SYNOPSIS

One Last Cigarette is a poignant coming-of-age short film set in the early days of the war. The story follows four young musicians—Stella, Alex, Mark, and Mateo—grappling with the uncertainties of love, purpose, and loyalty in a country on the brink of conflict.

As tensions rise outside their smoke-filled rehearsal room, personal decisions begin to mirror the chaos of the world around them. When Alex, the band's guitarist and Stella’s complicated love interest, announces he's leaving to volunteer for the war—despite not being called up—the group is forced to confront what truly matters. A final rehearsal, an unsent letter, and a cigarette shared at sunrise become their way of saying goodbye.

This is a film about youth interrupted, unspoken love, and the quiet, powerful acts of farewell. At its heart, One Last Cigarette is a tribute to those left behind, to the things we never say, and to the courage it takes to move forward.

PRODUCTION TEAM

VISUAL STYLE

Cinematography:
The camera work is intimate, handheld at times, evoking a documentary-like realism that reflects the raw, unfiltered emotions of youth on the edge. The frame lingers in silences, capturing stolen glances, nervous hands, and half-said words. Close-ups are key—this is a story told as much through what’s not said as what is.

Color Palette:
Muted and desaturated tones dominate the palette—smoky greys, washed-out blues, and faded browns—mirroring the uncertainty and emotional restraint of the characters. A warmer hue appears only in flashes: a red notebook, a flame from a lighter, a ray of morning light on the beach. The visual world is one where color fades with innocence—and only memory restores it.

Lighting:
Natural and low-key. In the rehearsal room, lighting is dim, almost claustrophobic, lit mostly by overhead fluorescents and daylight peeking through a dusty window. Smoke curls through shafts of light, adding texture and melancholy. The beach scene is soft, cool-toned, and quiet—bathed in early dawn light, evoking reflection and release.

Production Design:
Minimalist and era-specific. Props like analog radios, crumpled lyric sheets, scratched instruments, and vintage cigarette packs ground the film firmly in 1991, without overwhelming the emotional narrative. The environment is a lived-in, believable world on the brink of change.

WHY SUPPORT US

One Last Cigarette is more than just a short film—it’s a love letter to youth on the edge of history. It tells a story that rarely reaches the screen: the emotional and personal toll of conflict on ordinary lives. It’s about the things people don’t say, the choices they make when the world around them begins to fracture, and the small acts of courage that often go unnoticed. This film doesn't rely on grand battle scenes or political speeches—instead, it draws you into a rehearsal room filled with music, smoke, tension, and heartbreak, where four young people confront the weight of growing up too soon. By supporting this project, you’re helping us tell a deeply human story with authenticity and care, one that honors a specific time and place while speaking to universal themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning. Your contribution will directly enable emerging filmmakers, actors, and crew to create something intimate, truthful, and lasting—something that reminds us all of the fragility and power of a single moment.

BUDGET

As a standalone project, we have brought together a passionate and professional crew of dedicated filmmakers all with our own areas of expertise. As a result, the funding we are after is to enhance our film in all the technical aspects in order to make this film as high quality a production as it could possibly be. We have displayed above in a pie chart where the money raised would go in relation to this project.

Please consider supporting our project by contributing to our campaign, spreading the word on social media and telling your friends and family.