Online Panhandling for My New Movie

Still from The Royal Road

I recently explained the Latin phrase carpe diem to one of my daughters. Parenthood is packed with these wonderful opportunities — the pure joy of countless emotional, intellectual, artistic experiences shared so intimately. The gentle conveyance of basic bits of knowledge, that one has accumulated from mere longevity. And in these moments (completely predictable, of course) we as adults are doing as much of the learning as the children.

Seize the day — I am reminded. Seize the day. Nearly ten years have elapsed since I completed my first feature film, The Joy of Life. It is time to make my new movie!

The Royal Road is a lyrical new film contemplating butch lesbian desire, nostalgia, Casanova, a history of the Mexican-American War and so much more.

The Royal Road has already received generous support from the San Francisco Arts Commission and the Herbert Family Filmmaking Grant, as well as from many individual donors. However, it is also clear that the time has come to reach beyond conventional grantmakers to find the funds to fully bring my vision to life. And so, I am now turning to my friends, my colleagues, the likeminded appreciators of the special kind of filmmaking that I feel so compelled to create and to watch.

Without further preface, my request is a simple one. Please contribute as generously as you can. This is a wonderful opportunity to be a patron of the arts and I promise not to let you down. If you've liked any of my previous work (or if you have an affinity for experimental, unconventional, non-traditional cinema and storytelling) please click through to donate now )and to read more about the project) — the campaign ends at Midnight, Wednesday, July 10th. Here's the link (and please share it with friends if you can and urge them to join you):

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jenniolson/the-royal-road-a-film-by-jenni-olson

Thank you so much!