TIGER WITHIN: from the writer of The Princess Diaries – Kickstarter Campaign

Chris Hill September 3, 2013 0

A friendship between a homeless teen & a war survivor sparks larger questions of fear, healing & peace in the world.

For more info please go to.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rafal-zielinski/tiger-within-from-the-writer-of-the-princess-diari

JOIN US ON A JOURNEY

Our film, sensitively written by Gina Wendkos (screenwriter of The Princess Diaries), to be directed by Rafal Zielinski (two-time Sundance alumni – Fun Special Jury Awardand Ginger Ale Afternoon), is the story between two people who have fallen between the gaps of our society, lost their family and face the challenge of forgiveness.

It is a story of compassion and redemption that touches themes that resonate with all troubled areas of the world, past, present & future. We hope, through the film, to touch hearts in a real, personal and unique way.

Casey and Samuel concept art by Vally Mestroni. We sincerely hope to ignite positive and meaningful discussion in our audience through complex, conflicted characters inhabiting a provocative and moving story-line and a well crafted screenplay.

THE PROJECT

A bittersweet counterbalance to the traditional Hollywood blockbuster.

Concept art - Casey and Samuel. — Concept art – Casey and Samuel.

We realize our budget is almost impossibly minuscule for a film of this scope to be shot in New York, but we have done it before! My two prior Sundance films (both in Narrative Dramatic Competition) Fun and Ginger Ale Afternoon were shot with budgets well below this one.

Where there’s a will, there is a way!

We invite all our donors to be on the team - a wall of a million names - call us crazy - lets's break records, and help spread a positive and healing message of forgiveness and peace to the world! — We invite all our donors to be on the team – a wall of a million names – call us crazy – lets’s break records, and help spread a positive and healing message of forgiveness and peace to the world!

We hope that you will be touched by the story and see it’s potential and powerful message. Together, with your help, we are hopeful that we will be able to raise funds well above our $100,000 goal… like some recent Kickstarter campaigns…

A bigger budget would allow us to put together a well known cast, better chances of wider distribution and reach a larger audience. We do believe in miracles!

Please consider spreading the news:

Please tweet to let everyone know about the project!

Please share our dream and spread the news!

WRITER – Gina Wendkos

"I don’t think I exploit women at all, I think I empower them." — “I don’t think I exploit women at all, I think I empower them.”

The Story

The screenplay, written by Gina Wendkos (The Princess Diaries, Coyote Ugly, Ginger Ale Afternoon, Jersey Girl), tells an intimate, personal story with universal themes that resonate to the world at large.

Having lost his two children in the war, Samuel adopts Casey as the daughter he never had the chance to raise, so he can teach her how to be lady.

Both face a challenge - if he can forgive her, he can reconcile with the past; if she can forgive herself, she can be free.

“It has been a dream of mine to go around different high schools with this film to foster knowledge and provoke intelligent discussion“. - Gina Wendkos.

CASTING

This project has come close to being funded several times, previously as a larger budget film. The subject matter is challenging, complex and not the obvious commercial fare that Hollywood readily finances. Several legendary actors were either attached or were circling the project at one time – as well as many rising young stars who fell in love with it when they were still playing teenage roles.

Some of the actors who have either been previously attached to the project, were fans of it, as well as actors we are currently reaching out to.

If we reach well above our projected $100,000 goal, we hope to convince one of these amazing actors to play Samuel. Not so long ago, we reached out to Kirk Douglas after being so moved by his one man theatre performance on his life, and perhaps there is still a chance to convince him to come out of retirement and be our Samuel. It would be amazing!

Rafal Zielinski, has made several films with strong young heroines in the central role that featured new upcoming talent.

We hope to discover a new, budding actress for the role of Casey.

In a number of my prior films, we were unable to afford the young Hollywood stars, so through a meticulous casting process, we discovered several actresses who were given their first leading roles: Leighton Meester (Hangman’s Curse), Yasmine Bleeth (Hey Babe!), Alicia Witt (Fun), Whitney Able (Age of Kali).

FILMMAKER

“I am drawn to this story and it’s potential to provoke, challenge and enlighten.”

Rafal Zielinski has made a number of independent films that have been shown internationally on the festival circuit, including two Sundance Dramatic Competition films, “Fun” (Special Jury Award) and “Ginger Ale Afternoon” – as well as some low budget genre director-for-hire works (which helped finance his own indie films).

Tiger Within has been a dream project several years in the planning.