Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Gracie and her injured lover Amir stop at a rundown gas station in the desert. The lines between past and present blur, forcing Gracie to ponder an uncertain future.
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A Song for Gracie by David Liu
directorsnotes.com/2026/06/01/david-liu-a-song-for-gracie
"A Song for Gracie is both a love story and a ghost story. It’s about roads once taken, and how the past moves in step with the present, asking us to remember every version of ourselves. It’s also a love letter to the land. The High Desert begins just north of the mountain ranges forming the Los Angeles Basin, and is in many ways the city’s ancient, overlooked cousin. Working with cinematographer Mike Maliwanag and editor Mengyao Mia Zhang, I wanted to anchor this idea of memory as landscape, and build images and sequences that speak to stillness, grief, and possibility. I’ve always felt that deserts awaken parts of the soul that we aren’t fully aware of…"
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of A Song for Gracie with our exclusive interview with director David Liu
directorsnotes.com/2026/06/01/david-liu-a-song-for-gracie
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// Credits //
Director: David Liu
Writers + Talent: Olivia Simone Iman Nazemzadeh
Producers: Don Ohmer, Bavand Karim
DP: Mike Maliwanag
Production Designer: Brittany Ingram
Editor: Mengyao Mia Zhang
Sound Designer: Alex Bologna
Music: Omar Fadel
Assistant Director: Liv Li
Associate Producer: Xin Li
1st AC: Allan Natividad Dizon
2nd AC: Alyssa Deocampo
Gaffer: Jose Caldera
Key Grip: Caleb Sherrill
Production Sound: Longwei Deng
HMU: Emily Margaret
BTS: Oliver Singer
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#MojaveDesert #shortfilm #drama #gasstation #couple
Gracie and her injured lover Amir stop at a rundown gas station in the desert. The lines between past and present blur, forcing Gracie to ponder an uncertain future.
🔔 Love indie films? SUBSCRIBE to Directors Notes for more trailblazing shorts: youtube.com/c/directorsnotes
🎥 Want to see your film here? Submit your work to Directors Notes: directorsnotes.com/submit
A Song for Gracie by David Liu
directorsnotes.com/2026/06/01/david-liu-a-song-for-gracie
"A Song for Gracie is both a love story and a ghost story. It’s about roads once taken, and how the past moves in step with the present, asking us to remember every version of ourselves. It’s also a love letter to the land. The High Desert begins just north of the mountain ranges forming the Los Angeles Basin, and is in many ways the city’s ancient, overlooked cousin. Working with cinematographer Mike Maliwanag and editor Mengyao Mia Zhang, I wanted to anchor this idea of memory as landscape, and build images and sequences that speak to stillness, grief, and possibility. I’ve always felt that deserts awaken parts of the soul that we aren’t fully aware of…"
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of A Song for Gracie with our exclusive interview with director David Liu
directorsnotes.com/2026/06/01/david-liu-a-song-for-gracie
👉 Follow Us for More Short Film Greatness:
Newsletter: directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Instagram: instagram.com/directorsnotes
Podcast: pod.link/192507317
// Credits //
Director: David Liu
Writers + Talent: Olivia Simone Iman Nazemzadeh
Producers: Don Ohmer, Bavand Karim
DP: Mike Maliwanag
Production Designer: Brittany Ingram
Editor: Mengyao Mia Zhang
Sound Designer: Alex Bologna
Music: Omar Fadel
Assistant Director: Liv Li
Associate Producer: Xin Li
1st AC: Allan Natividad Dizon
2nd AC: Alyssa Deocampo
Gaffer: Jose Caldera
Key Grip: Caleb Sherrill
Production Sound: Longwei Deng
HMU: Emily Margaret
BTS: Oliver Singer
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#MojaveDesert #shortfilm #drama #gasstation #couple
