From The Heart Productions
Fiscally Sponsored Indie Films and Projects

BEFORE THERE WAS FACEBOOK
BEFORE THERE WAS SOCIAL NETWORKING
THERE WAS ARTHUR INMAN

Award-winning filmmaker Lorenzo DeStefano, in collaboration with Producer/Film Editor Lisa Palattella, turns his keen eye and investigatory skills towards unravelling the mysterious life and work of the infamous Boston eccentric, Arthur Crew Inman (1895-1963), author of the 17 million word/155 volume “INMAN DIARY”, published by Harvard University Press.

A man obsessed with connectivity decades before the word was invented, Inman's diary is an epic of collective memory charting his quest for literary immortality and his 40-year marriage to his long-suffering wife and collaborator Evelyn Yates Inman.

IN A MYTHICAL PLACE CALLED HOLLYWOOD,
WHERE DREAMS OF FAME AND FORTUNE COME AN GO,
THE ONLY REAL THING LEFT IS FRIENDSHIP

One hot, smoggy afternoon, Lavergne (SEAN YOUNG), an aging White actress on the verge of physical and mental collapse, attempts to climb an absurdly steep flight of stairs in the Hollywood Hills, goaded on by Tony (QUINTON AARON), a young Black man of blind ambition & ample proportions, who has vowed to save her life. The complex relationship between this oddest of odd couples is explored with a mixture of brutality and real tenderness. Revealing itself between the bottom of the stairs and the top, Lavergne & Tony's story is humorous, tragic, and deeply touching.

Eden’s modeling dreams were crushed when she was exposed to heroin in high school. Now, deep in the midst of a tragic and abusive lifestyle, close to death, a new acquaintance helps Eden find her value and and redemption in a new faith relationship.

Eden is a young woman who became addicted to heroin after smoking a bowl of marijuana that was laced with heroin. Eden has given up all hope of anything positive, and almost desires an end to her life just to have some peace. A fateful night, one that is the result of the absence of the Truth, one that finds her close to death, opens the door for a life that she thought she would never know again.

An undercover cop falls in love with the woman he's supposed to take down. When their heist goes wrong and suspicion falls on him, he's got 30 minutes to prove someone else on the crew is the snitch, or she's going to kill him.

In a tale of love distorted by time and memory, "Olive" invites us into the world of Sam and his grandmother, who suffers from memory loss. Their reality begins to crumble when Sam discovers an ID stating he was born in 1932.

Olivia Robello is a young woman in 1930s Honolulu, engaged to be married, with everything to live for, until a man knocks on her door one day and changes her life forever.
A true story set in Honolulu between 1934 and 1937, "Shipment Day", based on Lorenzo DeStefano’s award-winning play, explores the events surrounding Olivia’s diagnosis of leprosy at 18. The film chronicles Olivia’s separation from her loving family, the fear and social stigma she suffers during her two-and-a-half year incarceration in a special quarantined hospital, to the day of her shipment to Kalaupapa, the remote Hansen's disease settlement on Molokai where she will spend the next seventy years of her life.

Uncovering the dark and heartbreaking reality of human trafficking of young males, #BoysToo is an eye-opening documentary that challenges the misconceptions about who can be a victim of this heinous crime. With a powerful and nuanced look at the struggles of young boys and men who have fallen prey to this injustice, the film highlights the shocking inadequacy of services currently available for these victims with a vital exploration into the all too often-overlooked aspect of human trafficking.

One child every “26 Seconds” is trafficked globally, the majority ending up in the sex trade. “26 Seconds” features the heartbreaking stories of children and women who have been trafficked worldwide.

Every 26 seconds, a child is trafficked globally. 26 Seconds-ISIS Sex Slaves is an unapologetic documentary that uncovers the horrors of sex trafficking worldwide. The documentary highlights the active efforts of NGOs and rescue teams to raise awareness to those in power to affect change, and ultimately put a stop to this horrific, worldwide industry. 26 Seconds is a three-stage film project. The first stage was the 26 Seconds documentary short on sex tourism in Thailand and Cambodia; the second stage is a feature documentary on ISIS sex slaves in Iraq, and the third stage will be a dramatic doc series from Asia to Africa and right here in our own backyards in the USA.

