JUST DESERTS
Just deserts (noun): The punishment one deserves.
A woman wakes up bound inside the trunk of a car.
Through a tiny slit in the backseat, she catches fleeting glimpses of her captors. When the trunk opens, she sees the outside world—but only in fragments.
She knows she is going to die.
But as the pieces of this twisted mystery begin to come together inside the claustrophobic space, one question becomes impossible to ignore:
Does she actually deserve what is coming to her?
THE FILMING IS COMPLETE!
Thanks to the incredible support we've already received, we have raised nearly $6,000 out of our $5,000 goal. We got through the August 8-9 shoot and created one of the most unusual pieces of cinema through the amazing efforts of our talented cast and crew. And now we're halfway there... Because the film is $10,000+. Now part 2 begins...
The remaining $5,000 covers the cost of a 22 hour shoot.
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF CINEMA
Just Deserts is a dialogue-free short thriller shot entirely inside a car trunk.
No dialogue. No traditional exposition.
Instead, the story unfolds through visual storytelling and sound design: the low hum of the car, gravel crunching beneath approaching footsteps, birds chirping in the distance—and the horrifying contrast of violence unfolding under blindingly bright sunlight.
The audience is trapped inside the mystery with our protagonist.
This is a female-led thriller where neither woman is a clear hero or villain. We want to explore how quickly perception can shift—and how staying inside that uncomfortable ambiguity can be more disturbing than having all the answers.
MEET THE DIRECTOR & THE TEAM
Just Deserts is written and directed by Laura Fenney , an independent filmmaker who believes in making ambitious films with limited resources, and involving the whole community.
This is a crew built from bathroom flyers, Reddit posts, word of mouth, and pure grit.
The exact same core team behind Delivery Driver —a short film that swept the New Haven 48 Hour Film Project and competed internationally at Filmapalooza in Lisbon in 2026—is coming back together for this project.
Delivery Driver also made the Top 25 list out of 123 global winners , as selected by the co-chair of the festival review panel.
We reunited our incredible lead cast— Toni Belafonte and Sean Leser —and introduced the talented Indigo Phillips to make something that has never been done before.
From finding a rare abandoned 1988 Gran Fury Plymouth buried in vines to assembling a dedicated cast and crew through word of mouth, Reddit, and sheer persistence, Laura and the team have built this production from the ground up.
Just Deserts is the next step in that journey: a contained, dialogue-free thriller designed to prove that a compelling story doesn't need a massive budget.
It needs a bold idea, a committed team, and the determination to make it happen.
This film is the result of a group of people who wanted to make something beautiful and terrifying, and wanted an incredible challenge.
THE EDITING PROCESS IS EXPENSIVE AND WE NEED YOUR HELP
The 1988 Gran Fury Plymouth , complete with its leather interior, has been filmed in all of its glory.
Getting it wasn't exactly easy. Laura literally waded through vines to track it down with the help of Howie Enquist, an 84-year-old local dealer and true legend.
The shoot started on August 7th without actors, and then on August 8-9 we shot with our crew for nearly 24 hours straight.
Filming an entire thriller inside a car trunk required a Herculean effort. A fake backseat was employed. An actress' eyeball was filmed pressed against the seat for multiple takes. We got eaten alive by a swarm of mosquitos in Stratford... It was post-apocalyptic madness. Your contribution will help us pay our cast and crew, secure equipment, and cover the specialized costs of bringing this ambitious short film to life.
Abandoned classic cars don't just grow on trees.
Sometimes, they grow in vines.
WHERE YOUR DONATION GOES
Our $10,000 total goal will help cover the essential costs of production, including:
CAST & CREW
Supporting the talented people giving their time, skill, and energy to this film.
CAMERA & PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT
Specialized equipment needed to capture a thriller filmed almost entirely inside a confined vehicle.
LIGHTING & SOUND
Creating the visual atmosphere and detailed soundscape that will carry the story without dialogue.
TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS
Moving people, equipment, and production materials to and from the shoot.
PRODUCTION DESIGN & SPECIALIZED NEEDS
The practical elements required to transform a real classic car into the claustrophobic world of the film.
POST-PRODUCTION
Editing, sound design, color, and the final finishing work needed to complete the film and prepare it for submission.
Every dollar helps us solve a real production need and moves Laura closer out of crippling debt and having to return home to MA to live in her parents' basement.
BECOME PART OF JUST DESERTS
Every contribution helps bring the film closer to the screen.
SUPPORT THE FILM
PITCH DECK:
https://canva.link/1jcza7b75mmfmn6
IMDb:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt43663337
DIRECTOR WEBSITE:
https://www.laurafenney.com/
Every contribution, every share, and every person who helps spread the word brings Just Deserts closer to becoming a finished film.
Thank you for helping us keep filmmaking weird.
