Always on
This project successfully funded on 5th August 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
Aria Starlight, a short film
Plymouth, United Kingdom
Aim
Fund a beautiful fairytale following a young child and her magical doll as they navigate the overwhelming reality of childhood bereavement.
Aria Starlight: Help Us Bring Light to Grieving Children
Aria Starlight is a beautiful fairytale following a six-year-old girl and her magical doll as they navigate the overwhelming reality of childhood bereavement.
Every single day in the UK, 127 children face the devastating news that a parent isn't coming home, according to Child Bereavement UK. How do young minds process a loss that massive? What stories do they tell themselves just to survive?
We explore these questions in our upcoming film, Aria Starlight, which follows little Melody and her magical doll, Aria, as they gather starlight before grief overcomes them.
We have the support of Jeremiah’s Journey, a Plymouth-based charity that helps young people through the grieving process, in bringing this film to life as a visual tool for conversations between children and their guardians.
THE PRODUCTION
We have now completed principal photography and one or two pick-ups and, having seen the footage, we are excited that we've got a very special film on our hands. Now in post-production, our film editor, sound designer, special effects artist, composers, musicians and PR experts are working hard to make sure Aria Starlight is everything we believe it can be.
THE NARRATIVE JOURNEY:
Our story opens as a star falls from the sky into the quiet woodlands of South West England. Here, six-year-old Melody and magical doll, Aria, begin their quest for starlight - the magical substance they need to send a loved one to the stars. They are not, however, alone. They encounter The Murmurer – a creature who personifies despair - who sucks the very starlight they are gathering right out of Aria.
Seeking guidance from mystical guardian, Hester, Melody takes her quest into the city's concrete maze to find light in human kindness. Yet what Melody finds is a city clouded by sadness, bitter arguments and intense disappointment. And with each disappointing encounter, the Murmurer draws more light from Aria.
Following Hester’s intervention, Melody gives kindness rather than try to receive it. Aria’s starlight begins to increase, just as Hester had promised, until a chance comment jolts Melody back into the magnitude of her loss. At that moment, The Murmurer envelops her in grief, and Aria's light dies.
Melody, trapped in the darkness of despair, remembers the last time she saw Hester alive, and believes all is lost. Then she hears hears a distant, beautiful song - the collective warmth of the small acts of goodwill she offered to the strangers she met along the way. This reignites Aria’s light and summons Hester once more. Hester casts a brilliant bolt of light towards the Murmurer, shattering his grip on Melody. The Murmurer evaporates - for now.
Melody emerges into the real world right next to her loving father who, she now realises, has been with her every step of the way. With Aria’s light restored, Melody walks forwards hand in hand with her father, as she reassures him that she now knows what to do.
WHY NOW?
Aria Starlight is being developed not just as a piece of cinema, but as a vital, highly accessible visual tool designed to encourage compassionate, age-appropriate conversations about loss between children and guardians. By using the lens of a fairytale, we can address a deeply sensitive topic with grace, cinematic beauty, and – crucially - hope, arriving at a cultural moment when open conversations about mental health and childhood trauma have never been more vital.
WHY HELP?
To do justice to a story of this importance, we are building a production network that champions regional UK talent. We are shooting entirely on location across Plymouth and Dartmoor, keeping high-end creative jobs in the region and providing crucial professional credits to our home-grown West Country crew.
When you back Aria Starlight, you aren't just buying a reward tier or securing an IMDb credit. You actively invest in the South West's creative ecosystem.
WHAT’S THE MONEY FOR?
Moving a magical production from the page to physical reality requires transparent, practical resources.
We've now shot the film and are busily editing and refining the footage, designing the soundscape and composing the music.
We still need to pay for the post production stage, and fund the film's entry into film festivals.
The submission pipeline required to take this film to major BAFTA and Oscar-qualifying UK festivals (BFI London Film Festival, Encounters, LSFF), requires entry fees. These festivals help us keep conversations going and maintain momentum.
MEET THE TEAM
DIRECTOR, SCREENWRITER, PRODUCER AND CO-COMPOSER: SIMON ELVIN
MA (Distinction) qualified screenwriter, director and composer, with over three decades of writing for theatre and film. A recording and performing singer-songwriter in his youth, Simon progressed from telling stories in song to creating worlds and characters for the stage and screen.
PRODUCER: ALEX GAUMOND
Acclaimed West End actor, writer, composer, singer and producer. Alex has a track record for producing award-winning short films and brings that expertise to Aria Starlight. As an actor, he is currently starring as Jean Valjean in the 2026 French Canadian production of Les Misérables in Montreal.
PRODUCER: RACHEL ADAMS
Co-founder of Aria Starlight Pictures Ltd. Having spent many years in the NHS as a healthcare professional, Rachel turned to film producing and brings a great deal of experience in leadership and organisational skills to her role as producer.
The producers are superbly supported by a talented cast and crew across all the disciplines needed to bring this film to life.
WHERE WILL WE BE?
* Autumn/Winter 2026: This is where we are now. Postproduction: film editing, sound design, VFX rendering, musical scoring and exclusive backer private screenings.
* Spring 2027: Festival submission run, e.g., BFI London, Encounters, and international shorts circuits, with a focus on BAFTA and Oscar - qualifying festivals.
TOGETHER, WE CAN HELP CHILDREN FIND THEIR STARLIGHT.
Pledge today. And know you’re making a massive difference.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made