Preparations for the Dirty Towel Feature Begin!

Encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response from festivals and audiences alike, the team behind Dirty Towel knew the story wasn’t finished.

Over the past two years, cousins and creative partners Callie Carpinteri and Emma Parks have been developing the short into a feature-length screenplay. What began as a deeply personal proof of concept has evolved into a moving, layered, and powerful script that expands the world of Dirty Towel while staying true to the emotional honesty that first resonated with audiences.

Now, with a completed screenplay in hand, they have officially launched fundraising efforts with plans to film this summer in the Chicago area. Parks, a Chicago native herself, is excited to help bring back the John Hughes era of film to the area and is looking forward to the opportunities this will provide the community. In an exciting show of support, Grateful Film Fund has stepped in as the project’s fiscal sponsor, allowing for charitable, tax-deductible donations. In just one month, the feature is already majority funded — a testament to the community that believes in the story and its message.

With momentum building quickly, the team is preparing to move into pre-production and assemble the collaborators who will help bring the feature to life. They are deeply grateful for the support that has carried the project to this next chapter and are eager to share what’s ahead. Most importantly, they can’t wait to bring this urgent, timely story to an even wider audience.

Stay tuned, there is much more exciting news to come.