NFMLA’s InFocus: Female Cinema Highlights Stories of Independence, Letting Go, and Revenge

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) hosted its March Monthly Film Festival and celebrated up-and-coming female talent in front of and behind the camera with this month’s InFocus: Female Cinema across two shorts programs and the Los Angeles premiere of Varda Bar-Kar’s documentary Janis Ian: Breaking Silence. 

The day’s programming opened with InFocus: Female Cinema Shorts I, a program that highlighted the work and stories of women through the work of emerging female talent, featuring stories about finding your place in the world, belonging, self-determination, building a community, seeking revenge, processing loss and letting go.

The block opened with a selection of films produced through Black Girls Film Camp, an incubator for the next generation of storytellers. The program invited high school Black girls across the U.S. to pitch a story idea, selecting a cohort of ten each year to have their short film project produced through the program.

The day continued with InFocus: Female Cinema Shorts II, with another exciting collection of films by emerging female filmmakers. The program explored surviving your period, intergenerational bonds, sexual awakenings, the deceptive pursuit of perfection, bodily autonomy and women kicking ass. The block was presented in community partnership with Alliance of Women Directors (AWD).

The night concluded with the Los Angeles premiere of Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, documentarian Varda Bar-Kar’s fascinating portrait of the groundbreaking singer-songwriter. “She is an iconoclast who questions and challenges the status quo. Through her music, she speaks out against oppressive social norms. In addition to her profound contribution as an artist, she has helped move the needle forward in civil rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and human rights,” says Bar-Kar.

NFMLA showcases films by filmmakers of all backgrounds throughout the year, across both general and InFocus programming. All filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their projects for consideration for upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of the schedule for InFocus programming, which celebrates representation by spotlighting various communities of filmmakers as part of the NFMLA Monthly Film Festival. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Here's more information about the filmmakers and films, provided by the filmmakers, as well as NFMLA's interviews.

 “The Ladies” directed by Juliana Piscina 

About Juliana: Julie Piscina is a comedy writer and director from New York whose work focuses on the absurdity and heartfelt comedic themes of coming of age and womanhood. Her characters breathe life into the discomfort of growing up and the invaluable privilege of friendship. She is a recent graduate from UCLA's School of Theater Film & Television writing and directing MFA program, where her thesis project, "The Ladies," earned grant awards from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Motion Picture Association of America, as well an equipment grant from Sony. She has written and directed three short films and two series pilots.

About “The Ladies”: As the new head coach, Tracy learns that her old high school basketball program has fallen from its former glory. She feels compelled to save the program, enlisting the help of the only two remaining players on the team, Emma and Rita.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Juliana Piscina, the director of “The Ladies”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAvNRsJozU0

“Mildred 4 A Million” directed by Kimmie P Callaway

About Kimmie: Kim “Kimmie P” Callaway is a four-time Telly-winning director, writer, producer, and founder of Pillowfight!! Productions. She hails from Houston, Texas, where she attended the prestigious High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, for theatre and piano. Beyonce also went there, not to brag or anything. Kim then spent seven glorious/notorious years in New Orleans, obtaining a degree in television production and theatre from Loyola University and collecting a wealth of fodder for her writing. She moved to Los Angeles in 2007, married her favorite DP, and became a mother of two human children and one jealous pug.

About “Mildred 4 A Million”: A gregarious great-grandmother who desperately wants to connect with her tablet-obsessed great-granddaughter sets out to get a million followers on TikTok.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Kimmie P Callaway, the director of “Mildred 4 A Million”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQMTIPPv3uc

“I Think I'd Like to Stay” directed by Brianna Murphy

About Brianna: “I Think I’d Like to Stay” is Brianna's directorial debut. Her unconventional journey to filmmaking began in costume design. When film production halted in spring of 2020 she found herself home in the Pacific Northwest with endless time, and began writing an anthology of short films. She produced Julian Doan’s short "Raspberry," which premiered at Sundance in 2021. Most recently she’s designed Sean Wang’s feature Dìdi (?? and Sam Davis’s short "The Singers." Her costume credits include Stranger Things, This is Us, and Madame Web. A trained Irish Storyteller, she enjoys moss, snowboarding, and drinking tea with kitty Anita Beans. 

About “I Think I’d Like to Stay”: During a trip to her childhood home, a young woman is swallowed by the land.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Brianna Murphy, the director of “I Think I’d Like to Stay”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmsGmvSdHr0

“Chispa” directed by Karina Lomelin Ripper

About Karina: Karina Lomelin Ripper is a Mexican-American writer and director and was selected as a 2025 fellow for the AFI Directing Workshop for Women+. In this workshop, she directed the coming-of-age dramedy, "There's a Devil Inside Me." Her films often center Latina characters that are rebels, misfits and rulebreakers. Their production experience extends across independent films, documentaries and commercials. Their previous short (co-writer/co-director) "Superfan"premiered at the Atlanta Film Festival (2022) and was listed as one of No Budge's top films of the year (2023). Karina's short documentary, "La Tienda" received a Vimeo Staff Pick (2020) and aired on PBS as part of The Latino Experience (2021). Karina was also selected for 2024's Hola Mexico's Tomorrow's Filmmakers Today, a workshop that curates a cohort of up and coming Latino filmmakers. She is a winner of the Tell Your Story Oregon Film Grant (2023) and was a spotlight filmmaker supported by Fujifilm with her short film "Chispa."

