USC Cinematic Arts | First Look 2019

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Social Change Films:

A Cake for Lizzie (21:32)

In a dystopian future, Sofia will risk everything to bake a birthday cake for her ailing daughter

Director
Michel Kreisel Vaisberg

Writer
Michel Kreisel Vaisberg

Producer
Faissal Sam Shaib

Cinematographer
Brian Sergott

Production Designer
Mercedes Hachuel

Editor
Jiaxi 'Francis' Lu

Sound
Kevin McCormack

Composer
Pablo Croissier
Orlando Perez Rosso

Cast: Sara Tomko as Sofia, Andy Davoli as Felix, Lola Rai as Lizzie, Diane Witter as Beatriz, Sisa Grey as Teresa, Hisham Dakhil as Steven, Martin Dorsla as Jeff, Bill Bingham as President Jackson,

Callback (14:25)

When a talented yet struggling actress Laura has an uneasy encounter with an A-list director at the biggest audition of her career, she has to make a decision of whether to take the role, or walk away from her dream.

Director
Sabina Vajraca

Writer
Victor Alonso-Berbel

Producer
Miles Alva
David Aguilar

Cinematographer
Mikaela Addison
Lina Li

Production Designer
Kathy Stocker
Vanessa Branch

Editor
Thomas Mendolia
Sylvia Wang

Sound
Christopher Garcia
Margo Sawaya

Composer
Andy Gladbach

Cast: Kirsten Kollender as Laura, Brennan Kelleher as Randy, Ben Shields as Marvin, Leslie Stevens as Debbie

CODA (22:17)

A young dancer struggles with her bi-cultural identity when she meets a confident young Deaf drummer who stirs up old conflicted feelings about growing up hearing in a Deaf family.

Director
Erika Davis-Marsh

Writer
Erika Davis-Marsh

Producer
Cassandra D. Jones
Laurie GardinerAnte Cheng

Cinematographer
Ante Cheng

Production Designer
Ethan Hartman

Editor
Lynna Lam

Sound
Sound Designer/Post Production Sound Editor: Charles Moody
Production Sound Mixer: Carlos Ramirez Mercedes San Roman

Composer
Philip Timofeyev
Robert Merkel

Cast: Kerrynton Jones as Alex, Ryan Lane as Josh, CJ jones as Dad, Antoinette Abbamonte as Mom, Melanie Benz as Ms. Redmond, Katee Shean as Maria, Mykal-Michelle Harris as Maria, Sade Devine as Alex age 9

Lalo's House (25:00)

Inspired by a series of true events. After being taken from their home in Jacmel, Haiti, two young sisters must escape a child sex trafficking ring disguised as a Catholic orphanage.

Director
Kelley Kali

Writer
Kelley Kali
Yasemin Yilmaz

Producer
Kelley Kali
Victor Pourcel

Cinematographer
Xing-Mai Deng

Production Designer
Michael Miller

Editor
Jeremy Deneau

Sound
Sound Designer/ Post-Production Sound Mixer: Derek Sepe
Production Sound Mixer: Emma Huibregtse

Cast: Jasmin Jean-Louis as Manouchka, Kyra Rose as Phara, Garcelle Beauvais as Sister Francine, Jimmy Jean-Louis as Jean - Father, Denise Milfort as Sister Flore, Hancie Pavilus as Lauren - Mother

Martha (13:26)

As she slowly gets entangled into the drama of her next-door-neighbor's lives, Martha re-examines how she deals with conflict in her own affairs.

Director
Zander Colbeth

Writer
Zander Colbeth

Producer
Zander Colbeth
Raeshib Aggerwhil

Cinematographer
Sohil Vaidya

Production Designer
Denver Kotian

Editor
Ankur Agrawal

Sound
Re-Recording Mixer: Charles Moody
Production Sound Mixer: Eric Han
Post Sound Editor: Ankur Agrawal

Composer
Peter Lam

Cast: Seirah Royin as Martha, Kathy Khanh Nguyen as Erica, Leah Zhang as Candace, Lisa Stanley as Mary-Ann, Warren Davis as Jason, Charlie Farrell as Officer Carl, Cecilia Bryant as Officer Julie, Brandon Wanta as Officer Sam, Sheila Tejada as Linda, Greg Scali as The Waiter

On the Clock (14:42)

When Sofia gets her first period, Lucas sets out to secure the feminine products she needs, confronting many harsh realities along the way.

