Black Film Space is proud to serve as the fiscal sponsor for the short film The Queen, The Knight & The Witch.

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.

THE QUEEN, THE KNIGHT, & THE WITCH has been chosen after careful evaluation from our board, and we believe it supports our mission to provide career advancing opportunities for Black filmmakers. We are excited to be collaborating with a filmmaker of such high caliber to launch this long overdue program for our community of Black artists.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

PROJECT TYPE: Narrative Short

GENRE: Romance Comedy

PROJECT STATUS: Pre-Production

DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER: Letia Solomon

PRODUCER: Melanie Sudyn

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Daeil Kim

LOGLINE: On the eve of her 35th birthday, Amber must convince her sex partner to engage in unorthodox foreplay, through a medieval fantasy audiobook, to defeat her anxiety about skin-to-skin contact.

SYNOPSIS: In this fantasy romcom, AMBER, a 34-year-old late bloomer obsessed with romance but deeply anxious with skin-to-skin contact, listens to her steamy medieval audiobook “THE QUEEN, THE KNIGHT, AND THE WITCH” in a dingy motel room. Amber adopts the fictional Queen’s curse for her own, hiring a sex worker to help her lose her virginity for her 35th solstice. T’RON, a very direct South Central LA native, comes in ready for action but Amber, terrified, wants to take it extremely slow. As they try to get intimate, Amber’s WITCH, the personification of her insecurities, blocks her from connecting. In a fit of uncomfortable activities, the two reveal the source of her Witch and figure out ways to calm her nervous system to do the deed.

If Game of Thrones, 40 Year Old Virgin, and Insecure had a baby…

TEAM

LETIA SOLOMON (WRITER, DIRECTOR PRODUCER)

Letia Solomon is an award-winning filmmaker and former Chemical engineer based in Los Angeles. She made her television directorial debut on Season 7 of ABC/Shondaland’s STATION 19. She’s a fellow of the 2024 Disney CTDI Directing Program, Ryan Murphy’s HALF Initiative Program and Netflix's 2023 Episodic Directors on the Rise Masterclass with Paris Barclay. Letia directed the coming of age pilot, 3 BLIND MICE which won Essence Film Festival's 2024 Audience Choice Award for Best Indie Pilot and a comedic mockumentary short, CLONES, which won the 2022 Lionsgate/STARZ Award for Best Speculative Fiction Film. Her medieval romcom THE QUEEN, THE KNIGHT, AND THE WITCH was a finalist in the 2022 Tribeca x CHANEL Through Her Lens Program. Letia's USC thesis film, THE CYPHER, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, ABFF HBO Competition, and received USC’s First Look Faculty Award for Outstanding Director. Her bold and edgy style champions heartfelt and comedic stories of underrepresented characters for both film and television.

Relevant Links

2022 Tribeca x CHANEL's Through Her Lens Program Finalist - https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/chanel-through-her-lens-tribeca-1235216915/

2022 Forbes - Meet The Ten Rising Filmmakers Of The Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program - https://www.forbes.com/sites/natashawolff/2022/09/21/meet-the-ten-rising-filmmakers-of-the-tribeca-chanel-womens-filmmaker-program/?sh=57a9319a70f8

MELANIE SUDYN (PRODUCER)

Melanie Sudyn, originally from Buffalo, NY, is the co-founder of Xylograph Films and an accomplished producer, writer, and first assistant director. With a portfolio encompassing over 20 short films, commercials, and a feature film distributed by Gravitas Ventures, she has collaborated with notable entities like Red Bull TV, SONY, Entertainment Technology Center, and RIT. Her debut feature film, "White Demise," was distributed by Gravitas Ventures in 2020. Additionally, her short film "Re-Rehab" was featured at the 2019 Toronto Shorts International Film Festival and is available on Amazon Prime.

DAEIL KIM (DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

Daeil Kim born in Seoul, South Korea, moved to the United States at 20 to pursue filmmaking. He co-founded Xylograph Films, producing acclaimed short films, commercials for brands like Red Bull, and music videos for artists like Two Friends and Bryce Vine.

Kim’s cinematography work, The Things We Keep, is set to screen at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

A graduate of the USC MFA Film & TV Production Program, Kim was an Annenberg Fellow and recipient of the James Bridges and Jack Larson scholarships.

Kim has earned the Sony Future of Cinematography award, Panavision New Filmmaker Grant, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Production Grant (2024).

DE'ONNA "TREE" YOUNG-STEPHENS (PRODUCER)

De'Onna "Tree" Young-Stephens is an award-winning writer, director, and producer based in Los Angeles, California. She is currently a member of Women in Film Los Angeles (WIFLA), The International Documentary Association, The Black Women's Film Network (BWFN), and the African American Women in Cinema Society (AAWC). Born and raised in Walkertown, North Carolina, Tree's interest in film started at the tender age of eight when she was enrolled as a dancer at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and marketing from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Tree got her first professional job working on the film 42 and later went on to work as a personal assistant for Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe on Hidden Figures and as a second assistant director on numerous films and television shows in the Atlanta area. Currently, Tree works for the Wondaland Arts Society as a screenwriter and director and also produced the Grammy nominated emotion picture Dirty Computer. She received her MFA from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts and received a Student Academy Award and Director's Guild of America award for her short documentary “Not Just a Name”.

