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LAST STOP BEFORE CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN documentary

Some call it a wasteland, but is it actually a wonderland?

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LAST STOP BEFORE CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN documentary

LAST STOP BEFORE CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN documentary

LAST STOP BEFORE CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN documentary

LAST STOP BEFORE CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN documentary

LAST STOP BEFORE CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN documentary

Some call it a wasteland, but is it actually a wonderland?

Some call it a wasteland, but is it actually a wonderland?

Some call it a wasteland, but is it actually a wonderland?

Some call it a wasteland, but is it actually a wonderland?

Susanna della Sala
Susanna della Sala
Susanna della Sala
Susanna della Sala
2 Campaigns |
BOMBAY BEACH, United States
$10,605 USD 38 backers
42% of $25,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Highlights
Mountain Filled 2 Projects Mountain Filled 2 Projects
Overview
Last Stop Before Chocolate Mountain is a documentary film about the birth of a secret art project called Bombay Beach Biennale, happening in an abandoned town in the Californian desert. On one hand the absolute desolation of the landscape presents a scene of death and abandonment, yet on the other, the secret flourishing of the arts reminds us of the possibility of rebirth, or at least gives us the illusion of that dream.

FACEBOOKhttp://www.facebook.com/ElysianFields2018/

INSTAGRAMhttp://www.instagram.com/elysianfields_thefilm/

CREDITS

produced by / LILY JOHNSON WHITE,  TAO RUSPOLI, SUSANNA DELLA SALA

directed by / SUSANNA DELLA SALA

cinematography by / ANDREA JOSE' DI PASQUALE, JESSICA STEINER, MIKE BRUCE, SUSANNA DELLA SALA

YOU CAN'T FIND THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION? SEND US AN EMAIL AT: 

theelysianfields2018@gmail.com, we'll get right back to you as soon as possible! 

 

WHO AM I?

Susanna has gained experience in different fields, such as dancing, acting, painting and design, studying in Italy and USA. She started working in the art department and at the same time she worked as a director of experimental and independent projects. Graduated at the National Italian Film in Rome, she currently works in international film and television productions such as Wonder Woman (Warner Bros),  Murder Mystery (Netflix film), Medici Masters of Florence (Netflix TV series), Raffaello - The Lord of the Arts, SkyArte, Italy.

Her first short film as a director is "The Fish Doctor"  starring Giorgio Cantarini, the unforgettable child from"Life is Beautiful", Roberto Benigni's Oscar-winning film.

Where? 

Bombay Beach, California. A little town on the shores of the Salton Sea.

still images from the film

 The Salton Sea was born after a severe flood of the Colorado river created a vast fresh-water lake in the early 20th century. Sitting 150 miles east of Los Angeles in the dry and hot Sonoran Desert, the Salton Sea is a 375-square-mile accident of nature, industry and real estate. It’s the largest inland body of water in California, but it’s saltier than the ocean and the diversity of fish and wildlife that can support it is diminishing. And below the surface is a seabed of contaminated soil that, once dried, turns to a toxic dust that is already posing public health risks.

The sea is evaporating rapidly, which means more toxic dust being released into the air.

In the 1950s, a large-scale development project aimed to transform the area into a tourist destination and seaside resort. The plan failed and the area quickly fell into decline.

Today, on the east and west shores of the lake, buildings and roads lie derelict and in decay. The current landscape is post-apocalyptical: beaches are strewn with fish bones, fully furnished homes lie empty and abandoned, pollution has contaminated the water and sullied the land. 

The Salton Sea is a frequent site of interest for artists, filmmakers and photographers, but their creations often leave nothing behind, nothing that makes a lasting contribution to the landscape or the community.

What?

still image from the film. 

Bombay beach Biennale is an artistic festival founded by Tao Ruspoli, Lily Johnson White and Stefan Ashkenazy, which takes place in a partially abandoned town on the shores of the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley, a vast desert area in California. 

Each year artists, philosophers, sculptors and performers join together to give something back to the Salton Sea community, to make a lasting change inspired by the magic, the mystery and the history of this unique location.

Bombay Beach Biennial is an experiment, an adventure and a prototype—and perhaps an example for other communities.

"Imperial County is the poorest in California, and this town, on some levels the most godforsaken in California, had nothing to show for all  this work, which oftentimes was just stolen, with no regard to the locals--not one gallery, not one photo on a wall. So the idea was to flip it all upside down: to get great artists, known and unknown, to come and make art specifically for the town"   

 -Tao Ruspoli-

What the film is.

director's statement

I was charmed by how Bombay Beach is a melting pot of very different things. There’s a natural disaster, there’s remains of the  American culture from the 60s, there’s poverty and abandonment but also a sort of magic and positivity in it. There’s art and freedom but also a social hierarchy and games of thrones to conquer the town. It reminded me of Peter Pan’s Neverland. People who can’t find a place in a standard society create their own isolated world where they live through their own rules and dreams. Like everything that grows in the desert, the community which was born is strong and powerful. 

