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On Wednesday, December 6, 2024, the Sundance Institute revealed the slate of films that will premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. We’re excited to see SFFILM staff and supported filmmakers on the ground in-person in Park City, Utah.

Securing a spot in the Sundance Film Festival lineup is a challenging feat. Thanks to our SFFILM Makers programs, which include our FilmHouse Residency, the Documentary Film Fund, the Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship, and the flagship SFFILM Rainin Grant — the largest granting body for independent narrative feature films in the US — SFFILM helps independent filmmakers breakthrough.

The 2024 Sundance Film Festival slate includes four fantastic SFFILM-supported features. These special stories being shown on a platform as large as Sundance empahsizes SFFILM’s role in providing independent storytellers with the necessary advisory services, workspace, and artist community for filmmakers to develop, complete, and showcase their work to the international film community.

The SFFILM-supported projects screening at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival are:

Dìdi (弟弟)
Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Sean Wang
Producers: Valerie Bush, Carlos López Estrada, Josh Peters
SFFILM Support Received—SFFILM Rainin Grant, SFFILM Invest, SFFILM Dolby Institute Fellowship

The American Society of Magical Negroes
Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Kobi Libii
Producers: Julia Lebedev, Angel Lopez, Eddie Vaisman
SFFILM Support Received—SFFILM Westridge Grant, SFFILM Dolby Institute Fellowship

Look Into My Eyes
Director, Producer: Lana Wilson
Producer: Kyle Martin
SFFILM Support Received—SFFILM Invest

Seeking Mavis Beacon
Director, Screenwriter: Jazmin Renée Jones
Producer: Guetty Felin
SFFILM Support Received—SFFILM Invest

Stay In Touch With SFFILM

SFFILM is a nonprofit organization whose mission ensures independent voices in film are welcomed, heard, and given the resources to thrive. SFFILM works hard to bring the most exciting films and filmmakers to Bay Area movie lovers. To be the first to know what’s coming, sign up for our email alerts and watch your inbox.

SFFILM Education’s Youth FilmHouse Residency, in partnership with SFFILM Makers, is an annual program that begins in the Fall semester for Bay Area students grades 9–12 who identify themselves as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color (BIPOC) and are excited to explore careers in film and filmmaking.

Throughout the residency, students have engaged with other SFFILM residents, SFFILM staff, film industry professionals. This year’s curriculum balances practical skills like production strategy and technique along with training, panels, and lectures to highlight industry knowledge and possible career paths through our artist network.

Keep reading to meet the most recent group of Youth Residents for 2023-2024.

2023 SFFILM Youth FilmHouse Residents

Amiko Muscat

I’m Amiko Muscat and I’m a sophomore at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco. My filmmaking experience comes from being in the media department at SOTA and working with organizations such as SFPL, BAYCAT, and SFFILM. What got me into filmmaking was realizing how versatile the process of it could be, such as incorporating other mediums that I love, like photography, music, and writing. In new projects, I’m currently focusing on creating narrative stories with a specific interest in art direction and my city, San Francisco.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“My inspiration is what I experience and see in my life. I believe that what I choose to incorporate in my films comes from my own perspective on a topic, and to turn my perspective into something visual is really cool. A director who inspires me is Luca Guadagnino. I think his films have brilliant art direction and shot choices.”

Chloe Caruth

My name is Chloe Caruth. I’m a junior at Berkeley High School and I live in Berkeley. I am currently in my first year of the 2-year IB Film class, I co-run the BHS Film, Food, and Feminism Club, and I’m in the BHS Film Festival Club. I want to explore different kinds of connections and relationships in my work. I’m very interested in narrative filmmaking and hope to incorporate stop motion into my films in the future.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“What inspires me as a filmmaker is human nature and the complexities of daily life. I also get a lot of inspiration from art and music.”

