesting the information we need to fulfill the reward (address, etc.)
At that time, please reply with the contact info for the person that is
to receive the reward and we'll follow through!
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE MONEY ISN'T RAISED IN TIME?
If our goal isn’t met before the deadline, we don't receive any of the pledges. Your credit or debit card will not be charged.
HOW CAN I CONTACT YOU?
You can send us an email through this kickstarter website OR you can contact us directly at info@keepthelightsonmovie.com.
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
283
Backers
$26,630
pledged of $25,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on June 11, 2011.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
The reward of knowing that you have been a real part of bringing one new work of queer cinema into the light.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
Above + special thanks on the KEEP THE LIGHTS ON website.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
Above + an actual on screen "thank you" in the credits of the film, so when the movie is over, all your friends and lovers (and exes) will know that you were a part of getting this movie made!
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
Above + you will also receive a poster of the film signed by the cast and the director. It's going to be classy, and look good in your kitchen, or bedroom.
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
Above + be the first on your block to own a complete set of the films of Ira Sachs (including THE DELTA, FORTY SHADES OF BLUE, MARRIED LIFE, and a collection of rare shorts).
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
Above + an invitation for two to a NYC cast and crew screening of the film. Meet the creatives behind the scenes before most of your friends have even heard about the movie.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
Above + either a drink with the director at Julius's, the oldest (and best) gay bar in New York City or brunch at Morandi, 7th Ave & Waverly Place, in the heart of the Village. Scintillating and revealing conversation promised!!
Pledge $2,500 or more Pledge $2,500 or more
Above + 2 tickets to the NYC opening night premiere + after party; put on your sequins and join us on the red carpet.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
This is the glam prize! All of the above + 2 tickets to the world premiere of the film and the celebration afterwards (travel and accommodations not included). Previous films by Sachs have played at Sundance, Berlin, Toronto, and New York Film Festivals. Wherever it might be, we invite you to join us, the actors and the creators, to celebrate the world premiere!
Project By
Has not connected their Facebook account.
Ira Sachs is a writer and director based in New York City. His films include MARRIED LIFE (2007), THE DELTA (1997), and the 2005 Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning FORTY SHADES OF BLUE. His most recent film, LAST ADDRESS, a short work honoring a group of NYC artists who died of AIDS, has been acquired as part of the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art and MoMA, and will be seen this September at the Venice BIennale. Sachs teaches in the Graduate Film department at NYU, and is a fellow at both the MacDowell Colony and Yaddo. He is also the founder and co-curator of Queer/Art/Film, a monthly series held at the IFC Center in New York, as well as the newly established Queer/Art/Mentorship, a program that pairs and supports mentorship between queer working artists in NYC.
