Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program opens the door to nonprofit funding for independent filmmakers and media artists. Donate today and help bring Let the Myth Be to life.
 

Logline

Lauren thinks she’s awoken a monster. Faced with skepticism from the only person she trusts, she asks herself: can she believe what she sees or has she lost her mind?

Synopsis

While researching her thesis in folklore and mythology, Lauren believes she awoke a supernatural creature from its slumber. Under the guise of finishing her thesis, she reaches out to her friend Freddie, who offers her a place to retreat in rural Southern Oregon. Careful to conceal her real intentions, she seeks to continue her research on this monster and find a way to destroy it before it harms herself or others.

As Lauren dives deeper into the lore, she loses her grasp on reality. Could the monster be hiding in the farm’s shadows or is her mind playing tricks on her? When Freddie learns her real objective, his concern becomes stern. He emphasizes: There is no monster. Torn between trusting her closest confidant or believing her own instincts, Lauren destroys her work and has her first restful night of sleep in a long time.

Above her sleeping head, a figure emerges from the darkness, proving undeniably that this monster exists. And that it had been closer to Lauren than she could have ever imagined.

Let the Myth Be is a supernatural thriller short film that explores an experience many women of color can identify with –– the dynamic that arises when women of color are told their experiences and insights are invalid. This unsettling and dark story will place a Black female protagonist at the center of her own supernatural journey. To be shot in the beautiful yet haunting rural landscape of Southern Oregon with a crew of predominantly women of color, Let the Myth Be gives voice to a universal experience: do I trust my instincts or someone else’s?
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Carrington Walsh – Writer/Director
Carrington Walsh is a genre writer from Los Angeles, CA, but based in Paris, France. She became a finalist in Harvardwood’s TV Writer’s Competition and a quarterfinalist for Cinestory’s TV Writing Fellowship. Carrington collected a myriad of stories from a short stint as a saleswoman for a cultish German tech startup and even more eclectic tales from a longer stint as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Democratic party in Washington, DC. A Harvard graduate, Carrington has a particular love for telling sci-fi and fantasy young adult stories that feature ensemble casts of BIPOC characters in settings that haven’t traditionally included Black women. In her spare time, Carrington unwinds by baking more cookies than she could ever consume by herself.

Claire Liu – Co-Producer/AD
Claire Liu is a producer and writer from Chicago and currently based in Cambridge, MA. She is a current student at Harvard University pursuing a dual concentration with honors in Economics and Theatre, Dance, & Media. With a background in playwriting, Liu has successfully produced 5 of her own one-act plays and was named a national finalist in #ENOUGH Plays to End Gun Violence. In recent years, she has begun exploring the film and TV industries as the president of Harvard’s entertainment alumni liaison group campus chapter and an intern for showrunner Melinda Hsu-Taylor. A passionate activist and artist, Liu is also the President and Founder of Project Said: A Global Platform for Diversity and Equity in the Arts, where she has worked with world renowned artists such as Grammy nominated music producer Yang Tan and Broadway star Telly Leung and was honored as a Rise Global Winner by the Rhodes Trust and Schmidt Futures. In this vein, Liu has a deep passion for producing diverse and powerful stories with a real impact on audiences, a mission that seeps through all the work she continues to pursue.

Asia Lí Jones – Cinematographer
Asia Lí Jones is a New York based cinematographer renowned for her ability to tell captivating stories through the lens. Asia is an alumni of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she received a BFA in Filmmaking. With a diverse portfolio encompassing both narrative and commercial works, she has proven her exceptional talent and eye for detail. Lí has worked on multiple sets for big brand companies such as Vogue, Adidas, Comedy Central and Apple Music. Asia believes that inclusivity enriches the filmmaking landscape. Lí’s ultimate goal is to expand the industry’s diversity by embracing stories from various cultures and genres. With a deep understanding of the technical aspects of cinematography, she continually pushes boundaries and seeks innovative ways to enhance the visual narrative.

Ariana Dideban – Production Design/Art Dept
Ariana Dideban is an Iranian-American printmaker from Los Angeles, currently residing in San Francisco. She received her B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies and Political Science at UC Berkeley — while there, she studied printmaking, material cultures, art history, film, and architecture. All these disciplines have influenced her art practice and relationship to set design. She has worked in the creative department at BARE Magazine where she curated sets for fashion photoshoots. She has also utilized printmaking, specifically screen printing and relief printing, to designed wallpaper, tablecloths, and fine art prints to create whimsical, kitschy spaces. Recently, she was a video production intern for RPA and aided in producing commercials for brands such as Pocky, TXU Energy, Homes.com, and more. This experience allowed her to engage with design, styling, and PA work. She hopes to help creatives bring their imagined worlds and stories to life through thoughtful object curation.

Vanessa Smikle – Costumer and Fashion Consultant
Vanessa Smikle (she/her/Black) is a Toronto-based Costumer and Fashion Consultant. Vanessa is a permittee of her local IATSE 873 union. She has worked as a Costume Buyer and Costumer on Emmy-winning shows such as The Boys, Mrs. America, and Star Trek: Discovery. Vanessa is an alumnus of Toronto Metropolitan University, where she received a Bachelor of Design in Fashion Communications. She also boasts an MA in Sustainability and Geography. Particularly interested in the concept of fashion as a second skin – a medium to express our inner selves to the external world, she looks at fashion’s impact on identity, culture, and the planet. She is now championing and researching bio-textile design and digital solutions to advance ecological materials in the fashion industry. She works as a consultant for large corporations in the ESG and design space, emphasizing the importance of compelling design and sustainability.

Make a donation to Let the Myth Be

Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.