After a 5 year healing journey and mystery diagnosis, FODMAP Writer-Director, E'lon Joi felt compelled to create a project that addressed the complex intersection between capitalism, dietary healthcare, and the convoluted policies within the American food industry. FODMAP is a horror-satire that centers the anxiety inducing misinformation around what's safe to eat, as well as its resulting feelings of powerlessness. While many Americans are aware there is an ongoing issue with food regulation policies, few have the knowledge and resources needed to advocate for true change. With this fundraiser, not only will proceeds be raised for the creation of a short film, but also to amplify a social message served through an artistic medium. E'lon and the FODMAP team will be donating a percentage of the proceeds raised to the Center for Food Safety, a nonprofit organization that advocates for human health, sustainable agriculture, and safe food production. Their suggested action steps and community guidelines will be amplified throughout the duration of this campaign and in resulting panel conversations around the short film's takeaways and steps toward food advocacy. Check out more project details below!

THE STORY

A low FODMAP diet is intended to lessen agitation caused by carbs/sugars that are hard for the gut to digest and can lead to bloating, and abdominal pain. But what do we do when dietary adjustments aren't enough?

FODMAP Short Film is A fun, satirical, Black, queer, genre bending project, that addresses a core issue with American food safety, artificial additives, and its resulting impact on the human body. The story begins when a new food recall is issued and a poly quad struggles to resolve the unusual symptoms of their exceedingly bloated partner whose body is overtaken by a mysterious side effect. These four are a village and each other’s found family. So when one of them becomes impacted by the food, they’re all equally invested in fighting back-- Just like we all should be. Otherwise… the food's gonna get us!

THE CHARACTERS

Rolando "Ro" Simmons (they/them) played by B. Alexander~ Ro is an athletic, thoughtful, trans masc creative that leads with thoughtful consideration of their village. However, when their health is impacted, there is a shift that takes Ro from a confident extrovert to jaded recluse. This adjustment is especially difficult when their relationship with their primary partner becomes more like a caregiving dynamic. Now the giver must learn to receive.

Houston Bailey (she/her) played by Taneisha Figueroa~ Houston is an optimistic femme foodie, free spirit, and Ro's primary partner. She has no problem taking charge in the relationship if need be, if only Ro will let her in. Houston goes through great lengths to maintain a sense of routine in their lives when Ro is impacted by the food, but NONE of this is normal.

Amina Reyez (she/any) played by Devin Fluker~ Amina works in healthcare and has seen her fair share of disappointments. She is passionate about environmental care and clean eating, but realizes there is an inevitability to being impacted by poor food policy in some way or another. She supports Ro with research and holistic suggestions, but ultimately knows that the system is working as intended-- to keep consumers dependent.

Sade' "Dae" Clark (she/her) played by Trice Driver~ Dae takes everything in stride. Why stress over what you can't control? When things shift for the worst, she supports her primary partner, Amina, in protecting the quad from the impact of the food recall. No one could have guessed it'd be this serious. In the meantime, why not add humor to lighten the mood...

THE TEAM

Writer/Director: E'lon Joi (she/any)

https://www.bfallegiance.com/

E’lon Joi is an award-winning writer-director and college educator based in Los Angeles. She has directed over a dozen short films and earned accolades such as Quarter-Finalist in the 2018 Finish Line Script Competition and Austin Film Festival, Semi-Finalist in the Big Break Contest and Project Greenlight, and winner of the BET Music Video Contest. E’lon holds a BFA in English/Media Studies, and an MFA in Screenwriting, which are her subjects of focus as a college instructor. Her work in development includes roles as Development Manager at Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and as a Creative Consultant for Matthew A. Cherry under Warner Bros. Television. She is also the founder of Black Film Allegiance, a virtual platform promoting collaboration and creative opportunity for up-and-coming filmmakers of color.

Producer: Timothée Amari

Timothée Amari is a multi-hyphenate creative with a background in screenwriting, directing, acting, producing, photography, and cinematography. He produced and hosted the first Hip Hop and R&B radio station at KNTC while serving in the military. He continued on to join the marketing for WPGC 95.5 FM and as board op at 94.7 FM The Wave. He also worked under Lena Waithe at Hillman Grad and for both Jada Pinkett Smith and Willow Smith at Westbrook Inc. He currently works in marketing at the Walt Disney studios.

Props Fabricator: Logan Wiggins (they/them)

(Work by Logan Wiggins) https://www.loganwiggins.art/

Logan Wiggins is a queer, multidisciplinary artist from Bakersfield, CA and based in Los Angeles. While painting is their first love, their experience ranges from SFX makeup , prop fabrication, mold making, printmaking, ceramics, drawing, collage work, 3D modeling, welding and more. Logan's work is about systems, interconnectivity, and the intrinsic connection between the human body/experience and the surrounding natural world. They make art about where we betray that connection and where we lean into it.

THE PLAN

We are a team that is ANTI artificial intelligence and therefore using this campaign to support human creativity and innovation. We are developing the genre elements of this story by hand, using special equipment and resources to make the vision come to life. We will also be using these resources to donate to the Center for Food Safety (centerforfoodsafety.org), which offers tangible next steps to the issues posed in this project.

FODMAP Short Film

The Food's Gonna Get Us!