Join us for an evening of short films from across the USA. The evening features short films* by filmmakers whose works have been seen on Netflix, HBO, PBS and festivals worldwide. This year’s event includes films that move us - whether through dance, advocacy, spiritually, or simply in how we look at one another. Some of the filmmakers may be present.
*Some films contain adult language and topics, Parental discretion is advised
PROMISE ME YOU’LL SING MY SONG
Directed by Jirard, Adam W. McKinney
Choreographed by Adam W. McKinney
Produced by Bruce Wood Dance
Cast
Matthew RobertsKey…Dancer
Logline: Promise Me You’ll Sing My Song" is an homage to Mr. Reuben Johnson, an innocent man who was lynched on December 27, 1874 in Mountain Creek, Texas, USA. Performed by dancer Matthew Roberts of Bruce Wood Dance (Dallas, TX) near the site of the lynching of Mr. Johnson, "Promise Me You'll Sing My Song" invites viewers to wrestle with history that hides in plain sight.
Jirard (Director), a versatile artist and acclaimed filmmaker, is the Co-Founder of The DigiBees, a multimedia company based in Dallas, TX. His impressive portfolio includes directing music videos for renowned artists such as Avery Sunshine, Fred Hammond, and Eric Roberson. Additionally, he has lent his talents as a Director of Photography to several short and feature-length films. His narrative directorial debut 'Mosiah' is the first-ever narrative film about Marcus Garvey. Currently, he is working on 'Colour Treatment', a series of documentaries that critically examine black representation in mainstream media, tracing its development and analyzing its impact on contemporary culture and society.
Adam W. McKinney (Director, Co-Founder, DNAWORKS) is a dancer, choreographer, community activist, and Artistic Director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. He has danced with some of the world’s preeminent dance companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Béjart Ballet Lausanne (Switzerland), and Alonzo King LINES Ballet, among others.
Awards of note include an Asylum Arts award for “SCAB”—truth and reconciliation artwork about the Fort Worth (TX) racial terror lynching of Mr. Fred Rouse, TCU’s Research & Creative Activities Award for “Dancing through a Door of Return,” site-specific dance performances in West African slave castles; NYU’s President’s Service Award for dance work with populations who struggle with heroin addiction; Jerome Foundation’s Emerging Choreographers grant for dance work with Ethiopian-Israeli communities; National Artist Teacher Fellowship for “The Borders Project” at the Mexico/U.S. border; and LEAD:NM, an educational fellowship for teachers and leaders of color creating change in charter education in New Mexico.
Adam was a School of American Ballet National Visiting Teaching Fellow, an opportunity to engage in important conversations around DEI in classical ballet. Named one of the most influential African Americans in Milwaukee, WI by St. Vincent DePaul, McKinney was New Mexico School for the Arts’ inaugural Dance Department Chair (Santa Fe), and Associate Professor of Dance at TCU, and holds a BFA in Dance Performance with high honors from Butler University and an MA in Dance Studies with concentrations in Race and Trauma theories from NYU-Gallatin.
Bruce Wood Dance (Producing Organization) is a nationally contemporary dance company that harnesses the power of dance to entertain, enrich, and heal. Recognized as Dallas’ "shining star" by Arts and Culture Texas, the company honors the legacy of the late acclaimed Texas choreographer Bruce Wood (1960-2014). Led by Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Joy Bollinger, named among D Magazine's "78 Women Who Make Dallas Great," Bruce Wood Dance is consistently recognized as the Best Dance Company by D Magazine and the Best of Dallas Voice. Praised for its emotionally charged and dynamic programming, the company delivers annual performances showcasing works by Bruce Wood, masterpieces by dance legends Lar Lubovitch and Twyla Tharp, and world premieres by nationally acclaimed innovative artists, including Joy Bollinger, Omar Román De Jesús, and Yin Yue. Additionally, our diverse range of cinematic productions is crafted by a talented array of dancemakers, including Adam McKinney, in collaboration with The Digibees. Complementing our artistic endeavors, we provide annual workshops and engagement initiatives to serve our community. On the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster member since 2016, Bruce Wood Dance has captivated audiences statewide and nationally.
