Indie art film house, House of June (HOJ) is pleased to introduce their crowdfunding campaign for their first indie feature film FRIED ICECREAM.

FRIED ICECREAM Campaign

Established in June of 2013, House of June believes that there is power in telling stories from conception to execution. Additionally, they view the creation of images and narratives of dimensional leading characters of color in film and television as a critical creative act of activism.

About the film

FRIED ICECREAM will tell the story of women of color, stories that fall short when it comes to the entertainment and film industry. It is much needed and due.

“FRIED ICECREAM” follows AKEEBAH & SLOAN, two mix-matched peas in a pod living and finding themselves in the summer solstice of inner-city Atlanta. Faced with ultimatums by their parental figures and Sallie Mae to work summer jobs to afford their last semester in college, they arbitrarily become ice-cream truck drivers in West End Atlanta. Quirky adventures ensue when their entrepreneurial spirits become hallucinogenic.

Described as colorful, whimsical, and dark, House of June says the film will explore the turbulence and beauty of maturing in a neighborhood filled with the ups and downs of inner-city living: where children die in the summer, where busted fire hydrants act as water parks, and the sound of an ice-cream truck is a serenade.

FRIED ICECREAM is a coming-of-age story of young mavericks, encapsulated within a tale of summertime’s vibrant adventures and Catch-22s.

FRIED ICECREAM Campaign details

House of June hopes with FRIED ICECREAM they are able to engage and entertain audiences with a well-composed, thought provoking film that offers a fresh perspective and truer images of what it means to be a young, black twenty-something that faces the challenge of coming of age.

Goal

Via Indiegogo.com, the indie art house has a set a goal of $58,000 to get the film shot and produced. Adding, House of June feels that, “With your support and with our tenacity, nothing will stop us from making this film and it being available to be seen by vast audiences.”

The campaign’s fundraising goal will afford the filmmakers to create “a beautifully dope coming of age story starring women of color living in the summer solstice of West End Atlanta.”

Interview with the creators

1. What inspired the film FRIED ICECREAM?
EBONY: The idea was hatched from a story my friend told me about her potential employment opportunity for the summer. We’d both lost our jobs around the same time and she had a hilarious come-up idea to ride an ice-cream truck for the summer for extra dough.

2. Why is it important to tell the story of women of color?
AMBER: To debunk the myths and stereotypes that characters that are suppose to represent us are repeatedly thrown in. We must create a space for black voices; real black voices that are diverse, colorful, and substantial. We have to show our community and the world that these people exist.
TEMPEST: It’s important because I want and need to see narratives from women who are me. I need my daughters to see and understand narratives and films that represent women of color. It’s important we all have different representation other than the stereotype’s that society provides our youth.
EBONY: The narratives of women of color are most often not represented in film. Often when we see a woman of color on screen, she’s aiding her white allies’ plot line…she’s saving someone other than herself. And we rarely get to see her in her “world”. We rarely get to see her make love, her pick-up her kids, her go to work, her be on her eat, pray, love shit. The representation of black life cinematically is important.

3. Tell us about your campaign:

AMBER: We are raising funds for the production process of the feature and post-production period, through our Indiegogo campaign for the month of May.
TEMPEST: Our first feature film which will be directed, and produced by three passionate African American Women. There is a shortage not only in African American narratives but in women in film and with us reaching our goal we will fill that void with Fried IceCream.
EBONY: Our Indiegogo campaign launched May 1st and runs till May 30th. In that allotted time we aim to reach our goal of $58,000 to make our film. We have various fly perks available for potential backers.

4. What is the ultimate goal you would like to reach with the film?

AMBER: To create Oscar worthy narratives that showcase black talent on and behind the camera.
TEMPEST: To encourage my fellow women to be fearless, be themselves, love each other, and push culture forward.
EBONY: I believe film is my activism. So in that I hope

How to contribute to the FRIED ICECREAM Campaign

Fundraising has begun and will go through May 30, 2015. Supporters can visit:

Fundraising will kick off on May 1, 2015 and go through May 30, 2015. Supporters can visit Indiegogo to donate to the creation of the film and learn more about the perks of being a contributor.