About “Chispa”: An electrician experiences a shocking transformation that provokes her to seek revenge on a sexist security guard. 

Watch the NFMLA interview with Karina Lomelin Ripper, the director of “Chispa”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-dfbo-UAqA

“And We’ll Be Okay” directed by Francesca Escarraga

About Francesca: Francesca Escarraga is an award-winning producer, writer and director committed to utilizing the power of storytelling to amplify underrepresented voices and inspire change. She majored in Screenwriting and Film & TV Development and graduated with academic distinction from UCLA. Her screenplay Leo Child was a finalist in the 2020 Scriptapalooza and 2023 Outstanding Screenplays competitions, judged by an Oscar-winning jury. She has worked on acclaimed projects including Netflix’s Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte, Amazon’s Saltburn and Fallout, NBCUniversal’s A Place For All, Radio Europe, Sing (to me), and Stage 5. She won Best Producer at the 2022 Oniros Film Awards in New York and was honored by the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office for mentoring entertainment professionals.

About “And We’ll Be Okay”: After months of failing to secure a new apartment, an artist couple's relationship is put to the test as they confront and navigate their differing dreams, ambitions, and the uncertainty of their shared future.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Francesca Escarraga, the director of “And We’ll Be Okay”: https://youtu.be/nWT8gfjriHs

“Before You” directed by Lauren Merage

About Lauren: Lauren Merage is an award-winning Persian-American filmmaker and founder of Simbelle Productions. After starting in photography and mixed-media art, she found her voice as a director, creating films that explore women's identities and challenge societal expectations. Her three short films have made a significant impact, screening at 45 festivals globally and winning top prizes at six of them. In 2024, Lauren founded Simbelle Productions, a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower women through film. Inspired by Lauren's daughters, the organization strives to create compelling content that steers women toward mutual validation, greater awareness, and hope. Through an array of programs and initiatives, Simbelle Productions aims to nurture essential stories rooted in the belief that when women share their truths, they not only empower themselves but also uplift others. Lauren also works actively with organizations like One, Reform Alliance, and Planned Parenthood to advocate for women's rights worldwide.

About “Before You”: Looking back on her first pregnancy, a woman navigates the echoes of a life-changing loss.  (In Solidarity with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.)

Watch the NFMLA interview with Lauren Merage, the director of “Before You”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x1-lsq_W-M

“The Other Partners” directed by Destinee Stewart 

About Destinee: Destinee Stewart is a director and writer dedicated to crafting narratives that amplify underrepresented voices. Her feature Wade in the Water, a psychological horror, has been supported by BendFilm: Basecamp and the Cucalorus Writing Residency, and she is currently developing the proof-of-concept short film. As a 2024 Satellite Collective Fellow, she explores themes of identity, community and resilience. Beyond narrative filmmaking, Stewart has led international dubbing productions for Netflix, collaborating on projects like Iron Chef, Love is Blind, Represent, and In His Shadow.

About “The Other Partners”: Rowyn's unabashed love for self-care is discovered when her boyfriend, Raj, innocently stumbles upon her dildo in a kitchen drawer while preparing for a dinner party. 

Watch the NFMLA interview with Destinee Stewart, the director of “The Other Partners”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5nxPQ1YR_A

“Match Dot Mom” directed by Tara Parian 

About Tara: Tara is a queer, Los Angeles-based writer-director originally hailing from the wilderness of New Hampshire. Her debut short film, "Match Dot Mom," won Best Director at the Black Magic Collective Film Festival and was a finalist in the highly competitive ScreenCraft Short Film Fund. Tara spent over a decade as a key creative force on BuzzFeed Studio’s branded team, writing and directing hundreds of pieces of content for some of the world’s largest brands. Her work earned her a Best in Show Advertising Award and recognition as a Webby Award Honoree. She is a proud fellow of the prestigious Ryan Murphy HALF Directing Initiative and an active member of the Alliance of Women Directors. Passionate about crafting comedic stories that celebrate the queer experience, Tara is currently developing her latest rom-com, "Disco Ball Dreams," a quarterfinalist in the Hollyshorts Screenplay Competition.