I felt this freedom myself and decided to make a film which doesn’t follow any specific filmic rule and explores different styles and techniques. The desolate desert landscape with the contrast of abandoned 60s thriving resorts reminded me of Italy’s radical group Superstudio and their collages from the 60s. This film is a sort of collage of styles: there are elements which come from traditional documentary, narrative film since some scenes are scripted, TV talkshows, advertising, music video, westerns and a touch of cartoon fairytales, which comes from my passion for childlike bizzarre, surreal atmospheres and unique characters. Everything with a touch of humor in it.

When I first arrived in Bombay I immediately noticed how the sound and the concept of time dominate the atmosphere. It shifts from a complete silent peaceful scene to a violent, loud, invasive one. Sound is a constituent of atmosphere and leads the film. My editing always starts for one specific sound and I build the film from that, just like I built the Promo video starting from the sound of the train which appears and disappeared directing the scenes on its own.

The film starts with a fly overseeing and landing in the town. Just like a fly we follow the private lives of the people which populate the place, from the locals to the artists “invading” the town with the Biennale art Festival. My interviews are rarely still in one location. In the film I like to explore the character in all their forms, I let them carry me into their life and go as deep as possible to a level of intimacy which allows them to feel free enough to lead the actual interview on their own and turn it into they’re own life “show”, or they’re own music video or whatever they’d like, encouraging them to use the camera as a tool to show their potential after being forgotten by their own society. To reach that point, I had to spend a lot of time to get to know them and gain their trust.  I followed them around in their daily activities, their confessions, their relationship with newcomers, their favorite locations.

YOUR HELP ALLOWS US TO:

We really need your help to make the best out of this project! FILM IS A POWERFUL MEDIUM. It can inspire and open conversations that can trigger internal revelations, bring people together and open minds. 

With this campaign, our goal is to find finishing funds for the film.   These funds will be essential to complete the project. 

it will allow us to: 

-complete the editing

-sound edit

-SOUND MIX

-Stock footage

-Make the film available to other countries with subtitles in 2 languages

-Get a distribution company

-Master and DCP format for theatre screenings

NO MONEY? NO PROBLEM

Whether you donate €3 or €1000, your support will be vital to us. The success of our campaign also depends on getting the word out to as many people as possible. Please consider supporting us by sharing this campaign with your friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, teachers and students via email, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, your blog or using the Indiegogo share tools. You can also like us on our social, we will keep you informed on the campaign as it progresses.

 

 

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Choose your Perk

THANK&SOCIAL

THANK&SOCIAL

$5 USD
A big thank you shout out on social media by the director ! Thank you for your support!
Included Items
  • THANKS ON SOCIAL NETWORKS
Estimated Shipping
January 2020
1 claimed
THANK&NOTE

THANK&NOTE

$15 USD
A personalized thank you note on social media by the director!
Included Items
  • THANK YOU NOTE!
Estimated Shipping
January 2020
2 claimed
THANK&LINK

THANK&LINK

$30 USD
You'll receive personalized thank you note on social networks and the private link to see the full trailer of the film! We're so grateful!
Included Items
  • THANK YOU NOTE!
  • FULL TRAILER PRIVATE LINK
Estimated Shipping
January 2020
3 claimed
THANK&DOODLE

THANK&DOODLE

$50 USD
You'll receive a personalized digital doodle by the director posted on our INSTAGRAM PAGE and your name will be in the CAST&CREW THANKS CREDITS SECTION!
Included Items
  • THANK YOU NOTE!
  • DIGITAL DOODLE
  • NAME IN FILM CREDITS
  • FULL TRAILER PRIVATE LINK
Estimated Shipping
January 2020
8 claimed
MENTORSHIP

MENTORSHIP

$100 USD
WOW! You'll receive the PRIVATE LINK to watch the film's roughcut and give your personal notes! Plus your name in the DIRECTOR'S SPECIAL THANKS section!
Included Items
  • THANK YOU NOTE!
  • NAME IN FILM CREDITS
  • FULL TRAILER PRIVATE LINK
  • FULL FILM PRIVATE LINK
8 claimed
SPONSOR & NIGHT IN BOMBAYBEACH

SPONSOR & NIGHT IN BOMBAYBEACH

$250 USD
HURRAY!!!! You've become the OFFICIAL SPONSOR of our film and get ONE SPECIAL NIGHT in one of the ICONIC ART HOUSES in Bombay Beach! BRAVO!
Included Items
  • THANK YOU NOTE!
  • FULL FILM PRIVATE LINK
  • SPONSOR CREDIT
  • ONE NIGHT IN BOMBAY BEACH!
Estimated Shipping
April 2020
0 claimed
SPECIAL LIMITED PERK!

