New Movie “Witchez” Shooting in Downtown Riverside
The film “Witchez” is shooting in Downtown Riverside. Actresses Heaven Gray, India Camille Glover, and Sarah Cantero at the Mission Galleria discuss the benefits of being a witch in Riverside, California.
RIVERSIDE, Calif.—A new dark comedy is filming in downtown Riverside. The feature film “Witchez” is the brainchild of Director, Writer, and Producer Sarah Cantero, along with her co-producers Ilana Regalado and Heaven Gray. Their lead Director of Photography is 24-year-old Giacomo Centty.
According to Cantero, this production defies Hollywood’s male-driven norms by placing women in creative roles, including producer, director, and actor. Their work aspires to bring more women into the behind-the-scenes part of filmmaking while jumpstarting the film industry in Riverside.
The filmmakers spearheading this effort created “Witchez.” collaboratively using community involvement, local resources, and a true sense of creative partnership.
“Witchez’s” goal is to tap into the lucrative genre of iconic witch movies, like “The Craft,” which grossed $55.6 million worldwide, and “The Witch,” which earned more than $40 million.
The producers believe that “Witchez” has the same potential to become a significant success, elevating those who helped bring it to life.
Witchez actresses, left to right: Heaven Gray, Sarah Cantero, and India Camille Glover on the streets of Riverside, California.
“We enthusiastically invite those who celebrate the arts and creativity to join in the fun and become part of this groundbreaking project,” said Producer Sarah Cantero.
“We are filmmakers dedicated to making movies that tell stories to entertain people, foster collaboration, and deliver a unique vision of horror and its similarities to daily life,” said Ilana Regalado.
True to its co-op nature, the filmmakers are crowd-sourcing the $55,000 to make the film through GoFundMe. “All contributions—whether time, energy or financial—are rewarded with a percentage of the film’s final profit. This isn’t just about creating a movie; it’s about building something long-lasting for the community,” said Cantero.
While 2023 was seen as the year of women in the film industry with the success of “Barbie,” “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” and “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” a recent USC Annenberg study shows no significant gains for women in 2023. Women represent only 6% of Hollywood directors, which these producers are determined to change.
The survey shows that in 2023, out of 116 directors, 12.1% were women, an increase from 2007, when the percentage was 2.7%. Yet, there’s little to celebrate, given that in 2022, 9% of top box office directors were women.
“We see this as a community film with a powerful outcome—the inclusion of women in filmmaking while creating an asset that belongs to the people who contribute to its creation,” said Cantero. “This is an opportunity for everyone involved to create art, build a new film community, and profit from their participation.”
Donations are being accepted via the GoFundMe link to support the film’s mission and join Riverside’s growing art movement.
“Funds raised will cover essential production costs such as props, costumes, and location fees. Most importantly, contributions will help foster a new era of artistic collaboration and progressive history in Riverside,” said Cantero.
For more information, go to https://witchez.film/.
About Witchez Film Co-op:
The Witchez Film Co-op is a collaborative group of Riverside area filmmakers dedicated to making films that tell stories to unite people, foster collaboration, and deliver an accessible vision of life and its complexities to the public.