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Celebrating emerging AAPI filmmakers: The 2024 Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge
The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and Janet Yang Productions have proudly announced the four recipients of the 2024 Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge. This initiative, now in its third year, aims to support Asian and Pacific Islander women and non-binary filmmakers by providing each grantee with a $25,000 production grant to bring their short films to life.
A dream realized: Janet Yang’s vision
Janet Yang, who also serves as the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, expressed her joy in seeing this initiative come to fruition. “I love it when dreams become reality,” she shared. “I had a dream that I shared with Julia Gouw several years ago that I wanted to support emerging filmmakers who are AAPI and female or nonbinary, since we are still profoundly underrepresented.” With the collaboration of CAPE and the support of Julia Gouw, this dream has been realized, enabling many others to pursue their filmmaking aspirations.
The 2024 grantees: A showcase of talent
Dia Frampton: “You Have Arrived”
Dia Frampton (she/her) has always been a storyteller at heart. Initially, she expressed her narratives through music, performing her original songs across the US, Europe, and Asia. Transitioning to screenwriting, she has completed multiple feature film scripts and is currently working on a coming-of-age feature about two Korean American sisters growing up in Utah. Frampton is represented by Luber Roklin and Authentic management.
Jill Sachs: “Taga”
Jill Sachs (she/her) is a mixed Filipina-American writer-director who uses genre to challenge oppressive narratives and amplify marginalized voices. With an MFA in Directing from AFI, Sachs has been a finalist in several prestigious competitions and has won awards at numerous film festivals. She currently works in animation at Psyop and enjoys backpacking, art, and all things spooky.
Lindsay Watson: “When Life Gives You Lemons”
Lindsay Watson (she/her), a Native Hawaiian writer and director from Maui, began her career as an actress, starring in films like Netflix’s Finding Ohana. Her passion for storytelling led her to write, direct, and produce her debut short film, “Lotto Boy,” which is currently in post-production. Watson is dedicated to creating stories that reflect real life and uplift her fellow Native Hawaiians.
Radha Mehta: “Sūnna (Listen)”
Radha Mehta (she/her) is a civil engineer-turned-filmmaker with an MFA in Film Directing from AFI. As a South Asian first-gen mother with the disability of being hard-of-hearing, her works explore themes of motherhood, women’s empowerment, and dismantling cultural taboos around mental health and disabilities. Mehta is also a Disability Belongs Entertainment Fellow and a voting member of The Recording Academy.
Honorable mention and finalists
A special Honorable Mention goes to Seeret Singh, a New York-born, L.A.-based Punjabi-Sikh actor-writer-director known for her comedic flair. Her project “Good Indian Girl” has garnered attention, and her past films have been showcased internationally. Other notable finalists include Afia Nathaniel, Katherine Chou, and Meena Ramamurthy.
The jury: A panel of distinguished professionals
The 2024 jury, composed entirely of women Asian and Pacific Islander industry professionals, includes:
- Elsie Choi-Pletts (EVP, head of scripted TV; CJ ENM America)
- Geeta Malik (director; India Sweets & Spices)
- Jeyun Choi Munford (president; Hisako)
- Iram Parveen Bilal (director; Wakhri: One of a Kind)
- Katie Leung (actress; Bridgerton)
- Kerry Warkia (producer; Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Productions)
- Naomi Scott (Great Scott Productions)
- Niti Shah (senior executive of talent development; Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences)
- Rowena Arguelles (CAA Motion Picture Agent)
- Sandra Valde-Hansen (cinematographer; The Summer I Turned Pretty)
- Urooj Sharif (vp of original programming at Showtime)
- Jennifer Phang (Sundance award-winning filmmaker; Descendents: The Rise of Red)
Looking ahead: A bright future for AAPI filmmakers
The grantees and finalists will join an intimate filmmakers retreat in Los Angeles, offering in-person networking opportunities and speaker sessions with high-level industry professionals. This retreat, facilitated by Janet Yang Productions and CAPE, aims to further support and nurture the careers of these talented filmmakers.
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