About “Match Dot Mom”: Cass, a queer teen not yet out to her parents, stumbles onto her very-married-mother’s secret TindHER profile late one night. When she accidentally swipes right, she not only outs herself, but must grapple with the uncertainty of who her mom really is.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Tara Parian, the director of “Match Dot Mom”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-5RRP97-5U

“Pandaal” directed by Shaily Sanghvi

About Shaily: Shaily Sanghvi, is a director and producer based in Los Angeles with over eight years of experience in the entertainment industry. A Magna Cum Laude graduate in MA film and Media from New York Film Academy, Shaily has directed more than a dozen films and music videos. She has been working with DharMann Studios for over a year, contributing her talents to their meaningful and widely viewed productions. Her short film “Pirouette,” an award-winning drama on 35mm, uses ballet as a powerful metaphor for the circle of life and has received multiple awards and nominations garnered awards from the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, IndieFest Film Awards, Synergy Film Festival and Cannes International Film Festival, among others. Her latest film, "Jasmine Flowers," follows an elderly Indian widow navigating societal taboos. It has earned awards and nominations at festivals such as the California Women's Film Festival, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne" and the Nevada Women's Film Festival. Currently, Shaily is immersed in her next film.

About “Pandaal”: A female pimp, dispensing her own brand of justice by pimping out abusive men, must confront her darkest secrets when a new case brings her haunting past to light.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Naosheen Ahmed, the writer and producer of “Pandaal”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FwtYh547Qw

“Kiss My Ass” directed by Arielle Goldman 

About Arielle: Arielle Goldman is an actress, writer and filmmaker based in New York. Theater credits include: Lincoln Center's world premier play Let's Call Her Patty alongside Rhea Perlman and Leslie Kritzer, NJ Repertory Company's world premier of The Bookstore by Michael Walek, George Street Playhouse's world premier of The Pianist, adapted by Emily Mann, the New York premier of Sarah Treem's The How & The Why, directed by Austin Pendleton, The Embrace Plays at Pregones PRTT, The Long Christmas Dinner at Lincoln Center, in conjunction with the American Symphony Orchestra and The Romeo and Juliet Project at Chautauqua Theater Company. "Kiss My Ass' is her second short film as a writer, director and actor.  A pro-abortion inter-generational ghost story, it speaks to the degrading and farcical women’s health care that is still eroding under the United States government. It won second place for Best Short Film at The Boston Jewish Film Festival and the Team Choice Award at the 2023 TWE International Film Festival, while screening at Bushwick Film Festival and Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival. Her first short film, "Day One," was featured in The Future of Film is Female, Nitehawk Shorts Festival, New York Lift Off Festival and NoBudge. As an actress, Arielle won best actress in the NY Women in Film Festival for her lead role in Consider the Lilies, directed by Cristina Spina (Rome Film Festival, Nettuno, Aesthetica). She leads Sarah Baskin’s upcoming short "I Want To Go To Moscow." Television credits include: The Knick, directed by Steven Soderbergh, Fishkill, directed by Bob Balaban, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Arielle received her MFA from the NYU Tisch Graduate Acting Program. During her time at NYU she wrote her first play, a one woman show titled To Life, L'Chaim!. She is currently in production for her third short film, "Hungry Hearts," and writing her first feature film, Sarasota. Arielle paints and illustrates with watercolor.

About “Kiss My Ass”: Anna gets her first abortion, accompanied by the ghost of her Great Great Grandmother. 

Watch the NFMLA interview with Arielle Goldman, the director of “Kiss My Ass”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPdM_44wND0

“Janis Ian: Breaking Silence” directed by Varda Bar-Kar

About Varda: Varda is an “artivist” filmmaker who, at an early age, was swept up in the Jewish Diaspora. She began working as a script supervisor alongside masters like Jim Jarmusch, Wayne Wang, and Carroll Ballard. She transitioned into directing shorts, including "Window," starring Academy Award-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr., which won festival awards and screened at Cannes. Her first feature documentary fulfilled the dying wish of a veteran named Shane, who she met while volunteering in hospice care at the West Los Angeles VA hospital. Since then, her films have explored the stories of those deemed outsiders — celebrating their contributions and revealing life’s possibilities in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity. She was recently commissioned to write and direct a documentary about Cheech Marin and his influence on the rise of Chicano Art for PBS SoCal’s Emmy-winning series Artbound. Her upcoming music documentary, Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, will be theatrically released by Greenwich Entertainment , followed by a national broadcast on the PBS series American Masters. Her work has received grants from the Ford Foundation, Jewish Story Partners, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, and the Miranda Family Foundation. She is a beneficiary of the Ryan Murphy HALF Initiative, the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Residency, and the Jewish Film Institute Residency, and is a member of the Directors Guild of America, the International Documentary Association, and Film Fatale.

About Janis Ian: Breaking Silence: Janis Ian: Breaking Silence delves into the creative genius and defiant resilience of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Janis Ian. It features Ian’s friends and collaborators, including Lily Tomlin, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Jean Smart, and Laurie Metcalf.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Alessandra Pasquino, the producer, and Ryan Larkin, the editor, of Janis Ian: Breaking Silence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClOE-8KsQc0

Main Image: Janis Ian: Breaking Silence. Courtesy of the filmmakers.