Devil’s Intrument
Short Film
Project Type: Short Film
Project Status: Development
Producer (s) : Frederik Ehrhardt, Ariana Ron Pedrique, Fabrizio Ellis
Director: Andreas Kessler
LOGLINE
Tormented by his manipulative violin teacher and the cutthroat culture of his elite music conservatory, a teenage prodigy's fears and suppressed trauma manifest as an evil shadow that threatens to consume him and the boy he loves. CARRIE meets WHIPLASH.
SYNOPSIS
We follow AKMAR, a 17-year-old recent immigrant to the U.S. and violin prodigy at the famed Gibbes Institute of Music, as he prepares for a make-or-break recital that will determine his future.
Under relentless pressure from his perfectionist teacher, MS. GALAMIAN, who pushes him to his physical and mental limits, Akmar's anxieties and long-suppressed memories of his traumatic past in Chechnya, Russia, manifest as a destructive shadow that haunts and seeks to control him. Akmar’s romantic relationship with his classmate, WAI, becomes increasingly strained as Akmar isolates himself further.
Fueled by his dark shadow, Akmar's fear of failure and obsession with perfection drive him to the brink of insanity and lead to tragedy.
MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT
DEVIL’S INSTRUMENT employs horror and traditional genre elements to explore broader themes of marginalization, trauma, cultural identity and mental health.
The film seeks to amplify LGBTQ+ voices. It centers on a complicated, multi-layered character who defies easy labels and stereotypes, encouraging viewers to engage with Akmar from a place of curiosity and empathy rather than judgment.
Our team is passionate about championing stories and perspectives that have traditionally been marginalized and excluded from the conversation. Film is such a powerful universal medium to connect us, create visibility and make us feel less alone.
Meet The Filmmakers
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Andreas Kessler
Director
Andreas Kessler started making short films at the age of 14 and studied film directing at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany - one of Europe’s leading film schools.
His early short film CAMOUFLAGE explores homophobia in the German military and was part of the official competition of the Palm Springs ShortFest, the Frameline Festival in San Francisco and many other festivals worldwide.
An avid violinist himself, Andreas next wrote and directed BLIND AUDITION, a film about two violinists whose romantic relationship is put to the test when they compete for the same position in an orchestra. Shot on 16mm, BLIND AUDITION had its US premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, won multiple awards internationally and earned a nomination for the German Short Film Award, the highest award for short films in Germany. The film was recently acquired by Disney+.
Andreas’ thesis film NAKAM tells the true story of Motele Schlein, a 12-year-old orphan and violin prodigy who participated in a WWII attack of the Belarussian resistance against the Nazis. The film premiered at the 46th Cleveland International Film Festival, where it won the Award for Best Live Action Short. Subsequently, NAKAM was selected for the 95th OSCARS Shortlist as one of 15 short films worldwide.
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Frederik Ehrhardt
Writer and Producer
Frederik Ehrhardt is a writer and producer based in the US and Germany. He got his industry start as an associate producer for four-time Independent Spirit Award nominee Darren Dean (TANGERINE).
Most recently, Frederik produced the screen adaptation of Markus Potter’s Outer Critics Circle nominated Off-Broadway play STALKING THE BOGEYMAN starring Tony winner Santino Fontana and Tony nominee Thomas Sadoski, as well as Pablo Pagán’s neo-noir drama VOYAGER which has been shortlisted for the Goyas (Spain’s Academy Awards).
Frederik is also currently co-writing and co-producing a narrative feature with Independent Spirit Award winner Rashaad Ernesto Green (PREMATURE).
Recent writing honors include Runner-up at Script Pipeline's First Look, Best Short Script at the Cordillera Int. Film Festival, Finalist in CineStory's TV Contest and in Stage 32's TV Comedy Screenwriting Competition, and Semifinalist in the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition.
Frederik is a proud alumnus of the MIDPOINT Institute's Development Executive program.
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Ariana Ron Pedrique
Producer
Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Ariana Ron Pedrique is an actor, writer and producer. Her portrayal on Sony's highly-rated show, ROSARIO TIJERAS - Latin America's #1 Netflix series - was beloved by audiences.
Later, she starred in and co-wrote the critically acclaimed feature film AYAR (SXSW 2021) with Emmy winner Floyd Russ, receiving accolades for her “marvelous, unhinged lead performance” (IndieWire). Subsequently, Gravitas Ventures acquired AYAR and it is now available on Amazon Prime.
Most recently, Ariana’s work in DOOMSCROLL earned her and her team the audience award at the Berkshire International Film Festival 2024 and special recognition at the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival 2024.
Driven by her dedication to storytelling and representation, Ariana is currently pursuing an M.A. in Production at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, while also developing her next feature film screenplay, CONATUS.
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Fabrizio Ellis
Producer
Fabrizio Ellis is a New York-based producer with a background in sales. His most recent film, SILVER ANNIVERSARY, is a domestic horror, produced and shot in South Carolina, that is currently in post-production.
Fabrizio also produced the award-winning short film STALKING THE BOGEYMAN, based on the acclaimed Outer Critics Circle Award nominated Off-Broadway play which has been accepted to over 20 film festivals.
He was part of the post-production team of the feature film PREMATURE as well as the award-winning documentary TO KID OR NOT TO KID.
Additionally, Fabrizio produces commercial content for companies such as ESPN, Discovery, Verizon/AOL, Food Network, and New York Times Cooking.
Your Help
DEVIL’S INSTRUMENT is a fiscally sponsored project of Cinematography for Actors, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation will be tax-deductible!