Kai Parker

I’m a resident of San Francisco, currently in my senior year of high school. I’m a producer, writer, director, and sound recordist. I’ve taken many formal classes on filmmaking through high school and have helped others my age create their own personal films for the past two years or so. I have four years of experience on sets, doing everything from collecting trash as a Production Assistant to directing sets for my own films.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“Every once in a while, I’ll watch a film that will move me to feel genuine sadness, empathy, fear, or some other emotion. The fact that pictures on a screen can drive audiences to experience strong emotions seems impossible, but it just goes to show how film can be an extremely powerful medium. It is my goal to make films with this kind of power.”

Kea Morshed

Hi! My name is Kea, I’m in 12th grade, and I go to Berkeley High School. I’ve been making films pretty much throughout high school and recently began making films for local non-profit groups. I like to use comedy as an instrument for drawing attention to pressing issues.

Kiana Sipes

My name is Kiana and I’m a junior at Albany High School. I’m head-over-heels in love with film as a form of self-expression and creativity. My interest in film stems from my love of theatre, and I aim to create stories that showcase those two passions side by side—and, more importantly, that my friends and I can see ourselves in. I’m currently writing my first series, and I plan to continue studying writing and film in college.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“Some of my biggest inspirations would have to be David Tennant’s acting, Hozier’s and COIN’s music, Danny Elfman’s film scores, and movies like Wayne’s World, Fire Island, and Palm Springs.”

Markayla “Kayla” Griffin-Shoals

My name is Markayla “Kayla” Griffin-Shoals and I am a senior at Berkeley High School. I would like to accredit my interest for editing and the sequencing from my video production teacher Phil Halpern allowing me to showcase topics that are meaningful to me as a young African American female content creator and allowing for me and peers to showcase our voices as young adults that are often silenced.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“To create film things that I feel should be mainstream and break status quo and talk about uncomfortable topics that need attention.”

Matilde Aranda

My name is Matilde. I’m 17 and I’ve wanted to be a filmmaker since I realized that was a job title. I made my first independent film at 13 and at 15 I was paid to make a short documentary about a record label founded and run by two young Latina women trying to figure out the music industry together. I like to shed light on topics that might otherwise be overlooked.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“Probably my dad. He has always supported my passion and tries to provide me with as many opportunities in the film industry as possible and sacrifices so much for me to be happy. I really hope one day I can prove that it was all worth it.”

Penelope Dominguez Walton

My name is Penelope Dominguez Walton, and I am a sophomore at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland. My passion for filmmaking started in 7th grade, and progressively got bigger and bigger as I grew up. I use scriptwriting and film as a way to cope with challenges in my life and mentally.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“I am heavily inspired by Jordan Peele, but music always inspires me and gives me ideas on what to write about.”

Reed Norberto

A senior at San Leandro High School and The President of San Leandro Academy for Multimedia, Reed is an aspiring filmmaker and photographer attempting to enter a much bigger world. Skilled in both video and broadcast production, taking the lead role as cinematographer and set designer. The themes they would love to cover are coming of age and coming to terms with death. Highlighting humanity’s reminder that our time is limited and therefore precious. They believe that through narrative storytelling and stunning visuals, we can change people’s minds rather than please them. Just like what cinema used to be.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“The composition of Stanley Kubrick’s work makes any frame look like any realism painting. Each scene is always intentional and highly attentive to detail. Being one of the most daring, innovative, controversial, yet influential of all time to come. I use his techniques to apply them to my work in my own way, paying homage and tribute to the director. Not only does he inspire me as a daring filmmaker but also as an attentive photographer.”

Riyaz Alladin

My name is Riyaz Alladin and I am a senior at Berkeley High School. I’ve made many passion projects on my own as well as assisting in creating promotional videos for non-profit organizations for about 6 years now. I enjoy all types of themes, but something I have been recently drawn to is comedy and taking simple aspects of life to then blow them out of proportion for a feeling of absurdity. I am currently starting production on my most ambitious short film yet.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“No single person has inspired me to become a filmmaker. The audience is what really inspires me. Whether it’s positive or negative, to see everyone’s reaction is something I appreciate and look forward to on every project.”

