PLEASE SUPPORT STAIRWAY TO THE STARS

by Westshire Films

We need your support to help make

"STAIRWAY TO THE STARS" a reality!

A film by Lorenzo DeStefano

In a mythical place called H O L L Y W O O D where dreams of Fame and Fortune come and go the only real thing left is ~ F R I E N D S H I P ~

TIME - The Present PLACE – The Hollywood Hills

Lavergne & Tony

Friends & Enemies

Until the Very End

TIME - The Present

PLACE – The Hollywood Hills

CAST
LAVERGNE, a Woman of a Certain Age

TONY, a Heavy-Set Young Man

One hot, smoggy afternoon, LAVERGNE, an aging actress on the verge of physical and mental collapse, attempts to climb an absurdly steep flight of stairs in the Hollywood Hills, goaded on by TONY, a young gay man of blind ambition & ample proportions, who has vowed to save her life.

Westshire Films is extremely pleased to announce that they have completed production on
“ Stairway To The Stars ” a new narrative short film from award-winning writer/director
Lorenzo DeStefano

("Talmage Farlow", "Los Zafiros-Music From The Edge of Time", "Hearing is Believing", "Shipment Day", "The Diarist").

Filmed in early October 2021 in Los Angeles for 2022 international film festival & streaming release, "STAIRWAY TO THE STARS" takes place on an absurdly steep flight of outdoor stairs in the Hollywood Hills.

Central to the film is the love hate relationship between Lavergne (SEAN YOUNG), an aging actress on the verge of physical and mental collapse, and Tony (QUINTON AARON), a young man of blind ambition & ample proportions who has vowed to save her life.

Lavergne wishes she were back in her apartment watching “The Match Game” and eating Cheetos. Tony refuses to give up on her, goads her up the stairs with a mixture of brutality and real tenderness. The complex relationship between this oddest of odd couples is humorous, tragic, and deeply touching.Lavergne & Tony's story reveals itself between the bottom of the stairs and the top, mined by the filmmakers for its maximum serio-comic potential.

The film is based on a real incident witnessed by DeStefano when he first moved to Hollywood from Honolulu. His first place in L.A. was an attic apartment in Beachwood Canyon, in the shadow of the fabled Hollywood sign.There was an incredibly steep flight of stairs next to the house, one of many still existing in the movie capital of old. One afternoon Lorenzo heard, through an adjacent window, an elderly woman and a very large young man berating each other as they climbed. As writers do, Lorenzo eavesdropped on this highly-charged exchange. When the two were out of range he hurried to his desk and wrote it all down.DeStefano’s One-Act play about Lavergne and Tony was first produced at PlayBuilders of Hawai’i in 2019. His film explores the complex relationship between friends who are enemies and enemies who are friends, and is a tribute to Nathanael West's "The Day of the Locust", the plays of Samuel Beckett,and to the countless two-reel comedies shot in these very hills over 100 years ago.

Starring as “Lavergne” is the celebrated actress, Sean Young
(“Stripes”, “Blade Runner”, “Dune”, “No Way Out”, “Wall Street”, “Fatal Instinct”,
“A Kiss Before Dying”, and “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective”).

Starring as “Tony” is Quinton Aaron (“The Blind Side”, “Be Kind Rewind”, “Halfway”)
and numerous film & television projects.

“Sean and Quinton are the ideal choices to bring these complex characters to life,”
says writer/director Lorenzo DeStefano

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Indie Filmmaking, Film Funding, Film Grants & Fiscal Sponsorship -From the Heart Productions Inc | Film Funding, Film Grants, & Fiscal Sponsorship
www.fromtheheartproductions.com

From The Heart Productions is pleased to announce that “STAIRWAY TO THE STARS”, from award-winning writer/director Lorenzo DeStefano, is the winner of our inaugural
Roy Dean Narrative Short Film Grant for 2021.

Chosen from hundreds of international entries, this prestigious award comes with a $3,000 cash prize and access to significant in-kind and discounted goods and services from film industry donors, partnering with From The Heart Productions.

"STAIRWAY TO THE STARS"
~ CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN ~

https://stairwaytothestars.wedid.it/campaigns/9578-please-support-stairway-to-the-stars

With three quarters of our budget raised, an ongoing crowdfunding campaign on WeDid.it (https://stairwaytothestars.wedid.it/campaigns/9578-please-support-stairway-to-the-stars) is aimed at helping Westshire Films raise the remaining $50,000 needed to complete post-production on the film and fund initial sales and distribution outreach efforts. Contributions can be made at several different levels and are tax-deductible under the fiscal sponsorship provided by From The Heart Productions, a 501(c )(3) not-for-profit organization. (Tax ID # 95 444 5418)

Please consider joining those who have already donated in exchange for onscreen thanks,
rewards from Westshire Films, and a potential producing credit on “Stairway To The Stars”.

DeStefano and his filmmaking team are very pleased to have returned to production after so many months of uncertainty. Their efforts and those of other committed filmmakers all over the world strive to get us back in the business of telling great stories and bringing people together in the dark, where stories that shed light on the human condition can be shared and appreciated.

Narrative short films are undergoing a real renaissance. Recognized and celebrated by numerous international film festivals and award-giving entities, this genre has evolved into a powerful and audience-friendly genre. Opportunities for international streaming & broadcast distribution have also improved exponentially in the past few years, reflecting a growing appetite and demand for high-quality, compelling short stories.

With its strong cast, unique characters, high-profile locations, and compelling narrative, “STAIRWAY TO THE STARS” is aiming for a 2022 film festival & awards release and will be marketed internationally to all available sales, distribution, exhibition, and social media platforms.

More information on the project can be found at www.stairwaytothestarsfilm.com,

www.facebook.com/pg/Stairway-to-the-Stars-586330618549435/about/?ref=page_internal, at the film’s IMDB page - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10633958/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt and at Lorenzo DeStefano’s IMDb page - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0221805/.

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Westshire Films & Whitewater Films
present

“ STAIRWAY TO THE STARS ” a film by Lorenzo DeStefano

Starring

Sean Young as "Lavergne"

Quinton Aaron as "Tony"

Featuring

Thomas Austin Beaumont as "Tommy B."

Keith Lewis as "Stud with Bike"

Written, Produced & Directed by Lorenzo DeStefano