Losers is a short film project created by director and screenwriter Jesus Melgares. It re-launched a crowdfunding campaign on EGEDA Platinum Crowdfunding to fund a movie about gambling with minors. Filming was planned for between Alicante and Murcia in the coming autumn. The campaign ran for 30 days, concluding on July 5, with a goal of at least 6,400 euros and a stretch target of 12,000 euros, inviting financial support from interested backers.
Losers presents itself as a social short film aimed at making visible a hidden problem in society: gambling addiction affecting the most vulnerable, children. Its protagonist is David, a neighborhood boy who struggles with sports betting.
This transmedia project acts as a tool to highlight the link between gambling addiction and minors in the country. Data from the National Plan on Drugs, released in 2018, show that 23% of adolescents aged 14 to 18 have engaged in gambling at some point, and gambling disorder remains one of the more common issues impacting youth. In response, the project includes didactic content designed for classroom use, supported by a teaching guide.
Equipment
Jesus Melgares, the writer and director, is also the co-author of the animated short film Umbrella Goya, which received a nomination for Best Animated Short at the 2022 awards. He leads the project, which features two actresses from Alicante, Candela Moreno and Luisa Gavasa, both recognized with Goya Awards for Best Supporting Actress. The cast also includes Victor Moreno, Naaman Lopez, and Elda, with Gonzalo Serrano among the newcomers.
The project is a co-production between Murcia and Alicante, with the involvement of Alicante-based production houses. Bea Martinez, nominated for Best Animated Short at the 2019 Goya Awards for State of Unawareness, is part of the team, as is the hard-core 2022 Berlanga Awards nominee. Production is being developed with the collaboration of Biopic Films and other partners, bringing together talents such as Fernando Tejero, Óscar Casas, Carlos Santos, Nerea Camacho, Adriana Ozores, and Ismael Martinez from Seer Films, who contribute to the film’s reach and scope.
Support & Goals
The campaign offered seven support tiers with prizes ranging from 10 euros to 3,000 euros, and it also sought corporate partners to participate as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts. In addition to backing the film itself, supporters could contribute to educational activities tied to audiovisual learning and schools, including a didactic guide and a comic that positions the short as a pedagogical tool.
Funds were allocated to cover production costs such as technical equipment, including cameras and audio gear, as well as travel, lodging, and meals during shoots. The project received backing from regional cultural institutions such as ICA (Murcia Region Art and Culture Industries Institute) and Half Point (Valencian regional television), and it has earned recognition at various festivals, including Sardinia Film Festival and Skyline Benidorm Film Festival.