Ziggy Spencer

VJ “Ziggy” Spencer is a nonbinary, youth filmmaker based in Alameda, California who has been working with Oakland based company Reel Stories for 5 years as a student board representative and camp staff member. Ziggy Spencer works primarily as a narrative filmmaker, but has experience working in documentaries such as #TeensToo, which has gone international to many different film festivals. They continue to work with Reel Stories on new projects and have begun experimenting with classic filmmaking techniques such as celluloid film.

Who or what inspires you to be a filmmaker?

“The human condition.”

Stay In Touch With SFFILM

SFFILM is a nonprofit organization whose mission ensures independent voices in film are welcomed, heard, and given the resources to thrive. SFFILM works hard to bring the most exciting films and filmmakers to Bay Area movie lovers, to support emerging filmmakers, and to educate youth through cinema. To be the first to know what’s coming, sign up for our email alerts and watch your inbox.

The FilmHouse Residency is managed by SFFILM Makers, the artist development program at SFFILM and is made possible in partnership with the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and additional funding from the San Francisco Film Commission and the San Francisco Foundation. The program supports both narrative and documentary projects (including features, shorts, and series) by providing 12-month residencies to local filmmakers actively engaged in various stages of production.

FilmHouse Residents receive a variety of benefits including special access to established industry professionals offering artistic guidance and support from their various areas of expertise as well as a robust guest speaker series featuring lectures and presentations by leading industry professionals; workshops led by prominent filmmakers and other members of the independent film industry; peer-to-peer support; work-in-progress screenings; bi-weekly production meetings; access to meaningful networking opportunities; and numerous other community-building programs.

The selection committee for the 2024 FilmHouse Residents were:
Masashi Niwano, Director of Artist Development, SFFILM
Joshua Moore, Artist Development Manager of Documentary, SFFILM
Rosa Morales, Artist Development Manager of Narrative, SFFILM
Erika Arnold, Artist Development Associate Manager, SFFILM

“FilmHouse is an ecosystem of creative people and exciting projects in motion, and this year’s eclectic group of residents all bring with them their own unique talents and perspectives,” said the 2023 Selection Committee.“There is an intentional balance of emerging filmmakers and more established filmmakers who have built a foundation from which to grow. These bold and exceptional storytellers also share a personal connection to the material they are working with and we couldn’t be more thrilled to offer them the support and guidance the FilmHouse residency provides.” FilmHouse Residents Selection Committee

Let’s meet the residents that will be taking their projects to the next stage at FilmHouse in 2024!

Meet the 2024 Residents

A.K. Sandhu

UNTITLED MOTHERHOOD Project—Feature Documentary
Who decides the when, why, and how a woman can have a family? Does she actually have a choice? Filmmaker A.K. Sandhu explores these questions from a social and personal perspective, following women who dare to choose while defying the patriarchy in a time when their reproductive rights are no longer guaranteed.

Adamu Chan

What These Walls Won’t Hold—Documentary Short
Filmmaker Adamu Chan, who was incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, documents his path through incarceration and beyond.

Andrés Gallegos

The Shape of Light—Feature Documentary
In the world’s epicenter of technological innovation, San Francisco people struggle to preserve their neighborhood movie theaters and keep the theatrical experience alive in times of a global pandemic, shifting social behaviors, and an ascendant streaming industry. Will they be able to safeguard cinemas as we know them?

Annie Marr

Black Box—Feature Documentary
A woman finds out she is pregnant after a string of previous miscarriages. Fearful she will miscarry again, she cycles through questions of time, loss, and liminality. Navigating unexpected territory, BLACK BOX explores the tenuous and mysterious early weeks of pregnancy, where life and death coexist.

