A Kickstarter campaign has begun for Asian-American led film Ella.
The film stars Nichole Bloom (NBC’s Superstore) and will be directed Dan Chen. Ella takes place in a small American town and follows the lives of Abe and Ella who form an unlikely bond. Abe is a high school recluse and Ella is a charismatic college dropout. Together they navigate the streets and social groups of their community.
The film hopes to offer a new setting for an Asian American story as it follows Asian characters who integrated in their community and face universal struggles.
Ella will be shot using an experimental, one-of-a-kind camera rig that will allow for a digital IMAX image.
The film is to be produced by Eric Cook and Douglas Kim with Evidence Films, Varient Entertainment, and Justice Tech Industries attached.
The 30 day Kickstarter campaign is looking to reach $18,000, begins on March 1st, 2017 and ends on March 31st. Production is expected to begin in April.
Behind the scenes, Nichole Bloom and Dan Chen have been close friends since their days at USC. The two have decided to collaborate on this character-driver project with the intention of festival recognition, online release and a proof-of-concept for universal Asian American stories.
Speaking about Ella, Chen said, “The underlying theme is one of “selling out,” as Abe distances himself from Ella to fit in with new kids he’s met. As an outsider, can he only fit in by submitting to the dominant views of his peers? Or is there a way he can stay loyal to his loved ones, without being left out of the larger community? The film’s story is character- driven and specific, but acts as a metaphor for the Asian American experience. Do we stay in our place, assimilate, or somehow find a third way of being?”
