Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A curated Q&A on short films from Fellows who’ve been supported through various Film Independent Labs and Programs with the filmmakers, moderated by 2025 Project Involve Programming Fellow Zegan Doyle.
The Films
Angels
Producer, Fabiola Andrade (Project Involve 2024)
A farmer caring for her dying mother has her prayers answered from above.
Beezing
Director, Tiffany Lin (Project Involve 2023, Grant Recipient 2023)
A hot summer night, the 10 freeway, and a tube of lip balm. Based on a true story.
Before You
Producer, Helena Sardinha (Fast Track 2024)
Looking back on her first pregnancy, a woman navigates the echoes of a life-changing loss.
Food for the Chosen People
Co-Director, Varun Chopra (Screenwriting Lab 2021, Grant Recipient 2021)
Three LA friends battle for a table at legendary Chinese restaurant Yang Chow to continue the Jewish Christmas Day tradition. Food for the Chosen People captures all of the chaos and joy that comes with a uniquely American ritual.
Interdimensional Pizza Portal
Writer/Director/Producer, Aron Kantor (Screenwriting Lab 2025)
When Grover summons a slice of pizza through an interdimensional portal, his best friend Aliee’s concerns about the unintended consequences of his actions lead them both down a dark path.
Play Hard
Writer/Director, Winter Dunn (Project Involve 2021, Grant Recipient 2021, Episodic Directing Intensive 2022); Producer, Xin Li (Project Involve 2021); Producer, Takara Joseph (Project Involve 2020); Cinematographer, Mike Maliwanag (Project Involve 2021)
Nate, a workaholic drummer, spends all his time practicing, always striving for perfection. After he meets Yazmine, a like-minded, dedicated modern dancer, he realizes that the key to success isn’t just to work hard – sometimes it requires you to play hard.
Quaker
Cinematographer, Vittoria Campaner (Project Involve 2020)
During their last Quaker meeting of the year, Brooklyn high school seniors share their unfiltered feelings with each other.
Single Residence Occupancy
Director, Omer Ben Shachar (Project Involve 2023, Grant Recipient 2023, Screenwriting Lab 2024); Writer, Belinda Tang (Project Involve 2023); Producer, Yuky Shen (Project Involve 2023); Cinematographer, Wenting Fisher (Project Involve 2023); Creative Executive, Jasmine Rivas (Project Involve 2023); Editor, Luodawei Xiao (Project Involve 2023)
A Chinese immigrant living in a Single Residence Occupancy apartment receives news that her family’s application for better housing is denied, and grapples with how to share the news with her children.
Ever since the debut of Project Involve back in 1993, Film Independent Artist Development has been on the forefront of educating, championing and furthering the careers of filmmakers. Learn more about Artist Development here:
filmindependent.org/programs/artist-development
A curated Q&A on short films from Fellows who’ve been supported through various Film Independent Labs and Programs with the filmmakers, moderated by 2025 Project Involve Programming Fellow Zegan Doyle.
The Films
Angels
Producer, Fabiola Andrade (Project Involve 2024)
A farmer caring for her dying mother has her prayers answered from above.
Beezing
Director, Tiffany Lin (Project Involve 2023, Grant Recipient 2023)
A hot summer night, the 10 freeway, and a tube of lip balm. Based on a true story.
Before You
Producer, Helena Sardinha (Fast Track 2024)
Looking back on her first pregnancy, a woman navigates the echoes of a life-changing loss.
Food for the Chosen People
Co-Director, Varun Chopra (Screenwriting Lab 2021, Grant Recipient 2021)
Three LA friends battle for a table at legendary Chinese restaurant Yang Chow to continue the Jewish Christmas Day tradition. Food for the Chosen People captures all of the chaos and joy that comes with a uniquely American ritual.
Interdimensional Pizza Portal
Writer/Director/Producer, Aron Kantor (Screenwriting Lab 2025)
When Grover summons a slice of pizza through an interdimensional portal, his best friend Aliee’s concerns about the unintended consequences of his actions lead them both down a dark path.
Play Hard
Writer/Director, Winter Dunn (Project Involve 2021, Grant Recipient 2021, Episodic Directing Intensive 2022); Producer, Xin Li (Project Involve 2021); Producer, Takara Joseph (Project Involve 2020); Cinematographer, Mike Maliwanag (Project Involve 2021)
Nate, a workaholic drummer, spends all his time practicing, always striving for perfection. After he meets Yazmine, a like-minded, dedicated modern dancer, he realizes that the key to success isn’t just to work hard – sometimes it requires you to play hard.
Quaker
Cinematographer, Vittoria Campaner (Project Involve 2020)
During their last Quaker meeting of the year, Brooklyn high school seniors share their unfiltered feelings with each other.
Single Residence Occupancy
Director, Omer Ben Shachar (Project Involve 2023, Grant Recipient 2023, Screenwriting Lab 2024); Writer, Belinda Tang (Project Involve 2023); Producer, Yuky Shen (Project Involve 2023); Cinematographer, Wenting Fisher (Project Involve 2023); Creative Executive, Jasmine Rivas (Project Involve 2023); Editor, Luodawei Xiao (Project Involve 2023)
A Chinese immigrant living in a Single Residence Occupancy apartment receives news that her family’s application for better housing is denied, and grapples with how to share the news with her children.
Ever since the debut of Project Involve back in 1993, Film Independent Artist Development has been on the forefront of educating, championing and furthering the careers of filmmakers. Learn more about Artist Development here:
filmindependent.org/programs/artist-development
