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Logline

Upon winning a prestigious award, a young writer realizes that it doesn’t open the doors she hoped it would.

Synopsis

ELISA is on stage in front of a packed audience having just been awarded “Best Original Screenplay”. It’s been three years since she sold a script, but hopes this will give her career some momentum. Not exactly. In the glow of the after party, Elisa continues to struggle: producers are elusive, her old collaborators don’t have any leads, and she’s sweating through the suit she borrowed from her roommate. Later, Elisa returns to her apartment, discouraged – even with an award in hand, no doors seem to be opening for her. She wants to forget the whole night happened, but her roommates ALEX and JANE won’t have it, they drag Elisa out of bed and make sure she celebrates herself. While the award didn’t give her the exposure she wanted, Elisa learns that it’s the support from those closest to you that pushes you to keep going.

Meet the Filmmakers

Jax Ball — Writer
Originally from Arkansas, Jax Ball is now a Los Angeles-based writer. They are a Film Independent Project Involve 2025 Fellow and their script about a dead clown was a finalist in the 2023 ScreenCraft Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenwriting Competition. They have worked on several shows such as Glow (Netflix) and Little Demon (FX) and got their start writing for TV on Krapopolis (Fox). Currently, they’re digging into their obsessive love of sci-fi and comedy by writing for Rick and Morty (Adult Swim). When not writing, they barbecue, experiment with regenerative gardening and drink more tea than anyone thought possible.

Harim Sanchez — Director
Harim Sanchez is a writer/director hailing from the dusty hamlet of Adelanto (where you use the bathroom before hitting Vegas) and is now based in LA. Sanchez has been a writer’s PA for ANNE RICE’S MAYFAIR WITCHES and was an executive assistant for GENTEFIED co-creator, Linda Yvette Chavez. In 2024, Sanchez was a writing fellow for Film Independent’s Project Involve where he wrote his short film, MOSH. MOSH has screened at Slamdance and recently won the Cordillera Int’l Film Festival’s Heart Award. In 2025, his script, R.I.P. INC. was a finalist for the Nashville Film Festival’s screenwriting competition and was recently a Second Rounder for the 2025 Austin Film Festival. When he isn’t writing or directing, you could find him haunting the streets of LA, searching for the perfect breakfast burrito.

Masora Fukuda — Producer
Masora Fukuda is an award-winning producer based in Los Angeles and is a 2025 Film Independent Project Involve Producing Fellow. She produced Shania Twain’s music video Giddy Up!, earning her the 2024 Telly Award for Best Music Video. Internationally, she has worked on Happyend (2024 La Biennale di Venezia official selection, directed by Neo Sora; Tokyo Talents Alumni) and Sixteen (AFI DWW+), along with producing music videos, commercials, and podcasts featuring talents such as Quincy Jones, Shohei Ohtani, and Pharrell Williams. Her short film credits include Mirai To Future (2023 Pramana Asian Film Festival) and How To Make Shepherd’s Pie (2022 LA Shorts). Originally from Nishinomiya, Japan.

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Contact

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