Ashes of Courage — Help Us Film a True WWII Story

Aim

A 3-minute proof-of-concept short film about the Slovak National Uprising of 1944 — rooted in the director's own family history. Help us.

CAMPAIGN STORY

This film starts with a conversation I had with my grandmother.

She told me what her family went through in the winter of 1944, in the village of Nová Bošáca, Slovakia. Nazi soldiers moved through the village. Her relatives made impossible choices. Some ran. Some stayed. All of them were afraid. She told me these things quietly, the way people talk about things that never really left them.

I have spent years trying to work out how to honour that conversation. The answer is Ashes of Courage.

What is Ashes of Courage?

Ashes of Courage is a historical drama set during the Slovak National Uprising of August 1944 — one of the largest armed resistance movements in Nazi-occupied Europe, and one of the least told stories in cinema.

The film follows a village midwife, a mother of six, who must protect her children as Nazi forces move through her village and her husband joins the resistance. It is not a battlefield film. The war enters through a door. What interests me is the woman standing between that door and her children — what she does, what she risks, and what it costs her.

This is a true story. It happened to my family.

What are we making right now?

Before we can make the full feature film, we need to prove the vision is achievable. That is what this campaign is for.

We are producing a three-minute proof-of-concept short film — a cinematic demonstration of the visual language, tone, and emotional power of Ashes of Courage. Think of it as the first three minutes of the film, shot at full production quality. It is the tool that will allow us to approach investors, distributors, and festivals with something real rather than just a pitch deck.

We are filming at two stunning Surrey locations — Bourne Wood and the Rural Life Living Museum in Farnham — both of which have the period character and natural texture to convincingly represent a 1944 Slovak village. Our camera equipment comes from our university, our insurance is in place, and our core team is assembled and under agreement. We are ready. We just need to get there.

What does your money pay for?

We want to be completely transparent. Here is exactly what the £3,000 covers:

• Location hire — Bourne Wood filming permit and Rural Life Living Museum day rate
• Transport — getting our cast and crew to Farnham, Surrey on shoot day
• Catering — feeding everyone on set (the most important line in any film budget)
• Costumes and props — period-accurate 1940s Slovak and German clothing and on-set dressing
• Contingency — because something always costs more than expected

Everything else — cameras, sound equipment, editing, colour grading, and delivery — is being provided by our team at no cost. This is a lean, focused production, and every pound goes directly on screen.

Who are we?

My name is Michal Indrak. I am a filmmaker and student based in England, and this is my family's story. 

Our core team includes a Lead Screenwriter and Casting Director who has been developing the script, a Historical Researcher and Location Scout who has been working on period accuracy and sourcing our locations, and a Marketing Manager who is building our audience across social media.

You can meet the full team and read more about the project at our official website:
https://ashesofcouragefilm.com/

What happens after the proof of concept?

Once the proof of concept is complete, we use it to apply for production finance for the full feature film — through film funds, cultural bodies, and private investors. The proof of concept is the key that opens those doors.

The Slovak National Uprising is one of the most important and least represented acts of European resistance in the Second World War. We believe this story deserves to be told at full scale, for international audiences. This campaign is step one.

A note on your contribution

All contributions to this campaign are received as non-recoupable cultural donations or sponsorships. They carry no equity stake, no profit participation, and no ownership interest in the film. All intellectual property in Ashes of Courage remains solely with LEVM Studios. We want to be fully transparent about this, because it protects you as much as it protects us.

Thank you

Every pound raised through this campaign gets us one step closer to making this film. If you cannot contribute financially, sharing this page with someone who might care about this story is just as valuable.

My grandmother told me what happened in that village. Help me tell the world.

— Michal Indrak, Director & Producer
[email protected]
https://ashesofcouragefilm.com/

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 29th September 2026 at 10:14pm