Director
Tayo Amos

Writer
Katharine Stocker

Producer
Agustin A. Mares
John Fairchild

Cinematographer
Hannah Bang
Matthew Wilder

Production Designer
Natalie Dease
Joseph Picozzi

Editor
Kelsy Lua
Shicong Zhu

Sound
Alexandra Reinnoldt
Menu'Ette Silver

Composer
Sara Barone
Zach Calluori

Cast: Victor Munoz as Lucas, Crystal Avila as Sofia, Henessy Longoria as Ana, Aaron Phifer as Dixon, DJ Gayles as Security Guard, Leah Zhang as Cashier, Kobe Reverditto as Marco, Yael Lustmann as Mom, Lia Barnett as Daughter, Akilah Hotep as Gloria, Jonée B. Shady as Brenda, Charlie Schmidt as Store Owner

Ponyboi (18:57)

On Valentine's Day, Ponyboi, an intersex sex worker, looks for love and a way out of his seedy life in New Jersey. Through a magical encounter with the man of his dreams, Ponyboi discovers his worth.

Director
River Gallo, Sadé Clacken Joseph

Writer
River Gallo

Producer
Sadé Clacken Josesph
Kristen Laffey
Seven Graham
Stephen Fry

Cinematographer
Madeline Leach

Production Designer
Alexah Acuña

Editor
Eugene Noone

Sound
Prodcution Sound Mixer: Brandyn Johnson Austin Conway
Sound Designer: Austin Conway
Post- Production Sound: Austin Conway Ryan Vaughan

Composer
Edan Freiberger

Cast: River Gallo as Ponyboi, Keith Allan as Bruce, Aaron Schwartz as Vinny, Sophie Labelle as Angel, Logan Arevalo as Young Ponyboi, Phillip Bowen as Lou, Enrique Sebastian Rivas as Father, Marita De La Torre as Mother

Road to Zion (15:30)

An illegal Jamaican immigrant finds his life in LA shaken by forces outside his control as he struggles to understand how far he is willing to go to protect his family.

Director
Andrew Reid

Writer
Andrew Reid
Jeremy Palmer

Producer
Kathleen Gardner
Courtney Grace

Cinematographer
Brian Sergott

Production Designer
Adele Biraghi
Yuan Wang

Editor
Jonathan Petermann

Sound
Sound Designer: Zoltan Juhasz
Production Sound Mixer: Mitchell Toler
Post-Production Sound: Charles Moody

Cast: Koby Kumi Diaka as Jahsen, Lennox Brown as Devan, Carl Thompson as Elijah, June Carryl as Vinitia, John Tucker as Keyone, Jessica Rosilyn as Britney, Jumarcus Mason as Malcom

Soiled (10:36)

After being stripped of her innocence, a young girl spirals into a world of paranoia as she struggles to cope with her new reality.

Director
Lareina Joelle

Writer
Lareina Joelle

Producer
Jayjit DasGupta

Cinematographer
Nancy Lin

Production Designer
Michael Miller

Editor
Shaina Pakravan

Sound
Sandra Joen Perez-Tejeda

Composer
Nami Melumad

Cast: Rosalie Chiang as Reese, Alexandre Chen as Andy, Andrew Kwong as Kevin, Becky Wu as Mom, Steven Chan as Dad, Nicholas Pauley as Dance Instructor

The Five Minutes (9:07)

A businessman tries to call his dead wife by using a phone booth that allows him to contact dead people from the past.

Director
Shange Zhang

Writer
Nichole DaLaura

Producer
Xiaoyuan Xiao

Cinematographer
Emre Okten

Production Designer
FNU Gele

Editor
Jiaxi Lu

Sound
Hao Chen

Composer
Ling Lu

Cast: Zhan Wang as Yu Cheng, Eon Song as Lu Li, Demi Ke, Nurse

Where Dreams Rest (15:41)

An impressionistic short film about a young Chinese woman who crosses the US-Mexico border to chase after her California dream.

Director
Elaine Wong

Writer
Elaine Wong

Producer
Lareina Joelle
Ariel Du

Cinematographer
Ante Cheng

Production Designer
Jolene Yuelin Zhao

Editor
Mengxue Hou

Sound
Sound Designer: Longwei Deng Production Sound Mixer: Sandra Joen Perez

Composer
Peter Lam

Cast: Michelle Sun as Ah Wei, Zhan Wang as Lao Ge

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