SPECIAL LIMITED PERK!

$300 USD
This is a LIMITED PERK, you'll receive a personalized HANDMADE artwork 17cm x 15cm by our director and you can have coffee together and chat!
Included Items
  • NAME IN SPECIAL THANKS SECTION
  • FULL FILM PRIVATE LINK
  • HANDMADE DRAWING
  • COFFE WITH DIRECTOR
Estimated Shipping
January 2020
2 out of 8 of claimed
ORIGINAL SIGNED POLAROID

ORIGINAL SIGNED POLAROID

$450 USD
ORIGINAL SIGNED POLAROID, matted and framed BY famous photographer KIRSTEN THYS VAN DEN AUDENAERDE, signed by both her and the director! Kirsten captured surreal moments of our film set, be the only one to get this special artpiece !
Included Items
  • ORIGINAL POLAROID
Estimated Shipping
December 2019
0 out of 1 of claimed
Ships worldwide.
ORIGINAL DIRECTOR'S DRAWING

ORIGINAL DIRECTOR'S DRAWING

$450 USD
ORIGINAL SIGNED DRAWING by the director Susanna della Sala. Myth of Aristophanes - 2019
Included Items
  • ORIGINAL DIRECTOR'S DRAWING
Estimated Shipping
December 2019
0 out of 1 of claimed
ASSOCIATE PROD + SPECIAL NIGHT

ASSOCIATE PROD + SPECIAL NIGHT

$500 USD
WOW WOW WOW, you've become ASSOCIATE PRODUCER of this bizarre film, you must be a little bizarre yourself! You get to spend one SPECIAL NIGHT in an amazing SAILBOAT IN THE DESERT at our producer's JOSHUA TREE COMPOUND where the director spent days editing the film!
Included Items
  • FULL FILM PRIVATE LINK
  • ASSOCIATE PRODUCER CREDIT
  • NIGHT IN A DESERT SAILBOAT
1 claimed
CO-PRODUCER+ 2 NIGHTS IN BB

CO-PRODUCER+ 2 NIGHTS IN BB

$750 USD
YOU MADE IT, you're our CO PRODUCER ! You'll receive a IMDB credit and get to spend magical time with the chickens and rabbits during your TWO SPECIAL NIGHTS AT THE ARTHOUSE IN BOMBAY BEACH "THE INSTITUTE OF PARTICLE PHISICS, METAPHISICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS".
Included Items
  • NAME IN FILM CREDITS
  • FULL FILM PRIVATE LINK
  • CO PRODUCER CREDIT !
  • 2 NIGHTS IN BOMBAY BEACH
1 out of 8 of claimed
COPRODUCER+DINNER

COPRODUCER+DINNER

$1,000 USD
Not only you're CO PRODUCER of the film, you'll be invited to a SPECIAL ITALIAN DINNER in ROME WITH THE DIRECTOR! Pasta al pesto and good wine are not worth it???? OR one SPECIAL NIGHT in an amazing SAILBOAT IN THE DESERT at our producer's JOSHUA TREE COMPOUND where the director spent days editing the film!
Included Items
  • NAME IN FILM CREDITS
  • FULL FILM PRIVATE LINK
  • CO PRODUCER CREDIT !
  • ITALIAN DINNER WITH DIRECTOR
  • NIGHT IN A DESERT SAILBOAT
Estimated Shipping
January 2020
1 out of 8 of claimed
COPRODUCER + BOMBAY BEACH TOUR

COPRODUCER + BOMBAY BEACH TOUR

$2,000 USD
CO PRODUCER and you can CHOOSE between a SPECIAL PERSONAL ART TOUR OF BOMBAY BEACH with our producer and co founder of the Bombay Beach Biennale TAO RUSPOLI or a SPECIAL DAY IN ROME, ITALY with our director SUSANNA!
Included Items
  • HANDMADE DRAWING
  • COFFE WITH DIRECTOR
  • CO PRODUCER CREDIT !
  • A TOUR DAY IN ROME
  • ART TOUR OF BOMBAY BEACH
Estimated Shipping
January 2020
0 out of 5 of claimed
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

$5,000 USD
HOLY MOLY! YOU'RE THE MONEY GAL OR GUY! WELCOME TO OUR CREW AS AN OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND GET INVITED ALL THE EVENTS, PREMIERES ENVOLVED WITH THE FILM AND CHOOSE ANY OF THE PERKS LISTED ABOVE!!!!!
Included Items
  • FULL FILM PRIVATE LINK
  • HANDMADE DRAWING
  • EXECUTIVE PRODUCER!
  • A TOUR DAY IN ROME
  • 2 NIGHTS IN BOMBAY BEACH
  • ART TOUR OF BOMBAY BEACH
Estimated Shipping
April 2020
1 out of 4 of claimed
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