Project Spotlights:
Shorts By Rising Women and Non Binary Filmmakers
Aimed at up-and-coming filmmakers (usually first-timers or students), this series introduces and amplifies new voices in film. We feature each creative’s film with an accompanying interview giving a deeper look into their processes and visions.
Watch some past project spotlights in our youtube playlist
Project Spotlight: THƠ, the First Film by and about an Asexual Girl of Color
Heather Muriel Nguyen (she/they) is a queer Vietnamese-American filmmaker focused on creating stories that reflect queer and trans communities of Color grappling with intergenerational trauma and self-love. As an actor, writer, and director, Heather is a multifaceted creator who focuses on authenticity and nuanced storytelling. Thơ goes through a journey of questioning and through that, the audience sees the deep emotional depth that Nguyen infuses into their art.
Project Spotlight: 'The Takeover', Exploring Relationships, Cannabis, and Creative Growth
K$K is a writer, director and advocate for women working at the intersections of filmmaking and cannabis who explores her real life experiences through short experimental essay films. The Takeover is a look into K$K’s creative consciousness as she navigates her identity as a woman, relationships - platonic and romantic, money, and all life has to bring.
Project Spotlight: 'LoverGirl', A Rom-Com About Baby Queers
Shawna Khorasani is a San Jose, California-based writer, producer, and director and creator behind ‘LoverGirl’, TLL’s next project spotlight. ‘LoverGirl’ is an LGBTQ+ romantic comedy about the awkward, anticipatory, and magical moments that can happen in young love.
Project Spotlight: 'Are You Sure You're Awake', Inside Mental Health and Authenticity
Joan Michel is an NJ based Filipina-American photographer and filmmaker currently studying media arts at New Jersey City University. In her work she captures narratives inspired by personal experiences that revolve around mental health, death, and trauma that people have experienced. She’s bold, deliberate, and dedicated to creating art that is authentic no matter how dark it can be.
Project Spotlight: 'Closer', Struggle and Strength through Dance
Shakura Davis is a filmmaker, creator, and current student at Eugene Lang. We’re excited to be sharing their latest short film, Closer, a dance centric film that tells the struggles of addiction.
Project Spotlight: 'Dos Ruedas', Social Impact through Film
Daniella Víquez is a 24 year old audiovisual producer, director, journalist, and graduate of the University of Costa Rica. Her work focuses include narrative fiction, culture, mental health, gender, and international news. Her films opens the conversation of machismo, violence against women, and feminism in South America.
Project Spotlight: 'After the Beep', To Drunk Call or Not To Drunk Call
Sonibal Rae is an Afro Latina director/writer based in London. She strives to create compelling, funny, and realistic characters specifically for comedies. She loves exploring relationships in film and the messy nature of love.
Project Spotlight: Death is Orange, Creating through Grief
Death is Orange directed by Lauren Tepfer is an intimate look into grief, love, family, and understanding. Heavily influenced by the intersections of time and personal identity, Lauren captures her work in real time as she herself is still processing her life.
Project Spotlight: 'Morning Talks', An Intimate Look at Young Relationships
Director Maxine Espanol’s “Morning Talks” is an intimate look at a relationship meeting its end inspired by her own heartbreak. It’s her directorial debut and a departure from her usual work with editing.
Project Spotlight: 'The Apocalypse Will Blossom', Building Hope Back After the 2016 Election
The Apocalypse Will Blossom is a beautiful, quick, and intelligent short that captures a depression spiral post 2016 Election in the most relatable ways- protesting, fries, and friendship. Director Courtney Jines wrote and also starred in this short along with friends and details her experience in an interview with TLL.
Project Spotlight: 'New York', A Love Letter to NYC
Filmmaker, Allison Bar documents her first trip to NYC and the feelings she experienced.
Project Spotlight: 'Taffy', Navigating Sex As An Awkward Teen
“Taffy” is short film about a teen girl having sex for the first time. Directed by Amanda Dimartino, it dissects the awkward parts of intimacy and adolescence.
Project Spotlight: 'Supernova', A Poem in Motion
Topaz Winters is a queer writer based in Singapore. Her recent poem was transformed into a beautiful short film on human emotion, here’s a look behind her process.