Adrienne de Faria Tackles Sensitive Material
Film Title: Moonflower
Budget: $3,000
Logline: Raped by the same man, two women plan a murder in the American West, questioning the ethics of revenge along the way.
Synopsis: Bound by a single act of violence, two women forge an uneasy alliance. Their journey toward revenge unfolds as both a physical pursuit and an internal reckoning with trauma as they drive to the house of the man they aim to kill. But as their plan takes shape, it begins to shift into something darker and less certain. In the end, the cost of vengeance threatens to eclipse the justice they seek.
Moonflower was a finalist for our Spring 2026 Grant Program, a short student project with a gut-wrenching premise and delicate approach to sensitive subject matter. Writer/Director Adrienne de Faria shares some of her journey here.
How did you fund the project?
[AdF] As a thesis film, Moonflower was funded through a variety of grants, primarily through Brown University, as well as donations from my community.
Did you have funding in place before writing, or get funding together after you wrote the script?
[AdF] Before writing, we had less than 20% of our funding secured. Most was raised during the pre-production process.
What are some of the pros about funding this way? The cons?
[AdF] I've always found asking for money as a daunting, intimidating, and sometimes embarrassing process. The nice thing about reaching out to my broader community was that I could rely on personal relationships with past coworkers and peers rather than pitching myself to strangers. However, I acknowledge that Moonflower's institutional support from Brown is really what made it possible, which is a privilege I have as a student filmmaker.
What is your long-term vision for the project?
[AdF] I hope that Moonflower reaches an audience that can find the catharsis and understanding that my characters reach helpful for their own lives through a festival run and student premiere.
Did you learn anything when it comes to funding and budgeting that you will do differently on your next project?
[AdF] I certainly learned that the funding process has to start a lot earlier, and that perhaps pitching yourself and your idea more broadly isn't so daunting after all.
Were there any areas where you were able to call in favors/save money? What were those areas?
[AdF] For locations, I actually used a lot of places in my hometown that donated space in exchange for special thanks credits and social media posts. Being from the area helped a lot to establish that personal relationship!
Did you get any budget or expense surprises that you weren’t expecting?
[AdF] On the flip side of the coin, the locations that I did pay for were very expensive, especially if and when we ran over the allotted time they gave us because of production issues.
Any fun anecdotes you'd like to share?
[AdF] We shot the entire film in three days!
About Adrienne de Faria
Adrienne de Faria is a filmmaker from Los Angeles, CA. Previously a director for Brown University's television production company, Brown Original Series, she recently finished a Development internship with The Black List through the Academy Gold Rising program. Her work surrounds surrealism, obsession, and femininity, and she aims to uplift marginalized voices across diverse genres through her work. Her debut episodic mini series, Pas de Deux, was an official selection at Mount Vernon Film Festival, East Village New York Film Festival, and Mirada Corta Short Film Festival. Her first short film, LIMERENCE, was also an official selection at the Yale Student Short Film Festival 2025. She is currently in post-production for her upcoming short film Moonflower, which will serve as her thesis film for Brown University's Modern Culture and Media department.
Adrienne de Faria Websire: https://www.adriennedefaria.com/
Adrienne de Faria Instagram: @adriennedefaria