Emily Lawrence, an actress, writer, and veteran audiobook narrator, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a short film she is writing, producing, and starring in titled Lilith in the Garden.

Described as a sci-fi drama that “looks at what makes us who we are,” Lilith is to be directed by Leslie Bumgarner, a longtime cinematographer who recently started to take on directing projects for short features and television, with actor Rob Mathes set to play the male lead. The target fundraising goal for the campaign is $5,000, and donors will be treated to all manner of juicy perks depending on the size of their donation.

Continue below for more on the film and to watch the Kickstarter video.

Here is the synopsis of Lilith, from the Kickstarter page:

Lilith in the Garden is about a scientist who clones his late wife. He longs for what he’s lost, desperately trying to ignore the fact that this perfect copy he’s created will never be the real thing. She’s trying to understand her new existence and discern her own identity while living in the shadow of what she once was. It asks questions about what makes us who we are. Is it possible to break free from our nature? Are our genes our destiny, or is there more to us than that?

Lawrence outlined the thematic intentions of the project as well:

Lilith in the Garden is more than just a Sci-Fi drama. At it’s core, it speaks about our very natures. Who are we? What defines us? Is our genetic makeup a roadmap for our lives? Or do we have the ability to change our destiny?

Valerie, the clone in Lilith in the Garden, is an extreme example of what we all deal with. As a clone, her DNA is exactly the same as Theo’s late wife. She is that person in every single way. But does that mean she has to be? Or can she break free from the role she was created for?

We all deal with this in our own lives. Who hasn’t inherited traits from their parents, whether genetic or just things you pick up, that they struggle to face? There are obvious instances like genetic diseases, but there are also more insidious things like depression, anxiety, a way of looking at the world. Where and who we come from shapes so much of our lives. Is it our fate to repeat the mistakes of our parents? These are questions that all of us contend with, on some level.

Head over to the Kickstarter campaign and donate in order to receive such perks as an audiobook narrated by Lawrence from a list of options she provides for you, online access to behind-the-scenes videos documenting the making of the short, a copy of the script autographed by the entire cast and crew, a credit on the film, and more. The campaign so far has raised over $1,600 with just seventeen days left to go. Now’s your chance to be a part of this intriguing and original short film.

Video