"One Percent" is a visually stylized, dark comedy short film about the flashy funeral of a billionaire "one percenter". The film humorously explores the dark side of the privileged 1% class and the consequences this privilege has on marginalized communities.
We're a majority female-led production team – female writer, director, and producer - quite unique for a normally male dominated industry! Our main characters are also mostly female, as one of our film's themes is female empowerment. We also have an incredibly diverse and talented cast attached!
"One Percent" was filmed in Miami in October 2021 by a diverse, talented local cast and crew of 27 (plus our 'funeral guests'). These crew members are part of the backbone of the Miami and Atlanta film, television, commercial and live broadcast industry.
Your financial support of this film goes directly to these local artists, as well as fosters their career growth in the film and television industry, particularly in narrative film, which has a large barrier to entry for diverse members of the community.
We are now headed into post-production, which includes editing, color-correction, sound design, and title design. Then it's on to film festival submissions and travel to promote the film and these talented filmmakers. We were able to shoot a high quality film with our first round of funding. We are excited to finish it and get it on screens across the country and internationally.
ABOUT THE FILM
Billionaire John Van de Berg’s funeral is the Miami society event of the year. Champagne is poured, guests network, influencers make videos for their Instagram accounts - #VandeBergFuneral!
John’s widow, Kristin Van de Berg (Katrina Morris), has mixed feelings. She’s not exactly sad, but she does feel guilty. See, John was just about to leave Kristin before his untimely death. For his pregnant mistress. Leaving her next to nothing, thanks to their ironclad prenup. As you might guess, Kristin was not going to take this lying down.
Tatiana Molotovna (Amalia May Valle), John’s mistress, is also attending the funeral. Tatiana was officially John’s secretary and she’s not even pretending to be sad. An undocumented Russian immigrant with a dark past and a young child stuck in Russia, Tatiana was entirely dependent on John’s power, connections and blackmail. Tatiana attends the funeral with the man she really loves…
Michael Washington (Adebiyi Lanre), Tatiana’s boyfriend (unbeknownst to John). Michael is a police detective – a good cop with a good heart and a strong moral compass. But…while investigating John Van de Berg with his partner, Jackie Lopez, and discovering his web of corruption that feeds juveniles into his for-profit private prisons…Michael is starting to realize that morals are not always black and white...
Influencer Ariana Ruiz (Emily Leguizamo) is constantly interrupting the funeral with her endless selfies. As we'll find out through her flashbacks, Ariana has some serious beef with John Van de Berg herself.
And tough but sassy lawyer Grace (Mia Scornavacca) tries to cover up her lack of grief at her best client's death...
Meanwhile, Michael's partner, Police Detective Jackie Lopez (Tanya Perez) launches a serious investigation upon learning of John Van de Berg's insidious schemes...
So…who killed John Van de Berg? There’s certainly no shortage of motives!
The tone of “One Percent” is “Knives Out” meets “Parasite”.
The film takes place in Miami and the city itself will be a sort of character in this film, in the vein of the films “Manhattan” for New York City and “Lost in Translation” for Tokyo.
“One Percent” is the single most narrative film about the shocking (and very real) Kids-for-Cash scandal in the U.S. - the human trafficking of juveniles by judges bribed by privately-owned for-profit prisons.