Three women.
One womb.
No Good choices.
Help Us Birth a Horror Film Unlike Any Other
Support the Writing of La Partera
A Folk Horror Feature Rooted in Ancestral Haunting, Feminine Rage, & Consent.
LOGLINE
In a remote Basque village, a pregnant outsider becomes prey to two women — one starving for rebirth, the other for belonging.
Told through the eyes of an unborn soul deciding whether or not to incarnate, La Partera is a psychological folk horror feature about bodily sovereignty, ancestral karma, and the monstrous consequences of longing.
PITCH VIDEO | Submitted to the Proof Film Festival’s 2025 pitch deck competition. A more concise, co-presented version is coming, but we didn’t want to wait to share this.
Why Now?
We need $15–25K immediately to complete a shoppable first draft of the screenplay. This draft is the key to securing talent attachments and attracting larger angel investors for our full $145K development raise. Development is the soul-forming stage of the film — without these funds, we risk losing momentum at a critical moment.
Of equal importance, fall deadlines for premier industry programs (e.g., Berlinale Talents, Cannes’ Cinéfondation, and Tribeca Works in Progress) are fast approaching. These programs are gateways to financiers and European co-production partners. Without funds in place by Q4 2025, we risk missing a full cycle of access and losing momentum at a critical moment.
La Partera speaks directly to the global conversation around bodily autonomy, the systemic collapse of gender norms, the inter-generational results of colonization and diaspora on identity and family dynamics, declining populations in rural and aging communities, and the balkanization of identity and territory.
These themes have proven public traction through works like The Handmaid’s Tale (and its forthcoming sequel The Testaments), the Cannes award-winning The Substance, and acclaimed horror such as Saint Maud and Resurrection. Our story occupies this same space where elevated genre storytelling meets urgent social relevance.
The Opportunity:
Proven Model, High Upside
Proven Model: High-impact, lean-budget horror with strong thematic resonance consistently delivers outsized returns.
Talk to Me
Budget: ~$4.5M →
Gross: ~$92M (~1,944% ROI)
The Babadook
Budget: ~$2M →
Gross: ~$10.5M (~425% ROI)
La Partera
Budget: ~$2M →
Conservative Gross: ~$8M (Potential ROI ~300%)
Budgets/gross from public sources; believed accurate but not guaranteed.With potential access to significant regional tax rebates — up to 50–60% on local spend depending on co-production partnerships — and prestige genre positioning, risk is significantly reduced while upside remains strong.
Our thematic lane aligns with acclaimed, commercially successful genre works such as The Witch, Saint Maud, and Resurrection — films that combine prestige festival appeal with enduring streaming demand.
The Development Ask
$145K Seed Funding Covers:
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Our plan is to apply the funds raised along three tranches to efficiently and effectively utilize resources as they arrive to ensure forward momentum towards delivering a polished, investor ready package.
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Preliminary Writer’s Fee: 2–3 months dedicated to the first draft
Legal Fees: Entity setup, IP protection
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Writer’s Fee: Revisions
Initial Casting Engagement: Begin conversations with casting directors to attract bankable talent
Research & Development: Cultural research, pre-vis work
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Producers’ Fees: 3-4 months dedicated to packaging
Casting Director Fees: Casting Director retainer + Key Talent Letters of Intent (LOIs)
Script Polish: Coverage from Script Consultant + script polish
Basque Country Research: Continued cultural research + location scouting
Extended Legal + Accounting: Partnership documents and agreements
Pre-visualization + Concept Art
Deck Design, Submissions, + Marketing Outreach: Professionally designed presentation and titles, Submissions to development programs
International Market Travel: Attendance at international film markets to secure international co-production + financing
TIMELINE (work-in-progress):
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How to Participate
Make
an
impact
today
Support La Partera by contributing a tax deductible donation made possible through our fiscal sponsorship partner the Sundara Catalyst Group.
All contributors will be:
Credited with thanks in the final film; and
Invited into behind-the-scenes updates during the development process through our private Substack site.
Your contribution breathes life into La Partera by enabling these crucial steps of the development process.
If you’d prefer to contribute via wire transfer, please contact anak @ firebrandinthedark.com for instructions.
Request our NDA to receive the full investor pitch deck to explore partnership opportunities.
Follow our journey.
Meet the Team
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Writer / Director
Anak is a Filipino-American writer-director whose path from Broadway to private equity fuels her exploration of the question What does it mean to be human in the 21st Century? An alumna of Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama, her films, including Down the Rabbit Hole (cinematography by Halyna Hutchins) and Dwell Time (exec. producer Liz Glotzer, The Shawshank Redemption), have screened at Cannes and Clermont-Ferrand. A “Filipino mutt” with Basque, Spanish, Chinese, and Sephardic Jewish roots, Anak’s personal tapestry deeply informs La Partera’s inquiry into inherited legacy and cross-cultural identity.
REEL • SELECTED WORK • IMDB
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Creative Producer / Director of Photography
A first-generation Filipino-American, Leah’s work has earned Emmy-winning and -nominated recognition across acclaimed documentaries and features. She has collaborated with Oscar-nominated directors Julie Cohn and Michèle Ohayon, and recently wrapped Off the Walls starring Keanu Reeves and Awkwafina. Her cinematography on Now & Never won the Rising Star Award at Cinegear, and her work on I Am Still Here received international nominations. As creative partner on La Partera, Leah’s visual artistry and deep connection to themes of inheritance and identity shape the film’s stark, mythic vision.
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Production Designer
Paul is a production designer and puppeteer whose work spans cinema, fine art, and large-scale performance. He has collaborated with celebrated filmmakers including Darren Aronofsky and Steven Soderbergh, and brought creatures to life for Shudder, Netflix, and Paramount Pictures. His artistry extends to live performance, building fantastical worlds for artists such as Lady Gaga and Kanye West, and continuing the traditions of visionaries like Julie Taymor and Jim Henson. Paul’s designs transform raw materials into living myth, grounding La Partera’s folk horror in an uncanny, tactile realism.
Let’s Talk.
Whether you’re exploring a larger contribution, considering a partnership, or simply want to learn more about La Partera, we’d love to hear from you.
Reach us at
or use this form. We’ll get back to you within 1–2 business days.