A Single Moment Can Last Forever.

42 Seconds takes the audience through a traumatic event -- a mass shooting -- and the personal struggles of three survivors in the aftermath. Through mutual support, the survivors learn to confront their fears and take a giant step toward healing.
​We're making 42 Seconds to give hope to the victims of trauma. With support, self-compassion, and firm, yet gentle, work, trauma can be healed.

A Single Moment Can Last Forever.

42 Seconds takes the audience through a traumatic event -- a mass shooting -- and the personal struggles of three survivors in the aftermath. Through mutual support, the survivors learn to confront their fears and take a giant step toward healing.
​We're making 42 Seconds to give hope to the victims of trauma. With support, self-compassion, and firm, yet gentle, work, trauma can be healed.

A woman’s struggle with addiction is laid bare after she wakes up in a stranger’s home, leading to an intense confrontation that could change her life forever.

The film A Day Away we see the main character(s), both brothers, Michael fighting for survival and Dewayne fighting to save his brothers life from the outside after he was thrown into the Negro Boys Industrial School, which is actually a work farm for black teenagers.
The film is based on the true story of the Negro Boys Industrial School Fire in 1959, where 21 boys ages thirteen through seventeen were burned alive. The doors were locked from the outside. The film centers around Michael's survival and the emotion of both brothers as this tragedy unfolds.

Ellie is a bottom-feeder actress at the end of her rope in Hollywood, when a life-changing event happens with her gay, Latinx friend, Ben. A surreal twist unfolds with comedic results, blurring the lines of fantasy and reality on the way to her dream. Little does she know she’s the key to a revolutionary new take on Tinseltown. A deal is struck, who will win? Let the epic failures begin.

A Jewish Life (Formerly named To LIfe) is a new limited docuseries following the lives of three young progressive Jews fighting for equality. We follow one woman’s journey to become France’s first orthodox female rabbi, a genderqueer trans person’s identity affirming steps, while becoming an adult B-Mitzvah, a gender-neutral approach to the Jewish coming of age ritual, and the efforts of ‘Not Free to Desist’, an initiative by Jews of Color and allies and to combat racism within the Jewish world

Mountain lion P22 grabbed the limelight when his photo in front of the Hollywood sign appeared in Nat Geo, only to become sick from rat poison soon after. Following an uproar, Angelenos learned that 80% of wildlife was affected: Pumas P53, P30, P76 and countless animals worldwide died. They created a festival to celebrate their favorite cougar and a grassroots campaign to eradicate these chemicals.
While international scientists correlate our health with the health of wildlife, we travel to three continents for inspiring solutions to restore the food chain in wildlife, protect our crops and communities, and save lions, eagles, caracals, bobcats, pets and kids, starting in our own backyard

Two Native American sisters, one who has left the reservation and married an oil lobbyist, and the other who is a medicine woman on their reservation, debate whether the family is better off on the reservation after their mother’s death, or if they should relocate to Washington, DC.

World War Two finds a family’s bittersweet reuniting, when the prayers of a young girl for a baby sister are said to heal her parents troubled relationship, are answered in unexpected ways when an unexpected pregnancy occurs. Only it threatens the young mothers health and she begins to question her changing consciousness as role as mother, homemaker, and woman, when faith and choice stand on opposite sides.

The first feature documentary about Baby Food aiming to answer the question, “why is feeding our kids so hard?!”

In A VIGILANT PURPOSE, Paul develops a new system for pizza delivery changing the industry completely, which catapults him into millionaire abundance and dominion. An old friend wants him to teach the community how he obtained his success, Paul agrees to explain the glory of pursuing a relationship with God and excepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior, while also abiding by the Laws of The Kingdom of God, about being fruitful, multiplying, replenishing and subduing with the gift he gracefully bestowed upon each of us that makes room for us all. But when his company disagrees with talks of "Gods" in the public, he takes on the code name and appearance of "The Son Of Purpose".

