Mercury and Jupiter: funding a romatic queer film

Aim: Two strangers find unexpected connection at an art residency, forging a transformative bond under the shadow of fleeting time.

Mercury and Jupiter is a romantic drama about love, grief, and the search for connection. 

Set in an artist residency in the Welsh countryside, the film follows Juliette, a photographer struggling to reconnect with her purpose. She soon meets Mia, and they quickly come to realise there’s a connection between them...

Q: Why should I help you make this film?

Our film centers on two lesbian characters, offering authentic and nuanced queer representation. By portraying a same-sex relationship with emotional depth and realism, the film contributes to the visibility of LGBTQIA+ narratives in independent cinema, challenging stereotypes and broadening representation.

Making ‘Mercury and Jupiter’ also represents a crucial step in the filmmaking journey and professional growth of our core team. This film offers the opportunity to build upon our previous work, raise our industry profile, and create a platform that will support our future creative endeavours.

Looking ahead, this project will serve as a stepping stone towards creating more ambitious works, including feature films and series, while solidifying our voices as filmmakers dedicated to telling genuine, emotionally resonant stories.

Q: What is your creative vision for the film?

Our film will embrace a surreal, almost dreamlike aesthetic, where time feels like it is suspended and slipping away all at once. The Welsh landscape will be as much a character as Juliette and Mia themselves: a vast, untamed setting that both isolates and connects them. The cinematography will lean into a rich textured color palette that enhances the emotional depth of each scene, with the pacing allowing time for quiet contemplation, giving space for emotions to settle and resonate.

Here is a preview of our lookbook:

Q: What are you going to spend the money on?

The proceeds from our Crowdfunder campaign will help fund key components of our film, such as our location, equipment hire, cast and crew salaries, post-production costs, and film festival fees. We'll also be buying props, building sets, and providing accommodation and hearty meals for our team.

We appreciate every donation no matter big or small. We pride ourselves on being frugal, cutting costs and making every pound stretch as far as it can. That's why we have already costed every element of pre-production, production and post-production to ensure the money that you generously donate is spent considerately.

Q: Who are you, anyways?

Good question. Here's a little bit about us:

Caz Thorne is a screenwriter and director based in East London. Her debut short film 'Good Luck Nelle' screened at 25 film festivals worldwide, including the BAFTA Qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival. The film earned Best Screenplay at the London Vaporetto Film Festival and Best Ensemble at the Greenwich Film Festival.

"This film is deeply personal to me. Being in my twenties, life often feels like it’s in constant motion: always shifting, always changing. I’ve had to learn how to let go, how to say goodbye, and how to accept that the most beautiful moments are often fleeting.

There is an ache in knowing that nothing stays the same: our bodies change, our relationships evolve, and time moves forward whether we are ready or not. Mercury and Jupiter will explore themes of impermanence, the beauty of connection, and the courage it takes to move forward after loss.

I can't tell you how excited I am to make this film. I'm already having a wonderful time collaborating with my producer, Priscila Goncalves, and I can't wait to make further additions to the team."

Priscila Goncalves is a highly creative and versatile producer with experience in film and event production. Since 2022, she has focused on producing music videos, with standout projects including 'If You Only Feel It Once' by Bleach Lab and 'Leonard & Marianne' by Bastille. In 2024, she produced a campaign for Melia Hotels, shot in Punta Cana, demonstrating her ability to manage large-scale productions while maintaining creative vision and budget oversight.

In addition to her work in film, Priscila is committed to supporting emerging talent through The Art Salon, a pop-up arts community she founded. This initiative provides a platform for artists to showcase their work and engage in meaningful discussions around global issues. Priscila is also the events producer for SetNotes, a platform dedicated to celebrating short-form filmmaking, where she coordinates screenings and fosters connections between filmmakers and audiences, and The Working Arts Club, a club for art professionals from a working class backgrounds.

"Mercury & Jupiter was an opportunity I couldn’t miss on. Having seen Caz Thorne’s previous work, I knew I would be part of something exceptional and unique. When I expressed my interest, I was met with a warm welcome.

As a queer woman who actively works on projects that amplify marginalized voices, the story resonated with me on a deep level. After reading the script just once, I knew I wanted to contribute to something so beautiful and delicate. Working with Caz has been an incredible experience, and I hope this collaboration grows into not just a creative partnership, but a lasting friendship."

If you have any questions about us, our film, or how you can further support us, please don't hesitate to get in touch. 

'Mercury and Jupiter' Film Poster, designed by Ffionart:

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 3rd September 2025 at 2:20pm