LOS ANGELES — Actor and writer Laura Ricci, alongside an all-women creative team, has launched a crowdfunding campaign for ‘Starflare,’ a fantasy romance short film that blends the heart of ‘The Princess Bride,’ the intensity of ‘Game of Thrones,’ and the nostalgia of ‘Ever After.’
Set in the crumbling kingdom of Alendar, ‘Starflare’ follows Vera, the ambitious daughter of a royal advisor who risks everything to steal a dragon egg — a final hope for her dying world. Alongside Damien, the king’s alluring tracker, she discovers that the closer you get to the truth, the harder it is to turn back.
“At its heart, ‘Starflare’ is about the choices we make to protect the people we love when the systems around us are failing,” says Ricci. “Fantasy allows us to explore universal struggles about grief, courage, and hope through an epic, magical lens.”
Ricci is joined by Academy-qualified director Christine Chen (‘Erzulie’), CEO of Moth to Flame Productions and co-author of ‘Get Reelisms,’ and award-winning producer Emma Steiger (‘Runaways’), a junior executive at Billy Magnussen’s HappyBad Bungalow. The grounded, character-driven story — shot entirely outdoors in the Los Angeles wilderness — has strong crossover appeal to fans of ‘The Princess Bride’ and ‘My Lady Jane,’ as well as books like ‘Fourth Wing’ and ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses.’
“Romantasy is one of the fastest-growing genres in publishing,” says Ricci, “which means we’re poised to see more of it on screen in the coming years. With ‘Starflare,’ we’re proving that women-led teams can bring these epic, emotional worlds to life in ways audiences are hungry for.”
The team aims to raise $25,000 on Seed&Spark, with supporters gaining access to exclusive perks including custom artwork, playlists, behind-the-scenes updates, and on-set experiences.
Learn more: Back the campaign at seedandspark.com/fund/starflare.
