The new film Story of You delves into the Nazi occupation of Eastern Europe, and one young Jewish boy's struggle to survive. Modern day crowdfunding will provide part of the money needed to bring his inspiring story to the screen.
An Indiegogo page has been set up to collect donations, with a graduated list of perks for contributors. "For this film I wanted to do something completely different, explore uncharted territory and tell a truly emotional, meaningful and original story. And that is what Story of You does," says Ashton Gleckman, the film's writer and director. It's the story of Shova Ortzell, son of a Jewish family living in Soviet-annexed Ukraine when the German Army begins its invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, also known as Operation Barbarossa. In 1939 his family fled Poland only to find themselves once again face to face with annihilation. Amid the killing, Shova miraculously escapes-but is faced with the challenge of finally making his way to safety. In addition to help from backers familiar with Gleckman's past cinematographic work, he's depending on strangers to help fund the new project. "What we're asking is to crowdfund $30,000 of the film's cost," he adds. "The total budget is expected to be $100,000, but other means of funding including private investors and foundations will also be part of making the $100,000 budget become a reality."Videos