Black Film Space is proud to serve as the fiscal sponsor for the short film Double Edge.

Black Film Space's fiscal sponsorship program allows for members to use its 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt status to receive tax-deductible donations on the film's behalf and solicit charitable contributions throughout the production process.

Double Edge has been chosen after careful evaluation from our board, and we believe it supports our mission to provide career advancing opportunities for Black filmmakers.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

PROJECT TYPE: Short
GENRE: Drama
PROJECT STATUS: Pre-Production
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Jasmine LeCount-McClanahan
PRODUCER: Makayla Leilua
PRODUCER: MJ Dondon

LOGLINE:

After a devastating injury, a promising young fencer struggles to get back on the strip while watching her twin sister live out their shared dreams.

Alexus and Josephine “Jo” Brandt are star twin fencers with Olympic ambitions. During one of their meets against their rivals, they face off against Alexus’s nemesis, Alina, for the final time before Alina graduates. With tensions high, Alexus defeats her but can’t resist taunting her one last time. In a fit of rage, Alina lashes out shattering Alexus’s knee. Now facing an uncertain future with her collegiate career ripped from her and her professional fencing career hanging in the balance, Alexus struggles to come to terms with her injury, as she watches everything move on without her, including Jo, who steps into the top spot that Alexus has been holding onto their entire lives.

Alexus becomes jealous of Jo’s newfound success. Circumstances climax after Alexus walks out of Jo’s medal ceremony at the NCAA championships. Shortly after, Alexus gets the news that she will never be able to compete at the same caliber again, and heavy training is out of the picture. Back at home, Alexus starts an argument with Jo that culminates in Alexus tearing down her vision board and going back to their team gym where she tries to prove to herself that she can and will get better, but after trying some moves her knee gives out, crumpling her into a ball of pain and tears. Jo walks in to find her twin sister breaking down, and comforts her. The two reconcile as they mourn their dream that will never be.

TEAM

JASMINE LECOUNT-MCCLANAHAN, (Writer/Director)

Jasmine LeCount-McClanahan is a writer, filmmaker, and photographer from New Jersey. A graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Film and Television, she is passionate about storytelling and committed to diversifying the perspectives in today’s media. Her directing work has earned recognition, including Best Youth Documentary at the St. Francis College Women's Film Festival and a nomination in Our City, Our Stories at the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2021, she was selected for the Fujifilm Create Forever Students of Storytelling program in collaboration with Artist’s Den. Jasmine also serves as a Teaching Artist with Downtown Community Television Center's Youth Media Program, guiding young creators in their own storytelling journeys, with many of their films winning awards at various festivals.

MAKAYLA LEILUA, (Producer)

Makayla Leilua is an award-winning producer who grew up in Rowland Heights, California and studied Film and Television at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. During her time at NYU, her general education concentrated on Social and Cultural Analysis furthering Makayla’s mission to diversify the cast, crews, and stories told in the film and television industry.

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Makayla has produced numerous award-winning short films ranging from the student to independent levels, as well as executive producing a TV pilot, "Acting Human," which won Best LGBTQ Short at Indie Short Fest 2024. Currently, Makayla is the Executive Assistant to the President of Fashion and President of Nonscripted Content at WME Group.

MJ DONDON, ( Producer)

MJ Dondon is a producer and writer based in NYC. Born in the Philippines and through a series of unfortunate events, grew up a majority of his life in Indiana, and he has a wide variety of experiences through being accepted and being not-so-accepted. He co-wrote and executive produced the Indie Shorts winner for best LGBTQ Short, the television pilot “Acting Human,” about these particular experiences of being an “Other,” as well as producing a handful of student short films during his time completing a BFA in Film and Television at NYU. His focus is on writing and producing films from underrepresented stories in various genres–comedy, horror, and drama. He is also currently a producer on a horror/comedy film, “AYAS,” a recipient of the Independence Public Media Foundation grant.

This story has been close to my heart as I myself was a fencer for 5+ years and it changed my life. When I was fencing, I experienced multiple injuries that quelled any long-term sports dreams early on. I knew my athletic expiration date, but I watched many of my coaches and peers wrestle with their own injury recovery. I witnessed their grit and determination as well as the pain, anger, and disappointment that accompanied it. Some got back on the strip while other careers were halted.

The film follows Alexus's nonlinear journey through grief of a dream, an era of life, and a version of herself. At the same time, she wrestles with envy, watching Jo emerge into the spotlight. But Jo is struggling too. As Alexus pulls away, Jo feels the absence of her closest supporter and built-in best friend. The film will explore how injury and mental health ripple outward, affecting not just the individual but everyone close to them.

Everyone has had to grieve a period of their life, whether that is after graduating from school, moving to a new city, or going through a big change like marriage or parenthood. Some do that quietly and mournfully, others kicking and screaming. There’s no shame in either. I wanted to focus on that universality while simultaneously carving out representation for the sport I loved with a character that looks like me and my teammates.

Pre-Production (June-December)

● Securing funding.

● Building the world of the film through production design, gathering wardrobe, securing locations, and casting.

Production (January)

● Meeting our goal will allow us to shoot over the course of three days while ensuring we can pay cast and crew adequately, feed them, and provide all other production elements.

Post-Production (January-April)

● Editing the film, fixing sound, and adding effects.

● Licensing all music.

Distribution (April-Onwards)

● Screening for cast, crew, and select guests.

● Submitting to festivals.

● Screenings for young athletes at fencing clubs and other organizations to spread this important message.

Double Edge

Team Leaderboard

Team Members