Betsy Tsai

A Land of Long Shadows—Feature Narrative
An aspiring journalist from working-class Belfast investigates the real epidemic suicide rate amongst her millennial peers when it hits close to home. She exposes how and why in 2010s Northern Ireland, violence still persists, but is turning inwards.

Caron Creighton

Wood Street—Feature Documentary
Wood Street is the last stop for unhoused “brothers,” John and LaMonté. They moved there eight years ago after police pushed them from other encampments around Oakland. After a two-alarm fire in July, their tight-knit community faces eviction. It’s their goal to stop it.

Colette Ghunim

Traces of Home—Feature Documentary
Filmmaker Colette Ghunim embarks on journeys with her parents to find the ancestral houses they were forced to flee as children in Mexico and Palestine. Colette’s initial desire to heal her disconnect from her cultures and her parents reveals an internal quest to discover home within herself.

Dominic Mercurio

Hypnophobia—Feature Narrative
When Zanye’s sleepwalking episodes start getting more and more concerning, his partner suggests hypnotherapy. Through his sessions, far more concerning truths begin to unravel that put his relationship and safety in jeopardy.

Elivia Shaw

The Invisible Valley—Feature Documentary
A journey into the heart of California’s Central Valley, The Invisible Valley is a kaleidoscopic portrait of survival in the face of constant environmental change through the eyes of the communities that feed us all.

Estevan Padilla

Pangea Ultima—Feature Narrative
Convinced that their parent’s separation is the root cause of their inability to foster relationships and mature, a delusional brother and sister brazenly kidnap their estranged parents in hopes of manipulating them through extreme measures in hopes of becoming the functional family they always wanted.

Florencia Manovil

Queerly Beloved—Feature Narrative
When a tightly-knit group of queer friends come together for an idyllic wedding in the redwoods, shifting dynamics, strained family bonds, and surprise revelations put long-standing relationships to the test.

Jessica Jones

Women Who Ride—Documentary Short
Tish Edwards is the founder of Oakland’s first black women’s motorcycle club D’Vious Wayz. Driven by the hum of the engine on the open road, she tries to balance caring for her disabled son and her own health challenges while determined to keep the sisterhood alive and ride again.

Kyle Chu

Go Back Home—Feature Narrative
In a rapidly-gentrifying San Francisco, a newly-widowed Chinese-American mother moves with her son to the only apartment she can afford, wherein a mysterious horror soon threatens their lives.

Linda Mai Green

Jane (working title)—Feature Narrative
In this Gothic thriller set in rural 1880s California, a vulnerable young Chinese American woman is taken in by a charismatic woman scientist whose worldview tantalizes but harbors dark truths.

Liz Roberts

Midwaste—Feature Documentary
Two friends from the midwest reunite after 25 years by using a VHS archive to connect the long thread of their past selves to who they are now. Midwaste is a vivid and personal exploration of drug use, healthcare, and the carceral system.

Masha Karpoukhina

In Between Worlds—Feature Documentary
It’s been almost a hundred years since McCloud Chinook salmon swam up the McCloud River. A keystone species, by whose health we measure the health of all others. In this film, we are swept into a beautiful, tumultuous journey with Caleen Sisk, the Chief of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe and her son Michael Preston, who are on the frontlines of a battle to restore ancestral salmon to the waters of California.

Meg Shutzer

Dirty Water—Feature Documentary
The discovery of dangerous chemicals in the ground water under an Oakland high school spurs an investigation that surprises everyone.

Octavian Kelly

Innocence Lost—Feature Narrative
At the funeral of his half-brother, a businessman confronts his family on past abuse perpetrated by the recently deceased when they were kids. Deep division ensues as everyone is left in the wake of what to do with the truth.

Osinachi Ibe

Karolina and Udochi Dance in the Woods at Dusk!—Feature Narrative
During their first summer apart, two childhood best friends discover they have fallen in love with each other and embark on a spiritual journey that changes them forever.