Based on true events, this animated short film follows a whale in its natural ocean habitat as sonar from anti-submarine warfare drills invade.
This short makes seen the unseen to illustrate the dangerous impact us surface-dwellers can have in our own search for safety. We start in the dark of the ocean, a world that becomes illuminated to us through the clicks and song of our whale: a lush landscape of green plants in white sand and coral reefs filled with fish and other ocean-life. When the Homeland Security boats’ sonar goes off, it disorients the whale, literally. While we cannot see sonar, echolocating is exactly how the whales see, navigate, and hunt in their world.

'Absent' focuses on the life of a young man from Washingtonian D.C., learning how to forgive his father, after the latter makes a decision to move several states away from home. It is a semi-autobiographical story that showcases the importance of father figures in a Black Boy’s life; that chosen family bonds can be just as important and impactful as biological ones. This story is dedicated to my father, to myself, and every person who has had an estranged relationship with their father; it is also a love letter to DC and experiences central to the legacy of “Chocolate City” that must be memorialized in the face of erasure due to ongoing gentrification.

ADAPTED is a feature-length documentary that shows how the right combination of nature, community, and challenge can heal trauma. 

In 2011, Danielle Lancelot Watson survived an “unsurvivable fall” from a record 280 feet. In 2014, Josh Hancock nearly lost his life after an ice climbing fall in the remote backcountry. In 2018, Anna Soens became the first female paraplegic to summit Mount Hood and is continuing to pioneer para-mountaineering -- pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Through the film we follow these characters on three life-changing adventures. From the first paraplegic ascent and sit ski descent of Mount Baker, to a 100-mile hand cycle ride around the White Rim Trail, to

Agua de tu Madre is a seaside slow burn that explores themes like unresolved generational trauma, motherhood, and racism in the Cuban diaspora. The film follows two AfroCuban mothers across different time periods: fifty years after Benita receives aid from the Santeria sea goddess Yemayá to help her son flee revolutionary Cuba, her pregnant granddaughter Zamira faces a similar hurdle that affects the future of her unborn child.

A psychological drama that revolves around a clinical psychologist who takes on a teenage client traumatized by episodes of sleep paralysis. As the therapist delves deeper into the teen's condition, she uncovers spiritual truths and embarks on a journey to rescue him from the mastermind invading his dreams.

Aint Sh*t Out There is a romantic comedy starring Reggie Hayes (Girlfriends) that sheds light and humor on the challenges of relationships and the never-ending struggles of new aged dating.

After years of bickering, a well-seasoned married couple decides to go on dates with other people to see if the grass is really greener on the other side.

ALEX BREAKS FREE is a 15-minute documentary short that tells the story of a 30-year-old up-and-coming fashion designer and mental health advocate, Alexandra Nyman, and how she broke free from her mental health issues by way of the runway.

It's not consent if it's a chess match:

Based on a true story. Taylor (19F) arrives at Alex's door (24M) asking him to hold her. Alex shoots his shot to finally escape the friend zone. This is the first survivor-fronted narrative film showcasing the wit, strength, and sacrifices women make when surviving sexual assault.

With survivors at the helm of the narrative, ALEX, STOP is the change we want to see in the world by requiring enthusiasm in our discussions around consent. This film shines a light on the staggering statistics around sexual assault that we face and must urgently address.

Arnie Stewart, overcame poverty and homelessness to become an inspiring voice in the adult literacy movement. His story motivated thousands of students and earned him the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for sharing his story. Since Arnie's death in 2012, his teacher and best friend, Janet Lee continues his incredible legacy today.

During a midlife crisis, a half Japanese sad sap trains backflips on roller skates, hoping to resolve decades of ignored trauma, but is distracted by a young woman with very similar romantic baggage.

Always Crying Always in Love is a feature length romcom about roller skating and trauma. Those little traumas we ignore with shitty coping mechanisms until they don’t work anymore and we break.
It’s also about the “last ditch” effort of the everyday person to do something big. Even if it’s as stupid as landing a backflip on roller skates.

The coyote is the most hunted predator in the United States, and has been the target of a century-long eradication campaign. 500,000 of these animals are killed each year by individuals and government agencies, often via inhumane methods such as leg-hold traps, aerial shooting, hunting dogs, and poisoning. In spite of the attempt to eradicate this intelligent and adaptable creature, the coyote has not only survived, but has expanded its territory throughout the United States and now inhabits nearly all urban, rural, and suburban parts of the country. There are effective strategies for coexistence, but they require the human population to make adjustments to their own behavior.

