A former tennis pro has turned to crowdfunding to raise awareness of domestic abuse in sport for his next short film ‘Out!’.
Launching on October 25th, 2022, a crowdfunding campaign created by Romanian writers, directors, and producers of the film, Andreea Chelesu and former tennis pro Cosmin Andrei, will go live on Kickstarter to raise $42.000 for the production of their new short film ‘Out!’.
Based on true events, ‘Out!’ follows the story of Clara, a young girl, doing her best to become a better tennis player while constantly having to overcome a major setback: her father. As the story unravels, each family member reveals their true nature. But are they all fighting for the same dream?
After holding a racket for the first time at only 3 years old, Andrei went on to play professional tennis for the following 15 years while toying around with a camera in his free time. After turning 18, he chose to follow his heart to pursue a career in filmmaking. He went on to win multiple awards for his short films before deciding it was time to put his tennis knowledge into his next project.
Co-writer and director Andrei says “During my time as a tennis player, there were many occasions where I saw the worst in people, and I wanted to write something based on what I experienced. We want to show how tennis careers can end before they’ve even begun because of self-centered, narcissistic parents who forget that sports are meant to be fun.”
According to an online study “Child Abuse in Sport: European Statistics”, 65% of respondents said they had experienced psychological violence while they were a child. Another online survey led by Human Rights Watch reported 425 athletes admitting having experienced physical abuse while taking part in sport, of which 175 respondents 24-years-old or younger with recent or ongoing experiences of abuse.
“Sadly, this was and still is the reality of many children and we want to shine a light on it”, says fellow filmmaker Andreea Chelesu “Our aim is for the film to raise awareness of domestic violence in sports and the impact abusive parents have on their children’s lives.”
To read more about the film and support the project, visit the campaign’s page on Kickstarter.
Golden Arthouse Entertainment
Based in Sibiu, Romania, Golden Arthouse Entertainment started life as GoldenFilm Pictures in 2020. Founded by Cosmin Andrei and Andreea Chelesu, together they have produced, filmed, and directed over 20 short films that have gone onto winning multiple awards at numerous international film festivals including Anatolian Short Film Festival, Short to the Point International Short Film Festival and ISSAF.