EL DOCTOR
Directed by Heather de Michele
Written by Jude Roth
Produced by Reena Dutt and Luis Deveze
Logline: Worlds collide when an Arizona family hires an undocumented day laborer.
Heather de Michele (director) currently serves as the Executive Director of Live Wire Radio in Portland where she is proud to spend her days amplifying the voices of artists nationwide on NPR. Heather’s film credits include the feature film As Good As You, and a slate of award-winning short films and web-series’. Heather has directed dozens of plays in New York and Los Angeles and is an alumna of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab and the Women’s Project. Heather loves collaborating with Reena Dutt and Jude Roth and is stoked to screen one of her favorite short films (and collaborations), El Doctor.
Jude Roth (writer) comes from a long line of Russian and Polish immigrants who fled to North America where she grew seeing her family romanticize the “Old country” while reeling from having been pushed out because of their Jewish identity. That experience inspires Jude often to write about individuals clashing with bigger forces. Her script about sex trafficking won “Best Screenplay” at La Femme International Film Festival, she’s an alumna of the Black List-Women in Film TV Episodic Lab, and was a finalist for the Humanitas New Voices in TV award and semifinalist for the Sundance Episodic Lab (twice). She’s so grateful to Heather de Michele and Reena Dutt who brought their vision and expertise to El Doctor, which PBS and Latino Public Broadcasting acquired (in 2014 and again in 2023). Most recently, Jude worked in TV development at Skydance Media.
Cast (in order of appearance)
Luis Deveze…Carlos
Campbell de Silva…Eduardo
Ozzie Rodrguez…Martín
Rudy Marquez…Day Laborer
Henry Ramirez…Day Laborer
Rob Nagle…Andrew
Jude Roth…Jen
Joshua Petras…Jonah
Sarah Lilly…Geraldine
Carla Tassara…Molly, the neighbor
Kevin Berntson…EMT #1
Jonathan Coogan…EMT #2
Tucker Smallwood…Officer Boggs
FRICK!
Written/Directed by Mateo Bekich and Patrick Keleher
Produced by Steven Poczcalski, Mateo Bekich, Patrick Keleher
Logline: After the worst night of his life, a young man with Tourette Syndrome bumps into his therapist's outgoing and energetic daughter with whom he strikes up a unique relationship.
Cast
Patrick Keleher…Frickbird
Jenna Lamb…Alexa
Paige Norberg…Bailey
Mateo Bekich…Server
Mateo Bekich (Writer/Director) My passion for film and storytelling began from a very young age with my early exposure to films and television. I was mind blown on how a piece of media can make me feel and how it can change my life for the best. Since those early days I decided to commit my life to telling stories, but most of all, creating everlasting emotions and inspiring others with my work. I’ve always had passion for telling stories about the highs and lows of what life makes us go through as humans. Growing up, change, family, love, friendship, and more. Ever since I decided to pursue this as a career I have made 7 short films and I recently finished writing a feature film. I am committed to telling stories for the rest of my life and helping others tell their own.
Patrick Keleher (Writer/Director) was born and raised in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley. He grew up acting with Theatre Aspen, filmmaking, skiing and white water rafting. He went to film school at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. He’s traveled the world multiple times, from living in Paraguay for six months, spending 75 days in Africa, road-tripping across 11 countries from Kenya to South Africa, Asia, Australia, central and South America. Patrick recently moved to LA after he was cast in the hit play Fatherland, a tragedy about January 6th. Check out Patrick on social media. Patrick is more than happy to hear from you, be sure to reach out over a DM.
HUSKY
Written by Matt Sayles
Directed by Matt Sayles
Produced by Lauren Selman
Logline: A man trying to break the cycle of self-hate and body shaming programmed into him and internalized as a boy.
