Cass Short Film

CASS

a film by sarah ontiveros

watch the trailer

FILM INFORMATION

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10 MIN

sci-fi

United States

october 2023

Sarah Ontiveros

Asha Caraballo, Ellen elise Evans

Captiv Studios

Lucky Run Studio

Huephoric

CONTACT

SARAH ONTIVEROS

SARAHOPHOTO@GMAIL.COM

832.782.9253

Logline

“Home is within.”

Synopsis

A young girl is secretly sent aboard the Cassini spacecraft to observe and report findings on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Abandoned on the distant moon with her AI companion, she endeavors to return to Earth and discovers the meaning of home along the way.

about the film

Cass tells the story of a bioengineered young girl secretly sent aboard the Cassini satellite to explore Saturn and its moon, Titan. With nothing but an AI companion built into the spacecraft’s mainframe, Cass must traverse the vastness of space and collect and report her findings. Seven years into her mission, she crash-lands on Titan and spends the next decade in near-isolation. CIRS, her AI companion and guardian, raises and educates her on life back on Earth, for what she believes is in preparation for their eventual return. It becomes clear after years of no communication from Earth, that she was sent out as nothing more than an expendable test subject. Battling the urge to either return to Earth, or remain on Titan where she has made a home, and where she is specifically designed to inhabit, she struggles to find her purpose. Ultimately, she must make a decision that will drastically alter the course of her life.

Cass, above all else, is a story of longing and the intrinsic need for connection and a place to call home. The idea was born entirely from the Cassini satellite sent out by NASA in 1997. The enormous spacecraft spent a remarkable twenty years in space, collecting invaluable information about Saturn and its moons. Eventually it was retired and descended into oblivion on the moon Titan.

The focus on the scientific details are intended to emphasize the immense respect for the people who have committed their lives to the discovery of what some would call, the final frontier. Cass would not exist without their work and can only hope to make them proud.

writer & Director

Sarah Ontiveros is native to Houston, Texas and has been working in media production for over a decade. Her early years focused on photography of all mediums, shooting for local bands, Houston music festivals, local publications, weddings, and any and all special events. Eventually she transitioned to portraiture and opened her own private photography studio. In 2016, she graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a Bachelors degree in English Literature and a concentration in Creative Writing. Wanting to align her passions for visual and written storytelling, Sarah enrolled in a filmmaking course at Houston Community College. Production Management was the sole class she completed and it is what propelled her into the film industry in Houston. She has since worked on a number of local film sets and projects. Most notably as a First Assistant Director, Producer, Actor, and a first-time Writer and Director. Her debut Narrative Short Film was also selected as a finalist in the 2023 HCAS CineSpace competition, where a total of eleven finalists were chosen out of 400 submissions worldwide. Sarah thanks the film community for taking her under their wing and hopes to continue to tell monumental stories of life.

cast

CASS, ANGIE SANDOVAL

Houston native, Angie Sandoval discovered her passion for acting at the age of five. Constantly reciting movie scenes, musical numbers, and commercials all throughout her youth, lead to a dream of being on screen. In 2018 Angie pursued her longtime dream of acting. Enrolled at the University of Houston, majoring in Film Production, she stumbled upon a casting call for a student film. From then on, Angie began her journey as an actress starring in student films, which lead to bigger productions. After graduating from the University in 2020, she decided to pursue a full time career in acting.

CIRS, ANTWAN SMITH

Antwan is a Houston based actor that wants to inspire the world. He continues to work his craft as a storyteller and loves everything about this art form. Cass is his first film as a voiceover performer and thanks Sarah Ontiveros for the opportunity to play CIRS. He appreciates everyone who’s supported him on this journey as a professional artist. You can continue to see Antwan’s progression as he seeks to make an impact in the Houston community.

YOUNG CASS, ARABELLA ALFT

Arabella Alft has been acting for the last three years, primarily in live musical theater productions. She has been in ten musicals, one film, one TV pilot and one short. She is currently playing Matilda in the Musical Matilda.

crew

PRODUCER, ASHA CARABALLO

Ohio born and raised, Asha received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a co-major in Interactive Media Studies from Miami University of Ohio. “I have always been intrigued by the complex nuances of people, and the how’s and why’s of what we do. It’s so important to understand people, so that we can better understand ourselves.” After a few long years of trying to find her fit in the industry, she found Captiv Creative. As a Video Producer, she has capitalized on her knowledge of the in’s and out’s of video production and has gained the most valuable experience that has shaped and molded her passion for creating.

PRODUCER, ELLEN EVANS

Ellen Elise Evans is a native Houstonian professional with over a decade in theatre, voice acting, and production. Beginning at 104.1 KRBE, she honed her skills in producing and voice-acting for radio ads. Her distinctive voice now graces many anime characters at Sentai Filmworks. In addition to her notable roles, she has also produced other short films in Houston, including “PUNKS” and “Garden of Adam.” As a finalist at the HCAS and a member of CASS, Ellen credits her success to the unwavering support from friends, family, and the artistic community.

CinematographER, JUSTIN BOWERS

An entrepreneur since 17 years old, Justin got his first camera in 2011 and began creating YouTube videos for fun. He and his cousin Sam Rossiello created a video which soon went viral. After that, he was hooked! Justin and two of his cousins founded the company that eventually evolved into Captiv Creative. When asked about how far things have come, Justin said, "We have an incredible new 18,000-square-foot studio, our seven-person team is top-tier, and we’re working with some of the biggest companies in the world. I’m extremely proud of my team and our capacity to do great things."

CREDITS

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