LEON PIERCE JR (PRODUCER)

Leon Pierce Jr. is a Los Angeles native and a natural born storyteller. He has written, produced and directed several short films, including the award winning romance dramedy, Without Her and the romance drama, Broke Lovers. Leon, also wrote, produced, directed and executive produced his first feature film, Welcome Matt, a dramedy starring Tahj Mowry and Deon Cole, about an agoraphobic filmmaker, who tries to make a film in his apartment, while doing in home therapy, so he can venture back out into the real world. The film was distributed by Gravitas Ventures, for a nationwide release on May 28th 2021. It's currently available on Amazon Prime and Tubi.

HORANE HENRY (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

Horane Henry has over 15 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry, specializing in technology. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology and a Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Technology Management, both from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He seeks to bridge the gap between technology and entertainment and contributes to the industry's ongoing growth. Horane has been named as part of Media Play News 40 Under 40, Class of 2024. Creative at heart, Horane has won over 15 awards for independent films and Executive Produced “Raw Materials”, Jamaica’s first short film to win an African Academy Award. Horane is passionate about bringing underrepresented Caribbean filmmakers and storylines to light.

RYAN MAHARAJ (CASTING DIRECTOR)

Ryan Maharaj is known for Beast (2022), They Cloned Tyrone (2023) and Fatherhood (2021) and has worked closely with Kim Coleman Casting.

DONATION PERKS

$25 - You is Kind, You is Smart...
DESCRIPTION
Thank you for donating! We'll shout you out on social media!
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 x Social Media Shout Out

$50- Sir QuikandEasy
DESCRIPTION
We love a QuikandEasy. Thank you for your donation! Exclusive BTS Videos and photos of our process and All previous awards
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 x BTS Videos/Photos
1 x All Previous Awards

$75 - Noble Slayer
DESCRIPTION
You have reached the Noble Slayer and ready to save the day. You will receive a copy of signed digital poster and All previous awards. Thank you!
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 x Copy of signed digital poster
1 x All Previous Awards

$100 - Lady Spice of Life
DESCRIPTION
Oh we're shaking things up with Lady Spice of Life. You’ll receive a Personalized affirmation recording to conquer your internal “Witch” - voice will be someone from the Team, Your name in credits, password protected link to the final film , and All previous awards
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 x Personalized Affirmation VO
1 x Exclusive Digital Link to Film
1 x All Previous Awards
1 x Your name in credits

$200 - Lord Finisher
DESCRIPTION
Lord Finisher is dependable in every sense. You'll receive an Exclusive Digital Link to the film, Stickers of the Kingdom’s Logo, and All previous awards. Thank you!
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 x Stickers of the Kingdom’s Logo
1 x Exclusive Digital Link to Film
1 x All Previous Awards

$500 - You're powerful and know what you want.
DESCRIPTION
You're powerful and can teach what you want. You’ll receive an Invitation to Film premiere (Ticket, travel/accommodations not included, but if you're a local we'd love to have you celebrate the completion of the film with us), a 30 mins Virtual Meeting with Director (Optional), and All previous awards. Thank you!
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 x Invitation to film premiere
1 x 30 Min Virtual Mtg W/ Director
1 x All Previous Awards

$1000 - Keeper of the Realm
DESCRIPTION
One of the most crucial roles in the Kingdom. Invitation to film premiere 2 comp’d tickets (Ticket, travel/accommodations not included, but if you're a local we'd love to have you celebrate the completion of the film with us), Watch cut before official release for exclusive feedback, and All previous awards. Thank you for your donation!
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 x Invitation to film premiere
1 x Watch early cut for notes
1 x All Previous Awards

$2500 - High Council
DESCRIPTION
Key stakeholder to the Kingdom. You'll receive an Associate Producer credit (optional), Company logo in the end credits (optional), and All previous awards. Thank you for your wise council and donation!
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 x Associate Producer cred (Opt)
1 x Company logo in credits (Opt)
1 x All Previous Awards

$5000 - Ruler of the 50Leven Kingdoms
DESCRIPTION
Big Boss, Hand to the Throne. You are able to receive Executive Producer/Co-Executive Producer credit (optional), Company logo in the end credits, and All previous awards. Note: there may be more than one Executive Producer. Your donation means the world to us and will receive a front row seat to our process. Thank you so much for your support!
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 x Company logo in end credits
1 x Executive Producer (optional)
1 x All Previous Awards

For any additional questions about "The Queen, The Knight, & The Witch" or its fundraising campaign please email the team at tqtktwfilm@gmail.com.

The Queen, The Knight, & The Witch

Team Members