Making It Big: Sola

It’s been a while since we’ve featured a Making It Big. If we’re honest, there’s not been enough out there to inspire us. However, a new contender has come to our attention and we now present it to you. A haunting thriller laced with the warming insight of a woman’s battle with bi-polar. You had my curiosity, now you have my attention. Welcome to SOLA.

How many last humans are there on our god forsaken post-apocalyptic planet? Our poor planet, in Hollywood terms, has been through a lot. Will Smith, Cillian Murphy and Viggo Mortensen have all trekked an empty world as a lone survivor facing zombies, cannibals and destruction yet what happens when the greatest threat you face is yourself?

Courtesy of Luke Mordue

Meet Eden, the protagonist of this prospective feature, who is a 30 something woman living (see: surviving) in London. In the world before ‘the end’, she had it all. She had a great job, a loving husband and a stunning little girl; Eden’s life was good. Really good. Yet appearances and achievements only represent the surface of our lives, as seen with Eden who underneath her public facade endures a gripping and horrid battle with depression and anxiety.

Now, Eden’s battle looks set to consume her. She is totally alone against her demons with no-one or nothing to provide any form of light within the darkness of depression. As well as this, the new world has evolved its threats as now household pets have been forced into the wild, transforming into fierce hunters, roaming for food.

Courtesy of Luke Mordue

Sola will follow Eden as she survives in this dangerous world whilst reflecting on the destructive, spiraling path of depression that tore her life apart in the world before. As the Kickstarter purports: “Eden is fighting to stay alive but when you have nothing to live for, what is there to keep you moving forward?” Although this may seem melodramatic to the outsider, the story has a real raw potential. It’ll be a thriller with suspense and tension, but that’s not why we’ll watch. It’s clear  that this story comes with heart and could act as a fascinating insight into the world of mental illness, illuminating and highlighting the true feelings of individuals who suffer and how it’s possible to survive through it all.

It takes little investigation from the reader to see where this film’s personal take on mental illness comes from. Luke Mordue, the writer and director of Sola, admits boldly and frankly that he has battled bipolar disorder since childhood. His personal blog provides an insight into Luke’s relationship with his lead and the similarities they have and must endure as they battle their demons. In his most recent post, Luke writes: “I will go from feeling I can conquer the world to feeling a complete failure in any given hour, any given day, it is a constant fight & I am extremely blessed to have such intelligent, caring & understanding friends around me who know not to constantly ask me if I am okay but always make it clear they are there for me.” This crucial insight indicates that Sola will have a powerful realism coursing through its veins which is crucial within a film of such a sensitive nature. 

Courtesy of Luke Mordue

So what’s in it for you? Well, aside from supporting a fascinating piece, the rewards are actually pretty neat. The best bet seems to be the returns from a £50 pledge which sees you achieve your own copy of the final film, a copy of the script, regular updates from the film set, a huge thank you from the director/producer and your get a smashing T-shirt as advertised above.

This is the definition of a passion project. The writer/director Luke Mordue has thrown his heart and soul into it and the crew he’s assembled are full of life and enthusiasm to convert this into a phenomenal final product. However, as always, we can lead a proverbial horse to water but we can’t make it drink. Check out the Kickstarter here and look at their video below.

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