Rajan Gill

HARVEST PARTY AT CAMP TWO—Documentary Short
It was a summer of romance, race wars, and rock n’ roll. Unable to attend their local prom, HARVEST PARTY AT CAMP TWO recounts the story of the Punjabi farmworkers in 1980s California who throw the biggest party their small town has ever seen.

Steven Raven Liang

Godfrey’s Time Out (working title)—Feature Narrative
After incarceration, Godfrey reenters a world where time is both a friend and an assault.

Stay In Touch With SFFILM

SFFILM is a nonprofit organization whose mission ensures independent voices in film are welcomed, heard, and given the resources to thrive. SFFILM works hard to bring the most exciting films and filmmakers to Bay Area movie lovers. To be the first to know what’s coming, sign up for our email alerts and watch your inbox.

Join us in congratulating the SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Initiative recipients for this upcoming year. These filmmakers are set to receive dedicated support and $140,000 in cash grants. The recipients of the Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowships are Vivienne Shaw and Fradique. The fellowship will support the development of their narrative feature screenplays and is designed to ensure that narrative feature films that tell compelling stories about the worlds of science and technology continue to be made and seen.

Filmmakers selected to receive the Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund are Sahand Nikoukar, Katherine Burns, and James ‘Séamus’ Bearheart. The fund supports the screen adaptation of specific scientific articles and discoveries that have been cataloged in the Sloan Stories of Science Sourcebook as inspiration for filmmakers. Last month, SFFILM honored Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer with the Sloan Science in Cinema Prize at a special event which included an exclusive 35mm screening of the film and an onstage conversation with Production Designer Ruth De Jong, Editor Jennifer Lame, Supervising Sound Editor Richard King and University of California Berkeley Physics Professor Dr. Benjamin Safdi.

“A well-crafted script is key to a great film,” said Anne Lai, Executive Director of SFFILM. “We’re thrilled to have this partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation that not only recognizes the importance of screenwriting but also provides rare support for filmmakers to dedicate time and resources to this critical period of development.”

“We are proud to partner with SFFILM to support these five talented screenwriters whose original and compelling scripts engage with important issues in science and society while giving eloquent voice to underrepresented characters,” said Doron Weber, Vice President and Program Director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. “These selected writers join a nationwide program that has supported over 800 science and film projects and include award-winning filmmakers from twelve distinguished film schools and six outstanding screenplay development partners.”

SFFILM’s partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation—the nation’s leading philanthropic grantor for science and the arts—culminates in the SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Initiative. SFFILM launched the program in 2015 to celebrate and highlight cinema that brings together science and the art of storytelling, showing how these two seemingly disparate areas can combine to enhance the power of one another. The selections are meant to immerse a broad public audience in the challenges and rewards of scientific discovery, as well as to engage members of the scientific community.

Sloan Science in Cinema Initiative: Artist Development Programs

“The SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Fellowship and SFFILM Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund give us the opportunity to elevate already outstanding filmmakers,” said Masashi Niwano, SFFILM Director of Artist Development. “Filmmakers like Vivienne Shaw, Fradique, Sahand Nikoukar, Katherine Burns, and James ‘Séamus’ Bearheart will receive targeted support, both to sharpen the science and scientific themes presented in their scripts, and for ongoing professional development to deepen their craft.”

Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowships

Two filmmakers have been selected to receive Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowships, which will support the development of their narrative feature screenplays. The fellowship is designed to ensure that narrative feature films that tell compelling stories about the worlds of science and technology continue to be made and seen. From an open call for submissions, the 2023 Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowships have been awarded to two outstanding filmmakers.

Vivienne Shaw | KILLING JAR
After her mother’s abrupt death, an obsessive insect researcher thrown into a confusing web of family lies and secrets decides to undertake her own forensic entomology investigation to uncover the truth.

Fradique | HOLD TIME FOR ME
An Angolan photographer seeks a vanished Cuban biologist in a surreal, environmentally-crisis-ridden world where Luanda drifts away from the mainland.

