A Black trans woman finds herself on a harrowing journey to her 36th birthday.
35 tells the story of how a seemingly mundane event can symbolize something indicative of the systems that hold Black trans women back and make their lives increasingly difficult.
As our protagonist navigates this absurd world hellbent on preventing her from getting to 36, we use surrealism to portray the violence that we, as a society, create for trans women that has resulted in their low-life expectancy of 35.
Role: Producer
FESTIVALS, NOMINATIONS AND AWARDS
Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase (2022)
Coal City Film Festival (2022)
Best of the Midwest Awards (2021) - Grand Prize Nominee, Best Director Nominee, Best Screenplay Nominee, Best Cinematography Nominee, Best Actress Nominee, Best Production Design Nominee
Midwest Film Festival: Celebrating Womxn Voices (2021)
Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival (2021)
Chicagoland Shorts Vol. 7
Dayton Independent Film Festival Best of Fest Student Award (2020)
North Dakota Human Rights Festival Best Student Film (2020)
Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival Best LGBTQ Film (2020)
Jozi Film Festival (2020)
Scottish Queer International Film Festival (2020)
Columbia College Chicago Short Film Launch Awardee (2020)
A soft-spoken Nigerian girl and her American-born cousin must reconcile their differences in order to defeat the monster living under their beds.
For the Love of Monsters interrogates how we protect and feed toxic traditions simply because they are a part of our culture.
We follow our main characters on a harrowing journey where they realize that they can’t rely on the adults in their lives and the only way to secure their freedom is to work together and stand up for themselves.
The story is told from the point of view of a Nigerian girl, a specific and unique perspective, but by utilizing the universally recognizable idea of a monster under the bed to portray the villain, the film is able to appeal to a global audience and gives room for people to attach whatever their monster is to the creature and show that, sometimes, we, ourselves, invite the horror into our homes.
The project received the Alfred P. Weisman Grant in 2020.
Role: Co-Writer/Producer
FESTIVALS
Coal City Film Festival (2022)
Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival (2021)
Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival (2021)
Dayton Independent Film Festival (2021)
Spirit of Chicago, 13th Edition (2021)