Redemption of unsung hero José Manuel "Lico" Jiménez Berroa (1851-1917), an Afro Cuban classical composer and child piano prodigy. Born during a time when there were 800,000 enslaved African people in Cuba, Lico was discovered at age 12 playing piano at Palacio Cantero in Trinidad, Cuba but was Professor of Music Composition at the Hamburg Conservatory of Music when he died. His descendants share oral history about Lico's success despite fierce colonial prejudice. We film the recording of Lico's compositions performed by contemporary music greats. It is time to include Lico on the stage of classical music legends, a stage where Afro Cubans are too often erased.

The Angelical Christian Network, is a Roku Christian TV Network that features content from gospel singers and artists, church programs, ministries, tv shows, movies, etc. The network will
accept Christian and non Christian content (G or PG rated) from all platforms.

The Angelical Christian Network will sore the Word through music, tv shows, movies, and programs.

We are holding a giveaway in exchange for donations. The winner can bring 7 guests in a luxury trip. 8 days, 7 nights in a 4 bathrooms and 4 bathrooms in a guest house. The winner will be picked July 15, 2023. Go to
http://www.princeislandcruises.com for more details.

When Priya chooses to hang out with a new intern instead of attending a wedding with her boyfriend Ishaan, he spends the day reconnecting with a friend, while Priya revisits the places where their relationship began.

Ankaha is a Bollywood-infused romantic comedy about the relationship struggles of 2nd Gen Indians. It strives to subvert traditional tropes of Hindi movies and experiment stylistically while simultaneously retaining core elements of Bollywood filmmaking, such as song and dance numbers and vibrant colors.

A PLATONIC MEET-CUTE

People on the aromantic and asexual spectrums deserve a rom-com too!

While stranded in a small Icelandic town during a winter storm, a lone traveler is reconnected with their lost GoPro, thanks to a nosy woman who looked through the entire memory card. An already fortuitous encounter turns even more lucky when they discover they’re both on the asexual and aromantic spectrums.

Twenty years after being stolen, trafficked across the American West, and nearly killed, Arrow is finally saved by Gabriela McAlister, a healer determined to find out who he is and where he came from. When she learns he’s a rare Choctaw Mustang she knows she must reunite him with the man who raised him and who still safeguards this special breed. This is the story of their reunion.

Arthur Brown, the GOD OF HELL FIRE, rose to the top of the charts in 1968 with his hit single FIRE, inspiring and influencing many legendary artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss, and Peter Gabriel. At the peak of his stardom he walked away from it all for a spiritual journey to find himself, while others got rich off his art. This film is Arthur's story starting from his childhood in London surviving the WWII bombings then reaching epic hights of fame and existing among rock legends in England, to becoming a house painter in Austin, Texas - only to rise again touring the world at age 80.

The power of mindfulness through sitting.
World Traveler Robert Silk, seeks out nature at its most remote and isolated, and sits.
THE PROPOSAL
Support this documentary by funding our trip to Chile's Atacama Desert for the southern hemisphere's summer solstice in December.

THE PLAN
Sit in nature - the desert - from sunrise to sunset.

THE INTENTION
Connect with nature, with mindfulness. Slow down.

In Coldwick there is a Light of the North chosen every generation. Aurora is chosen to become the new light and has to learn how to use her powers in order to defend her home from the darkness.

When life began, the world and the people alike were bound by rock, wind, flame, and sea. Elemental power, granted only to those with the capacity to wield it, often created wonders—but it also destroyed. One wielder brought many people home with the gift of wind in their sails while another destroyed a village with the curse of vengeful tornadoes. Nature remained equally unbalanced. Fires kept some warm and burned others. People drank water for survival one day and drowned in it the next. To guide the land and the people of the earth in the right direction, a light shone down. The power of light chose a wielder, and a fifth element was born.