Cast
Mason Wilson…Young Eri
Marcellus Mayberry…Eric
Matthew Sayles IV…Junior
Krystle Simmons…Taylor
Dennis Pearson…Jeremy
Ayanna Flemings…Jackie
Isaac Ordonez…Bryan
Leo Helfrich…Max
Matt Sayles (Director) is a portrait and commercial photographer and director based in Los Angeles. Matt focuses his work on creating images that reflect a more inclusive image of beauty and highlighting stories of underrepresented people and communities. He has worked with clients from Netflix to The Hollywood Reporter and his work has appeared on billboards, magazines, and covers worldwide. Matt has expanded his work to motion and film in order to advance the messages and stories he can tell. Matt is a graduate of Stanford University and the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He lives with his wife, two sons and three dogs. https://mattsaylesphoto.com/
Lauren Selman (Producer) is a seasoned producer with fifteen years of experience in film, television and live events. She is an Emmy-nominated production manager who has been on the teams behind The Oscars, FIFA Men's World Cup, Vancouver Olympics, XPrize, and has worked with Riot Games, BlizzCon, FOX and Disney. Recent credits include: Farewelling (Dances with Film Festival), Shimmer - Inspired by Eva Young (Winner at Bentonville Film Festival), The Ringmaster (Winner - Paris International Film Festival), The River Why (SXSW), La Mission (Sundance), and Greenlit (SXSW). She is a triple TEDx speaker, graduate of UC Berkeley and a founding member of Harness, a non-profit that shifts culture through inclusive storytelling.
TOO MANY BODIES
Written and directed by Reena Dutt
Choreographed by Nancy Dobbs Owen
Produced by Puppett, Danielle Phelan, Penelope Wong
Logline: TOO MANY BODIES was born from a passionate group of filmmakers, musicians and dancers joining together to create a music video illustrating our need for common sense gun laws.
Cast
Agnes Aurelie Anglade
Alexandria Woodley
Amir Yorke
Brooke Viselli
Chasity Ramsey
Daniel Huynh
Dayle Embleton
Eryn Orsburn
Gillian Leach
Ivy Bert
Jamal Wade
Jason Vu
Kathryn Bravo
Katie Albert
Kelly Perez
Malcolm Buchanan
Matthew Christian Hansen
Megan Merry
Mia Lind
Michele Acosta Thompson
Nate Odell
Patrick Viloria
Thomas Nguyen
Background Dancers
Alex Parmentier
Alexandra Sotak
Carly Jean Paul
Christopher Hanson
Kevin Huang
Melissa Parra
Nathan Gottron
Paul Kim
Shadow LaValley
Stephanie Rojo
Reena Dutt (Director) is a city girl with a country soul who believes in creating with a conscience, on and off the stage and screen. She is dedicated to new and reimagined texts that catapult polarizing conversations through unexpected stories with the bodies, voices and life experiences of the underheard. Her short films as director, FOUND and THE RECLAMATION OF MY BLACK ASS IMAGINATION, are traveling the festival circuit, and her film TOO MANY BODIES was supported by NoRAnow.org and Survivors Empowered, advocating for gun reform. As a producer, her films have been screened at over 80 festivals worldwide including Sundance, LAFF, Outfest, Frameline, Cucalorous, NBCUniversal, BET, PBS/Latino and HBO. She was a producing fellow with SFFilm, Film Independent and Trans Atlantic Partners. She is also a theatre director working regionally in Northern and Southern California, New York, Massachusetts, and Utah during the 24/25 season. www.ReenaDutt.com
Nancy Dobbs Owen (Choreographer) MFA Choreographer/Director, Dancer, Dance Educator, Writer, began her
professional career with the Joffrey Ballet and danced with numerous ballet and modern companies. National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. Television and film work: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, American Princess, VEEP, Ratched, Deadwood, and Music. LA Stage Highlights: John Adams’ Nixon in China with the LA Philharmonic, the Production Company’s award-winning Sweeney Todd, and The Bridge Club at Deaf West Theatre.
