REAL INDIES DESERVE THE BIG SCREEN

Introducing SEASON ONE

A curated selection of short films from underrepresented filmmakers presented by Minorities in Film.

This Season brings together ten thought-provoking short films that challenge the status quo, celebrate diversity, and push the boundaries of independent cinema. From intimate portraits of family dynamics to explorations of cultural identity and personal liberation, these films will take you on a journey through the many faces of freedom. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience groundbreaking work from rising filmmakers who redefine what it means to be free.

The FILMS

Meet the filmmakers

Corey Joon Clark

Major Americana

Major Americana is a tarot reading of reproductive rights in America following the overturning of Roe V. Wade. The film serves as a call to action to fight for freedom of bodily autonomy. Traditional tarot card imagery is altered to reflect those who are impacted most by restrictive abortion laws; Black and Brown Women.

Kameishia Wooten

Choices

Kameishia Wooten is a Los Angeles based Director, Writer, and Producer who creates provoking, inclusive, socially impactful stories for TV & Film. She has written, directed, and produced 7 short films and a web series. Most recently, she was selected for the prestigious Ryan Murphy’s Half Initiative Program as a shadowing director. She is a 2022 Fellow of Women In Film's inaugural Shorts Lab supported by Google for a short film she wrote and directed called “Choices.” Her mission as a filmmaker is to entertain the world through content that fosters culture, inclusivity, and community.

Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz

Jerome

Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz is an award winning writer and director. His coming of age short film JEROME, qualified for the 96th Academy Awards, was a finalist for the HBO Short Film Award, and won Best Boston Film at the Boston Short Film Festival. His shorts have played at over 50 film festivals globally, and placed at a dozen more including the Urbanworld, Austin Film Festival, American Black Film Festival, Screencraft, NALIP, and the Commercial Diversity Directing Program. Gianfranco marks culture as integral to a character’s identity, but second always to a character’s story.

Shiva Krish

Amma's Pride

Shiva Krish embarked on his cinematic journey in 2014, initially serving as an assistant director in a Tamil narrative feature film. His engagement with various Indian NGOs, where he interacted with individuals from diverse backgrounds, eventually drew him into the realm of documentary filmmaking. In addition to his role as an associate director in the acclaimed Indian documentaries 'Harmony with A.R. Rahman' and 'Borderlands,' Shiva has made short films with NGOs, namely 'Pink Money' and 'Inward.'

Andi Chapman

Three Phases of Isa

Andi Chapman is a Director, Actor, Educator and the Associate Artistic Director of The Ebony Repertory Theatre in Los Angeles. She is currently The Center Theatre Group's Program Advisor/Coaching Artist for the August Wilson National Monologue Competition and an Adjunct Professor of Film Acting at Azusa Pacific University. Ms. Chapman earned her M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama and is an alumna of the AFI Directing Workshop for Women. She is also a selected participant of the prestigious Lincoln Center Directors Lab.

Yixuan Wang

Peeping

A dance show adapts its act to government bans dictated by a tomato-shaped surveillance machine. The performers follow orders, modifying their routine to stay out of trouble.

Keya Saxena

The Rain and Its Flower

Born in India & raised in Hartford County, CT, Keya Saxena is a filmmaker & writer currently based in New York City. She received her BFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She looks to tell stories of identity, assimilation & diaspora. Her work has been highlighted by Made In Her Image x Panavision & film festivals such as DC South Asian, New York Monthly, & Student Los Angeles Film Awards. In the past year she has joined Bungalow Collective as one of their Creative Directors.

D'Lo Louis

Shoebox

In the vibrant heart of Richmond, CA, D’Angelo "D’Lo" Louis began crafting a narrative that in hindsight some might consider extraordinary. His story, however, is rooted deeply in the very real streets of the Bay Area and is a testament to the power of resilience and eventually the magic of storytelling. Today, as a student and figure in the creative realm, D’Lo stands as a beacon of inspiration. Through the lens of his life, we are invited to reflect on our own stories and find the magic that lies within.

Susan Canales Barrón

A Boat for My Mother

Susana Canales Barrón is a Chicana lens-based artist and documentary filmmaker based in Northern California. She is passionate about using her camera and unique perspective to push back against inequalities experienced by marginalized communities. Susana graduated summa cum laude from UC Davis with a B.A. in Cinema and Digital Media and a minor in Theatre and Dance. She is currently working on an MFA in Documentary Filmmaking at Stanford.

Amir Zargara

A Good Day Will Come

Amir Zargara is an Iranian-Canadian (BIPOC) writer/director, whose unique perspective is shaped by the cultural mosaic of Iran and Canada. His journey, characterized by the resilience of an immigrant and the challenges of living with a stutter, deeply influences his approach to filmmaking. His films delve into the moral complexities faced by individuals, focusing on the gray areas of human character and advocating for empathy over judgment.

Ruhi Radke

Brown Sugar

Ruhi Radke is a New York City based filmmaker and playwright with a film production degree from Emerson College. Her short Red Sari had its world premiere on the opening night of the Mustard Seed Film Festival, 2018; and her next short Jane, premiered at the 7th annual Imagine This Women’s Film Festival in 2022 and is currently on the Retrospective of Jupiter platform. Radke is also a fall fund recipient (2019) for The Future of Film is Female grant for her upcoming narrative short: Brown Sugar, which further explores beauty and cultural identities.

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Introducing Make NewsPaper—a celebration of indie cinema featuring reviews, spotlights, and reflections on our Make News, Make Noise showcase. Dive into powerful films and fearless stories by underrepresented filmmakers. Real Indies Deserve the Big Screen...and culturally aware critics.