Our Story

STORY

1805 short film square poster

Background & Synopsis

The unsettled consequences of the 1804 Haitian revolution reverberate northward to America, where the imminent end of the Atlantic Slave Trade is seen as fait accompli to the ruling elite. In the North, the last states take their first steps toward abolishing chattel slavery; though it will be generations before it will free the last of their slaves.
For Basammer, a slave on Mr. Jared Corey’s Virginia plantation, that sounds close enough to freedom; and it’s but a few days’ march away, just across the Mason-Dixon line. He escapes with his secret wife Marfay, leaving the vainglorious Mr. Corey with none to punish (or profit from) but those that remain.
The journey of Basammer and Marfay tests their love, pitting it against their morality as they battle both the laws of nature and the laws of man.

PRODUCTION

A historical drama, 1805 was shot in eight days over a two-week period stretching from August 10-24, 2020, in-and-around Lancaster, PA. The production was filmed entirely outdoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic and contains no interior shots. Shooting locations included historic sites like Historic Rock Ford and the Hans Herr House.

After meticulous post-production, 1805 was completed on February 20th, 2022 and is currently being submitted to film festivals around the world.

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

Many films depict a hero rising to overcome a system. This film shows a system designed to prevent a hero’s rise altogether; a system wherein even the most noble sacrifice is rendered moot.

For more on the project, please visit our YouTube channel – there you can hear the cast and crew speak about what 1805 means to them in their own words.

– Daniel Jacobson

Production Videos

Cinematography of 1805

Production Design of 1805

The Music of 1805

Capturing the Performance

Michelle Kariuki

Nathaniel J. Ryan

Sydney Rushing

Brian Rock

Frank Sean Johnson

Norma Vargus