Recipients of the Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship will receive a $35,000 cash grant and residency at FilmHouse, SFFILM’s suite of production offices for local and visiting independent filmmakers. The residency program provides filmmakers with artistic guidance, office space, a vibrant creative community, and mentorship from established filmmakers and members of the independent film industry. To strengthen their film’s portrayal of science or technology, each fellow will be connected to a science advisor with expertise in the subjects at the center of their screenplays, as well as leaders in the Bay Area’s science and technology communities.

SFFILM Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund

The Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund supports the screen adaptation of specific scientific articles and discoveries, cataloged in the Sloan Stories of Science Sourcebook as inspiration for filmmakers. These recipients each receive a $20,000 cash grant and access to FilmHouse, SFFILM’s suite of production offices for local and visiting independent filmmakers. The residency program provides filmmakers with artistic guidance, office space, a vibrant creative community, and mentorship from established filmmakers and members of the independent film industry. To strengthen their film’s portrayal of science or technology, each fellow will be connected to a science advisor with expertise in the subjects at the center of their screenplays, as well as leaders in the Bay Area’s science and technology communities.

Three screenwriters, Sahand Nikoukar, Katherine Burns, and James ‘Séamus’ Bearheart have been selected to receive funding through SFFILM’s Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund, which is part of a suite of screenwriting programs that cultivate narrative feature films exploring scientific or technological themes and characters. This artist support program was developed in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the nonprofit dedicated to bridging the cultures of science and the humanities, and focuses on the adaptation of important scientific and technological discoveries to the big screen.

Sahand Nikoukar | CENTAUR
What if an AI ran for President—and won? When a band of irreverent tech visionaries launches their AI algorithm as a mock presidential candidate, they inadvertently trigger a nationwide phenomenon. As the AI contender outwits seasoned politicians, exposes hypocrisy, and reveals flaws in the system, this campaign mockumentary examines the future of politics and humanity itself.

Katherine Burns | HENRY
Dee Peralta (37) has left Hollywood behind to play the titular role in a stage production of Henry V, searching for a feeling of connection that she has been missing. But when she discovers that the production is being run by a new AI chatbot, she must grapple with what connection really means—and perhaps find it in an unlikely place.

James ‘Séamus’ Bearheart | VISIBLE
A scientist’s remarkable observation of the glass frog’s unique behavior is continually dismissed as unimportant by her peers. The scientist must dig deep to believe in herself and show the world how important this discovery is.

“We remain inspired by the undeniable potential of creativity fueled by the intersection of art, science, and technology,” the prize’s review committee said in a statement. “This year’s recipients of the SFFILM Sloan Grants represent a convergence of storytelling, scientific curiosity, and technological innovation, demonstrating the vitality and impact of their diverse artistic voices. We are thrilled to offer support at this exciting stage of their creative process.”
SFFILM and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation are excited to continue to work together in championing films and filmmakers that inspire and expand the public understanding of science and technology.”

The review committee members who reviewed the finalists’ projects included: Brad Balukjian, Ph.D., Director of Natural History & Sustainability Program at Merritt College; Patrick House, Ph.D., writer and neuroscientist; Rosa Morales, Artist Development Manager of Narrative Programs at SFFILM; Masashi Niwano, Director of Artist Development at SFFILM; Ilana Segall, M.S., Data Scientist at Mozilla; Kelly Sutherland, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Biology at Oregon Institute of Marine Biology; Indre Viskontas, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology at University of San Francisco; and Doron Weber, Vice President and Program Director at Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Stay In Touch With SFFILM

SFFILM is a nonprofit organization whose mission ensures independent voices in film are welcomed, heard, and given the resources to thrive. SFFILM works hard to bring the most exciting films and filmmakers to Bay Area movie lovers. To be the first to know what’s coming, sign up for our email alerts and watch your inbox.