Darkly Humorous Short Film "I Am A Gentleman" Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Challenge Toxic Masculinity

LOS ANGELES, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning screenwriter and director Nicky Rudolph Calloway is bringing his provocative and timely short film I Am A Gentleman to life with a crowdfunding campaign now live on Seed & Spark. Through dark humor and devastating drama, this fifteen-minute short tackles toxic masculinity and the myths that shape young men.

Logline: In a society that rationalizes violence against women, highschooler Max faces the harsh reality and consequences of his new, hormonal compulsions when he has his first crush on a girl after taking the school's mandatory sexuality test.

Written in 2020, I Am A Gentleman quickly gained critical acclaim, winning Best Short Script at both the 2021 Slamdance Screenplay Competition and the 2021 Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition. The script currently holds the #2 spot on Coverfly's prestigious Red List of top-ranked short screenplays.

In the summer of 2024, Calloway partnered with cinematographer Dice Rose to create a four-minute proof of concept, showcasing two of the film's most emotionally charged scenes: Max's disturbing "sexuality test" and his final, vulnerable moment with his crush, Charlotte. The short preview captured the essence of the film's tone and impact, helping the project secure a $15,000 grant from the Shore Scripts Short Film Fund.

With part of the budget secured, Calloway is now inviting supporters to join him in raising the remaining funds via a Seed & Spark campaign, to bring this bold and necessary vision to the screen.

Join the Movement. Support the Film. Start the Conversation.

To contribute to the campaign or learn more, visit: https://seedandspark.com/fund/i-am-a-gentleman-short-film

Follow updates on Instagram @IAmAGentlemanShortFilm
For press inquiries: [email protected], telephone (323) 207-6414

SOURCE I Am A Gentleman Short Film LLC