Award Winning Stage Direction and Choreography credits include Skeleton Stories, Have You Seen Alice, and Welcome to the White Room at Theatre of NOTE, Assassins with Sight Unseen Theatre, M. Butterfly, Sweeney Todd, Working, and Enron, at the Production Company, The Snow Queen at the Fremont Centre Theatre, Where's Charley for 42nd St. Moon, War Bride at Sky Pilot Theater, I’d Rather Be Right at the Hudson Theater, Dolls! at the Santa Monica Playhouse and Pacific Opera Project's The Mikado. She was the resident choreographer for the Marina Del Rey Symphony’s Summer Dance Concert, creating four original ballets. She has received award recognition from the Ovations, Stage Scene LA, and BroadwayWorld.com Film, TV, and Film Choreography highlights include the feature Hollywood Fringe, the viral sensation Lullaby, a Zombie Musical, Too Many Bodies, and Floating, Falling, Flying; A Dance Film. Her work has been seen at over 40 film festivals with numerous choreography and
directing honors. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Dance at Southern Utah University. She is a
staff writer for LA Dance Chronicle and serves on committees with Corps De Ballet International and Women in Dance. BA: Dance, UC Irvine; MFA: Interdisciplinary Arts with Performance Creation Concentration, Goddard College; MA: Arts Administration (in process), SUU; 2011 Directors Lab West; Arts Management Certificate: UC Irvine.
INVISIBLE BROWN MAN
Directed by Roxy Shih
Written by Dennis Magee Fallon, Pritesh Shah
Produced by Pritesh Shah, Mark Myers, Tammy Hunt
Logline:
Doctors. Store clerks. Computer nerds. Indian Actors always play the same roles. But what if one Indian man decided he was done with the stereotypes? Sex and Indian food abound when T.J. (a young Indian-American) tries to claw his way out of obscurity in Hollywood. But to land the perfect acting gig, he'll first have to face down male objectification, tokenism and his own outspoken inner monologue.
Cast
Pritesh Shah...Tejas Desai
Richa Moorjani...Seema Desai
Luke Barnett...Duke Bernstein
Leann Lei...Angie Delroy
Mona Sishodia...Kavita Desai
Sunil Narkar...Naresh Desai
Krystal Ker...Casting Assistant
Li Lu...Heartwicke
Bob Sherer...Gross Producer
Steven James Olson...Waiter
Roxy Shih (Director) recently had her directorial debut, The Tribe, acquired by Empress Road Pictures. The film stars the illustrious Jessica Rothe (Parallels, La La Land), Anne Winters (Wicked City, Tyrant) and Michael Nardelli (The Collection). The film has garnered a lot of media attention and has won awards at prestigious festivals such as Best Narrative Feature at Nice International Film Festival and Best Debut Feature Film at The Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto.
HANGMAN
Written by Sarah Rodenbaugh, Sascha Alexander and Dayna Schaaf
Directed by Megan Brotherton
Produced by Sarah Rodenbaugh, Kelsey Goldberg, Alexander Billet, Megan Brotherton, Cate Fogarty and J. Keith van Straaten
Logline: A recently widowed woman works through the complexities of grief with the help of friends, strangers, and Tupperware.
Cast
Sarah Rodenbaugh…Gwen
Bonnie Hellman…Bonnie
Suzy Nakamura…
JP Manoux…Group Therapist
Travis Coles…Gerald
Sarah Rodenbaugh (writer) is an award-winning actor, writer and producer. She has received rave reviews and dozens of festival acting awards for her short film, HANGMAN, including multiple Best Short Film, Grand Jury and Audience Choice Awards. She’s appeared in many commercials and creates content that is both funny and poignant. This includes her comedic web series BROS, countless sketch and improv shows all over the country including The Groundlings, Straitjacket Society (Winners of Funny Women Festival), and Upright Citizens Brigade. Sarah recently received high praise and 4 awards from John Patrick Shanley, including Best Actress in Los Angeles. Sarah is represented by Liberation Management in Los Angeles.
Megan Brotherton (Director) is a director who is known for her ability to work fluidly with improvisors and comedians, while never losing site of story. She earned her MFA in Acting at the A.R.T. at Harvard University, which included a residency at the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia. She trained at UCB Theater and directs shorts and branded content for Funny Or Die (her videos amassed more than 20 million views and Romper is the most watched FoD video to date). Megan’s short films EVERYBODY DOES IT and BUTTERCUP have earned rave reviews and awards including Audience Choice, Best Comedy, and Best Narrative Short. BUTTERCUP was also selected as one of nine films to tour the US and Canada as part of LunaFest and one of five films selected to screen in Beijing. Megan directed a PSA for Access Books for Women in Film, which won a 2018 Bronze Telly award and a Platinum Best of Show Aurora Award. Megan was recently selected to participate in the 2020/21 Commercial Directing Diversity Program.