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Logline

While on the verge of her first book deal, Zuri, a grieving writer, is called by her ancestors to complete the story they never finished.

Synopsis

Zuri, a promising young author on the brink of her first major book deal, is paralyzed by grief after the death of her beloved grandmother, Nana. With her manuscript deadline fast approaching, her words and spirit have gone silent. When her close friend Corey stops by to check on her, the chemistry between them offers brief comfort, but not enough to quiet the ache. Alone again, a simple reminder from the black dress she wore to Nana’s funeral pulls her back into sorrow.That night, Nana returns in Zuri’s dreams, guiding her through the story of their resilient ancestor Xola, whose words once carried generations forward. Through this ancestral memory, Zuri rediscovers her voice, turning grief into creation and completing both her book and her own healing.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Shaunic Stanford — Writer/Director
Shaunic Stanford is an award-winning writer-director whose work centers on layered, character-driven stories rooted in lived experience. Her storytelling explores the emotional complexity of Black women’s lives with intimacy, depth, and humanity. Her debut short, The Best Time, explores postpartum depression and screened at the Short Film Corner at the 75th Festival de Cannes, Reel Sisters of the Diaspora, the Micheaux Film Festival, Black Girls Rock, and WorldFest-Houston, where it received the Platinum Remi for Best Dramatic Original. The film was also featured in the Museum of the Moving Image’s Black Mothers in Film program and aired on Revolt and Aspire TV.

Yhá Mourhia Wright — Producer
Yhá Mourhia Wright is a 2025 NAACP Image Award–nominated filmmaker based in San Jose, CA. Her producing credits include Chocolate with Sprinkles, winner of the 2024 HBO Short Film Competition at ABFF and a 2025 NAACP Image Award nominee, and Missing Rhythms, a 2025 Micheaux Film Festival Best Horror/Thriller winner. She also produced Don’t Be Desperate, which premiered nationally on Aspire TV and earned a Micheaux Film Festival nomination for Outstanding Music. Yhá Moruhia has been named a Tyler Perry Dream Collective Top 100 Finalist and a TDE Short Film Fund finalist for It Stays Here. Now in her fourth year as an Advisor to Black Girls Film Camp, she is also the creator and host of the Inside Out Podcast and The Producer’s Blueprint Podcast.

Ben Cory Jones — Executive Producer
Ben Cory Jones is a writer, producer, director, and showrunner who has worked in television, cinema, and podcasts. He co-created and executive produced Boomerang, a BET comedy series partly based on Eddie Murphy and Halle Berry’s popular 1990s blockbuster. Jones also worked as a writer and producer on the critically acclaimed HBO comedy series Insecure, which starred Issa Rae and was executive produced by Larry Wilmore. He was also a writer on WGN’s breakthrough slave uprising epic, Underground, directed by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski and produced by John Legend.

Alex Ajayi — Cinematographer
Alex Ajayi is a cinematographer whose visual storytelling is shaped by his Nigerian and Mexican heritage. With a background in lighting, he has a deep understanding of atmosphere and composition, bringing both technical precision and emotional depth to his work. He has collaborated with brands such as Leica, SoFi, and The New York Times, crafting striking visuals across both commercial and narrative projects. Alex values collaboration, authenticity, and community, believing that the best images come from a thoughtful, inclusive approach to filmmaking.

Stephanie Victoria Yuen — Associate Producer
Stephanie Victoria Yuen brings a discerning eye for impactful storytelling and a meticulous approach to every production. Her experience spans corporate productions and award-winning independent films, where she has earned a reputation for guiding projects with clarity, collaboration, and care from development through delivery. Most recently, she served as Line Producer on Fault Lines for Portal-A, a documentary examining the Bay Area housing crisis and the deeply human stories at its center. Stephanie is committed to supporting meaningful work that resonates with audiences and leaves a lasting impression.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.