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“Freedom Could Stem From the Experience”: Nicole Chi on Her Student Short Film Showcase Winner Los Mosquitos
In the absence of their mothers, two foster siblings slowly fortify a sisterhood in Los Mosquitos, Nicole Chi’s lushly atmospheric short. Made as part of her graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, the film centers on women within the local Honduran community—which Chi has closely worked with in the past—and is largely composed of a cast of non-professional actors. This includes protagonists Abby (Abigail Hernandez), a rebellious 15-year-old, and Nata (Natalia Rodríguez), her younger cousin who’s freshly arrived in the US. As the girls navigate this stark change in their living situation, tensions naturally arise: Abby begins […]
by Natalia Keogan on Jun 26, 2025 -
“My Tendency Is to Prioritize Collaboration”: Eva Steinmetz on Her Student Short Film Showcase Winner Marina
A father-daughter relationship finds eventual catharsis through conflict in Marina, writer-director Eva Steinmetz’s MFA thesis film completed during her studies at Temple University. The titular character (Grace McLean) struggles as the sole caretaker for her mentally and physically declining father (Peter Friedman). Indeed, their shifting roles has caused quite a rift in their relationship—and even rehashes past resentments—causing both parties to simmer with perpetual frustration. With the help of an ice cold Klondike bar, the two are able to enjoy each other’s company for the first time in a while; a moment so uncanny that it takes place during an […]
by Natalia Keogan on Jun 26, 2025 -
“The Version of My Homeland That I Was Robbed of”: Reem Jubran on Her Student Short Film Showcase Winner Don’t Be Long, Little Bird
While on a tense mother-daughter trip, a young woman (Banna Bazzarie) contends with her desire to broaden her horizons while also recognizing the importance of her heritage in Reem Jubran’s UCLA thesis film Don’t Be Long, Little Bird. Seeking some much-needed space from her mother (and a sneaky smoke), the young woman stumbles upon a secluded swimming hole. After taking a dip, she emerges in a different time and place altogether: Ramallah, Palestine circa 1936, a dozen years before the Nakba that would displace civilians and destroy their villages in order to create the state of Israel. Unsure of how […]
by Natalia Keogan on Jun 26, 2025 -
“Someone on the Verge of Screaming Back at the World” Sujin Jung on Her Student Short Film Showcase Winner Cocoon
Three generations of women clash during a Korean holiday in writer-director Sujin Jung’s Cocoon. Made as her MFA thesis film during her studies at Loyola Marymount University, the film centers on Jisoo (Alexes Josephine Lee), a young girl who experiences anxiety-induced selective mutism. This becomes a point of contention between Jisoo’s mother, Hyunsook (Taehee Kim) and her mother-in-law (Joy Kim), who express their respective frustration with the girl’s condition in vastly different ways. When the family matriarch harshly punishes Jisoo due to her inability to speak, Hyunsook decides to stand up for her daughter, subverting traditional expectations in the process. […]
by Natalia Keogan on Jun 26, 2025 -
“A Lot of Pent-up Grief with Life”: Calleen Koh on Her Student Short Film Showcase Winner My Wonderful Life
Loosely based on her mother’s grueling daily schedule, Calleen Koh’s delightfully animated My Wonderful Life brings to life the deranged fantasies that can plague the overworked. Office drone Grace Lee falls strains her body beyond its breaking point—the demands of her workplace, family and even a local stray cat cause her to collapse on the job. When she wakes up in the hospital, she feels an odd sense of relief and relaxation. She can finally rest without feeling guilty; as a result, she resolves to extend her hospital stay by any means necessary. When her body begins to heal itself, […]
by Natalia Keogan on Jun 26, 2025 -
Read Interviews With the Sixth Annual Student Short Film Showcase Winners, Awarded By The Gotham, JetBlue and Focus Features
Graduate students hailing from UT Austin, Temple University, UCLA, Loyola Marymount University and CalArts are the winners of the sixth annual Student Short Film Showcase, co-presented by JetBlue, Focus Features and The Gotham, Filmmaker‘s publisher. In a refreshing turn this year, all of the awardees are women. Indeed, their films focus on the rift in perspective between young women and the generation that came before them. Nicole Chi’s Los Mosquitos explores the tension between a 15-year-old Honduran teen and her adorable younger cousin who, to her chagrin, becomes a bottomless vessel for adult praise; Eva Steinmetz’s Marina chronicles a difficult […]
by Natalia Keogan on Jun 26, 2025 -
Sundance Institute Directors Lab 2025: Leo Aguirre
This month Filmmaker is publishing diaries from writers and directors who attended the 2025 Sundance Institute Directors Lab. Today we’re sharing the diary of Leo Aguirre, who traveled to the Lab with Verano. Here’s the description: “An unruly teenager’s summer plans are upended when his parents decide to foster an adolescent from Central America who is seeking asylum in the United States. As the two teens realize they must share more than just a bedroom, they are forced to confront their differences amid their harsh realities.” A complete list of Sundance Labs participants can be found here. — Editor JUNE 1: Couldn’t […]
by Leo Aguirre on Jun 26, 2025 -
Sundance Institute Directors Lab 2025: Andrea Ellsworth
This month Filmmaker is publishing diaries from writers and directors who attended the 2025 Sundance Institute Directors Lab. Today we’re sharing the diary of Andrea Ellsworth, who traveled to the Lab with The Dispute, co-written with Kasey Elise Walker (whose diary can be found here). Here’s the description: “Down on their luck and desperate for more, two best friends from South Central take a chance encounter as an invitation to trade their dead-end lives in Los Angeles for something new. When chaos ensues during their seemingly lucrative adventure, they realize the true cost of their actions.” A complete list of Sundance […]
by Andrea Ellsworth on Jun 25, 2025 -
“The Set is Home, and You Get to a Point of Where You Stop Pushing”: Steve Zahn, Back To One, Episode 347
Steve Zahn gained early attention for his breakout roles in the 1990s, including Reality Bites and That Thing You Do! He became a frequent scene-stealer in films like Out of Sight, Happy, Texas, and Saving Silverman, showcasing his offbeat humor and charm. In HBO’s Treme, he played a passionate music teacher navigating post-Katrina New Orleans. More recently, he appeared in the first season of The White Lotus, earning critical acclaim for his role as a troubled father on vacation. His latest is personal on multiple levels—the indie film She Dances, which he co-wrote with his producing partner Rick Gomez, who […]
by Peter Rinaldi on Jun 24, 2025 -
Sundance Institute Directors Lab 2025 Diary: Kasey Elise Walker
This month Filmmaker is publishing diaries from writers and directors who attended the 2025 Sundance Institute Directors Lab. First up is Kasey Elise Walker, who traveled to the Lab with The Dispute, co-written with Andrea Ellsworth. Here’s the description: “Down on their luck and desperate for more, two best friends from South Central take a chance encounter as an invitation to trade their dead-end lives in Los Angeles for something new. When chaos ensues during their seemingly lucrative adventure, they realize the true cost of their actions.” A complete list of Sundance Labs participants can be found here. — Editor I’m freaking […]
by Kasey Elise Walker on Jun 24, 2025
