Always on
This project successfully funded on 4th July 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
Deja Vu
Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Aim
To fund the production and completion of Deja Vu, an independent short film exploring grief, memory, and immigration.
Deja Vu is an independent short film about memory, grief, and the sacrifices parents make to protect the people they love.
The story follows Sam, a young Iranian man grieving the loss of his mother. After discovering a mysterious necklace among her belongings, he begins reliving fragments of his childhood and uncovering the hidden truth about her past. A woman forced to suppress her passion for singing while living under political oppression in Iran.
At its heart, Deja Vu is about the emotional distance that can grow between parents and children, especially within immigrant families. It explores the things left unsaid, lost dreams, cultural identity, survival, and the painful realization that love is often expressed through sacrifice rather than words.
As filmmakers, we want to tell a deeply human story that gives voice to experiences rarely portrayed with nuance on screen. Too often, stories about immigrants and the Middle East are framed only through politics or conflict. Deja Vu instead focuses on intimacy, family, music, and memory, showing the emotional reality behind displacement and exile.
Visually, the film blends grounded drama with dreamlike memory sequences, allowing audiences to experience Sam’s grief and rediscovery firsthand. Inspired by films like Aftersun and Past Lives, we aim to create something emotionally honest, cinematic, and culturally authentic.
The money raised will go directly into bringing the film to life professionally and responsibly. This includes:
Paying cast and crew fairly
Hiring locations and production equipment
Production design, costumes, and props
Sound recording and post-production
Original music and sound mixing
Colour grading and editing
Festival submissions and distribution
Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us tell this story with the care and quality it deserves. By supporting Deja Vu, you’re supporting independent filmmaking and helping bring underrepresented stories to the screen.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made