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Campaign Update

Ok, so we’ve made it to $1,000, but we only have 23 days left! We’re going to really need some support in the next few weeks. Anything you can do to get the word out would be greatly appreciated! Special thanks to everyone who helped us reach $1,000!

Laura Bluher 

Christina Lambiase 

Ava Lowrey

Leah Prinzivalli 

Clare Riesman 

John Sanvidge 

Gabriela Filasky 

Charles Theonia 

Darcy Heston 

Elizabeth Busch 

Zach Kuperstein 

Ilene Deanna

Let’s do this! IndieGogo.com/crossingover

I first heard about the community of women in Crossing Over over a static-y, long-distance phone call last July.  I was sitting on the driveway of my mom’s house in Pittsburgh (the only spot with good reception), catching up with my best friend Isabel.  We had both been having lackluster summers.  I cured mine with too much reality television.  She cured hers by flying to LA to photograph a group of women she had heard about through Margarita Manduley, an immigration lawyer.  After probably an hour of nonsense (to be specific, she had gotten herself locked outside of her friend’s apartment and was trying to climb through a window ten feet off the ground, but that’s neither here nor there), she couldn’t hold it in any longer.  “Oh my god, Pitz,” she said.  “You wouldn’t believe these stories.  I can hardly handle it.  Their stories are unbelievable—incredible.”

Over the next several months, I watched my amazing friend Isa—singlehandedly, at first—bring the project to life.  We were hanging out at my apartment, eating chocolate and ostensibly not doing homework, when the Associated Press called her and made their offer.  Once she enlisted Katrina’s help, I never stopped hearing about Crossing Over.  Literally.  Every time I was with her, Isa would inevitably receive at least one call from Katrina, checking on schedules, making sure production was on track, calling meetings and Skype sessions—no one could ever accuse Katrina Sorrentino of not being passionate or persistent.

So by the time Isa asked me work on story development in December, I was already well informed about (and invested in) the project, an investment that grew exponentially as I continued on as Associate Producer and then joined the rest of the crew in LA.  But the moment when my investment grew into an obsessive need to tell this story was when I saw Christie Miller’s emotional interview.  Because I don’t speak Spanish (like, at all), I didn’t always understand everything that was happening around me.  Christie’s unexpected interview was the first in English, and all of a sudden, I really, truly understood the emotional gravity of the stories that, up until that point, I had been hearing second-hand.  Christie ruminated on her life, on getting older, on opportunities that pass us by, and the decisions we make.  She talked about wanting to be excited about life—like you guys, she said.  As cheesy as it might sound, listening to Christie talk about finally beating addiction at the age of fifty—grateful for being alive, realizing that life had passed her by, and refusing to let any more time or opportunities slip past her—made me take another look at my life.  It made me grateful for being young.  It made me snap out of my graduation funk and to appreciate the opportunities life has provided me.  And lastly, though I was already fully committed, it helped me fully commit to helping Isa, Katrina, and everyone else see this project through and in doing so, to continue to pursue my real passions. 

Indiegogo campaign launched!

We have all of footage necessary to make the film but now we need your help to complete it! We still need to: edit, color correct, score, sound mix, distribute, pitch to festivals and grants and all of this is SO expensive!

We need your help but we have a couple of awesome rewards to thank you for help. Please check out our Indiegogo campaign to see all of the rewards and contribute to the film. With your support we can complete this important film and share the stories of Francis, Brenda, and Abigail.

http://www.indiegogo.com/crossingover?a=714660

- The Crossing Over Crew

Crossing Over Campaign Gets Ready to Launch!

Thanks to the love and donations of our supporters, we have been able to film the lives of Brenda, Abigail, Francis, many of their friends, and have had the privilege of getting to know a wonderful community of immigrant transgender women in Los Angeles.  For the past year we have been working hard and often thinking of nothing else but completing this project.  We are so grateful for those of you who have taken interest in these stories and especially those who have helped bring them to light.

These are stories of the American dream, of women who left behind impossible situations for better opportunities and better lives.  After suffering mental and physical abuse in their home country of Mexico, Francis, Brenda, and Abigail made their ways to the United States, each eventually seeking political asylum.  But for each of these women, leaving home was only the first step.  Once in the United States, obstacles like discrimination, loneliness, and addiction continued, and in some cases continue, to stand in their way.  While some members of this community struggle against these obstacles, others are becoming advocates and activists, thereby proving what it truly means to be an American.

The goal of this film is to shed light on these stories.  We hope to amplify the voices of the transgender immigrant community.  We believe that the narratives of these three women will capture the hearts and minds of the audience and empower people to speak out about the issues raised in the film. With your help this film has the potential to enact change in our society and in our government policy. 

In order for these changes to take place, we must first and foremost complete the film.  We have shot all of our footage, and now we need funds to complete the final stages of post-production. If you follow us on Twitter and Facebook, you will know that we are launching an Indiegogo fundraising campaign this Saturday, August 18 at 12am.  For this film to truly make an impact, we need as many people as possible to help contribute to and raise awareness about our fundraising campaign and the project in general. The more public support we have, the more successful we will be in enacting change. 

The campaign goes live at 12am TOMORROW, August 18^th. Please help us by sharing the URL on Twitter, Facebook, and blogs and by contributing to the campaign.  Any amount will help us complete the film and do justice to these amazing stories.

Please contact us if you have any questions or suggestions that you want to share with us. You can e-mail us at crossingoverdocumentary@gmail.com. To stay updated on the launch and to follow the progress of the campaign, you can check us out on Facebook and Twitter.

We are so excited to have you on board for this campaign and we look forward to hearing from you!

-The Crossing Over Crew