For nearly thirty years Film Independent’s Project Involve program has been a leader in the ongoing fight to build a more inclusive and equitable industry. Project Involve Fellows are provided with the resources and opportunity to develop and produce six original short films, from pitch through premiere.

Securing funds to supplement production is crucial to the filmmakers. Donate to one or more of the Project Involve short films below, or support the Project Involve program as a whole using the form at the bottom of the page. As a special thank you, contributors will receive an invitation to see the finished films this fall.
 

2022 Project Involve Short Films

The Bluest Hour

With their newborn fighting for his life in the hospital, a young couple is sent home to rest, only to find themselves in a different fight – for the survival of their relationship.

Logan Jackson (director); Ebony Elaine Hardin, Rui Xu (producers); Danielle Ellen (writer); Eboni Robinson (executive producer); Lidia Nikonova (cinematographer); Marcus Heleker (editor)
 
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Culture Clash

A mother wrestles with the harsh reality that the future she plotted for her daughter might not actually come to pass.

San-San Onglatco (director); Tumelo Tladi (writer); T’Essence Minnitee (executive producer); Phillip Jackson (cinematographer); Lucia Wang (editor)
 
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Expectant

A soon-to-be father finds himself haunted by an ominous presence as the birth of his child nears.

Hannah Bang (director); Trent Nakamura, Jera Wang (producers); Justin Omori (writer); Danni Xin (executive producer); Gemma Doll-Grossman (cinematographer); Christopher Ma (editor)
 
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Muro/Wall

Libby, a young Latina refugee, journeys through a magical desert and encounters Humpty Dumpty guarding a massive wall dividing the land. She must find a way to get over the wall for a chance at a better life and a new place to call home.

Javier Barboza (writer/director/animator); C.A. Barrow, Trent Nakamura (producers); Danni Xin (executive producer); Garland McLaurin (cinematographer); Skylar Zhang (editor)
 
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Unt. Bakery Project

On the eve of their departure from their working-class neighborhood, a young musician and child of Afro-Latinx immigrants realizes what it means to leave their community, much like their parents did, in pursuit of their dreams.

Jaime Castañeda (director); Ebony Elaine Hardin (producer); Jeanette Lim (writer); T’Essence Minnitee (executive producer); Akina Van de Velde (cinematographer); Calvin Chin (editor)
 
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The Words of Cayetano

A writer having an existential crisis must journey deeper into himself and struggle with the beasts and muses of his own imagination.

Jesus Celaya (writer/director); Jera Wang, Rui Xu (producers); Eboni Robinson (executive producer); Michael Tanji (cinematographer); Skylar Zhang (editor)
 
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Support Project Involve

Your donation helps ensure that Project Involve can continue its ongoing effort to provide talented storytellers with real, valuable filmmaking experience.

To learn more about supporting Project Involve, contact Kate Walker D’Angelo at kwalker@filmindependent.org or 323 556 9382.