Awesome Gal, a Tennessee Walking horse trained by the cruel technique called "soring" , and Reggie, an abused teen from the coal mines of West Virginia, meet and heal their broken lives. This emotionally charged, heartwarming drama is based on a true story. Starting at two years old, Tennessee Walking horses' ankles are painted with chemicals that burn into the flesh to produce an artificial gait called the "Big Lick". Just by chance, Awesome Gal and Reggie happen to end up at the same farm. Both are able to bond and mend their lives.

Baiser Baiser is a short film by Denver-based Director Laura Lounge, shooting in April 2025, and inspired by an excerpt from the Grand Guignol (Parisian horror-theatre from the early 20th century).

In a world devastated by violence, Jeanette struggles to escape the confines of her reality. Both thrilling and psychedelic, the production will implement all practical effects and shoot on 16mm film. Baiser Baiser is a warning of a devolved society, where an incline in technology leads to a decline in humanism.

Amidst a deeply divisive political cable news atmosphere, a glamorous yet dubious lawyer rose to fame when he teamed up with porn actress Stormy Daniels, attempting to take down one of the most unpopular and yet revered presidents in U.S. history.

Hailed as “the Savior of the Republic,” Michael Avenatti was hoisted into the spotlight by the national news networks as a hero to the left, and a villain to the right, with no one caring enough to ask where he came from or whose interests he actually represented.

Just when his 3D chess game seemed poised to topple the Trump presidency, and perhaps even secure a presidential bid for himself, cracks emerged in his “fighter for good” persona exposi

Three Boston public school students, ranking far below their suburban peers, make a leap across the education gap. As they gain further access into elite spaces, how much of themselves will they be asked to shed? Meleah, Makai and Exavion take a chance entering Beacon Academy, a 14-month program between middle and high school designed to assist public school students in applying to elite boarding high schools throughout New England.

Systematic racism, civil and constitutional rights, marketing crime for game influences of social mediaSuper21 Takes the Audience on a Journey Through the eyes of the Women and Children Whom Suffer from the Lifelong Effects of Being Born in to the “Lifestyle” 1983-2021 War on drugs era sent a Ripple Effect that Has Broken Up Families Leaving Grandparents and Siblings Overwhelmed with Responsibility for The 45 million Families Destroyed All in The Sake Of Justice?
Poverty Stricken Communities Damaged Children and Mentally, Emotionally Exhausted Women, 3 generations that became Experiments Created to View and Studied the Behaviors Being unnoticeable.

"Being Loved" (Working Title) is a dramedy that centers around a relationship between an exotic dancer, Alexandra, and her client, Darius, who have unique, philosophical conversations during their private dances. In their personal lives, Alexandra and Darius are working through relationship expectations that have been imposed upon them by their parents. The two take an unplanned trip to Houston, Texas and discover more of each other's value. However, their potential of being together gets challenged when Alexandra learns that Darius is married. Darius must choose between the responsibility of a marriage that fell apart and his new authentic love for Alexandra.

An 80-year-old, midwestern woman spends every day caring for her dying husband until one day the discovery of some mysterious berries along with a visit from an old friend cause her to question who she has really been living life for.

When an argument with her wife lands Dani at an emotional crossroads, she reflects on her memories of one transformational summer and how the patterns of the past echo into the present.

“Beyond 13 Driver’s Licenses” or “Facing History” delves into Jewish life in a small German town, tracing its evolution from the Middle Ages to the Nazi era. The film examines the rise of fascism, the fate of Jewish residents who faced persecution or fled abroad, and the aftermath for Nazi perpetrators. It connects past events with their lasting relevance today, highlighting efforts toward reconciliation between descendants of Jewish residents and the town's current non-Jewish community. Through a local lens, the documentary sheds light on broader themes of memory, justice, and healing.

Bike Helmet Harry is a comedy about a quirky bike courier (who never removes his helmet). He teams up with a charismatic con man to win a disco dance contest and win the heart of a dance teacher. The film is an entertaining ride through the underground disco dance scene (like "Saturday Night Fever" meets "There’s Something About Mary").
In addition to entertaining audiences the film will raise awareness about bike helmet safety.
1. Cycling is the #1 cause of severe head injuries of all recreational sports.
2. Studies show wearing a helmet can reduce severe head injuries by 60%.
This film will raise awareness about bike helmet safety while also expressing the joy and passion for dance.