October 18th, 2024

I was taking a trip to Chicago in October 2024. One night I was heading back to my hotel with my $40 leftover Chicago pizza. When I was walking down the subway station, I heard a voice saying “pizza…” There was a guy who was missing all 10 fingers and legs sitting on the ground asking me for food. I hesitated to approach him first but I decided to give him 2 slices of the pizza. The guy went straight to eating without saying anything to me.I got back to my room and I realized the pizza did not fit in the fridge. I am not hungry at all. I was looking at the pizza in my hands, and felt a horrible GUILT - why did I do this? Why did I think I would need this pizza while the guy was starving?The taste of the pizza that I ate the next morning was unforgettable.

Homeless Shelter

After the Chicago trip, I decided to spend a week + New Year at a homeless shelter. During the stay, I helped them grocery shopping, cleaned the shelter, delivered food, I did whatever I could do. Day by day, I gained their trust and they started sharing their stories with me.Learning about their life changed my perspective violently. I could not see the world as I used too see it anymore. Hearing what they went through face to face, was a whole different experience.This was supposed to be just a week's stay to learn about homelessness. Now I volunteer at 2 homeless organizations. The experience changed the GUILT that I had in Chicago to COMPASSION.

Needs for Love

Loneliness and isolation are very common for people experiencing homelessness. One homeless person at the shelter told me that he experienced extreme loneliness when he was asking for money at a stoplight. I asked several homeless people if there was anything they were excited about, and they all said things related to human connection, such as seeing their children, family, or partners.Homeless people can receive resources such as shelter, food, and medical assistance. But one thing they cannot ask for: to be loved. Love is something we need so much, yet they struggle to receive love from people.

WORLD building

RATS is a movement rather than a short film. Starting from the guilt that I had in Chicago, RATS will be an opportunity for people to think of others. By constructing an original fictional world which reflects our reality, RATS takes a creative and entertaining way to bring compassion to people’s minds, and eventually the compassion brings a good cause to our community.

Why it's called RATS?

When I pitch this movie, lots of people ask me about the tile “RATS”. Here is why I named this story RATS. The animals rats are considered dirty and full of diseases, usually hated by a lot of people. I found this judgmental view on rats is similar to how public perceives homeless people. The title is a reflection of that reality, and our mission is to change this through film.

Writer / Director

Ren Tsukamoto

Ren Tsukamoto is an emerging Japanese film director who studied filmmaking in Arkansas, United States. His unique perspective, shaped by international experiences, has earned him recognition at several film festivals. He worked with Javion Lee on his recent work "Show Pub Queen" (2024). This project will be his last film in the States for now as well as this will be his first project out of film school.

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Producer

Javion Lee

A young aspiring producer from the small town of Huttig, Arkansas and a senior at the University of Central Arkansas.
Javion is a very passionate filmmaker who is encouraged to make his dreams come true and take care of his loved ones. His most notable work being Show Pub Queen with Director Ren Tsukamoto. He is always looking to learn and network.

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Executive Producer

Pete Tanguay

Pete brings 40+ years of business experience to the RATS Film Executive Team. His primary focus is on the business and financial aspects of the project. Most specifically, he leads all fundraising activities of the project and will work closely with each donor to keep them connected with the development, promotion and success of the film. Most of all, his goal is to attract supporters who believe in the core message of RATS, that everyone matters, and who also believe in the power of film to deliver this message to the world.

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Consulting Producer

Mindy Van Kuren

Mindy has been working in the Arkansas and regional TV and film community for over 20 years. She is an actor/producer, film festival organizer, currently Filmmaker Liaison and Education Program Producer for Arkansas Cinema Society and former Director of Operations for Oxford Film Festival in Oxford, Mississippi and Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She has worked on both sides of production in a wide range of films, commercials, and videos. Most recently serving as producer on Abigail Before Beatrice, a psychological drama that she co-produced with Benjamin Dunn (My Dead Friend Zoe) and writer/director Cassie Keet (Scream Therapy).

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1st Assistant Director

Paula Blanco Pérez

Paula Blanco Pérez, an award-winning filmmaker from Madrid, Spain, has been creating films in Arkansas for the past 8 years. She holds a bachelor's in digital filmmaking and a master's in film from the University of Central Arkansas. Paula previously served as Director of Education at Fayetteville Public TV, where she won a Telly Award for her "Cinematic Rig FPTV Promo." Her films, including "Dust", “Mirona”, “Greed” and "Dandelion” have earned recognition at national and international festivals, and her latest project, "Canchas", was shot in Spain as UCA's first international student production and had its premiere at Dances With Films: New York 2024. Now, she loves working as a videographer and photographer for events and advertising, while still focusing on narrative filmmaking in her free time. With a blend of Spanish and American influences, Paula continues to push boundaries in filmmaking.

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Director of Photography

Nikolett Kovács

Nikolett Kovács is a Hungarian-American cinematographer wither experience in gaffing, editing, and color grading. She is obsessed with all technical aspects of filmmaking and loves to apply her interest in tech to her interest in art. Nikolett has won awards for her cinematography at film festivals in the past but would like keep pushing til she reaches her ultimate dream of getting to work as a DP full time. She loves nothing more than collaborating with other creatives to make something amazing. She cannot wait to work on RATS for this exact reason.

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Casting Director

Ella Gast

Ella Gast is a filmmaker and passionate casting director currently studying at the University of Central Arkansas. They discovered their love for casting through the Filmmaking Lab for Girls by the Arkansas Cinema Society, where they gained a deep respect for this often overlooked element of filmmaking. This experience sparked a craving to explore casting further while recognizing its power in shaping authentic, compelling performances. Ella has since helped out with casting for short films like Raccoon Soup and Coming Home, bringing a keen eye for talent and a dedication to finding the perfect fit for every role. They hope to bring a casting approach that focuses on discovering fresh, unique talent and giving underrepresented voices a chance to shine, while embracing the unexpected to create more genuine and impactful performances.

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Production Designer

Marley Douglas

Marley is a UCA film junior minoring in interdisciplinary studies through UCA Honors. She was worked on several local productions including the national Kids PBS TV show “Mystery League” and the 2024 feature film “Crescent City.” Marley has been involved in numerous UCA productions primarily as a Production Designer or Sound/Foley Engineer. She hopes to continue supporting and contributing to the Arkansas film community after she graduates in 2026!

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