Private Project

DON'T WASTE THE PAIN

A missing woman, left with nothing but a Polaroid of her past, must end her relationship with her boyfriend before one of them winds up dead.

  • Dan Chen
    Director
  • Dan Chen
    Writer
  • Dan Chen
    Producer
  • Emma A Cohen
    Key Cast
    "Alex (Alexandra)"
  • Dan Chen
    Key Cast
    "Alex (Alexander)"
  • Kira Kriesenbach
    Key Cast
    "Alex (Alexis)"
  • Diego Forero
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Mystery
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 19, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Alternative Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    December 29, 2024
    Nominee, Best Poster
  • Gothamite monthly film awards
    New York, NY
    United States
    January 8, 2025
    Winner, Best Super Short Film (main category) and Best Poster (subcategory)
  • The Mystery Box Film Challenge
    Waverly, PA
    United States
    April 5, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Rutherford Film Festival
    Rutherford, NJ
    United States
    May 17, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Art All Night - Trenton: Film Festival
    Trenton, NJ
    United States
    June 28, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Yes! Let's Make a Movie International Film Festival
    Montréal, Québec
    Canada
    August 31, 2025
    Official Selection; Nominee, Best Trailer
  • RTF Realtime International Film Festival
    Westbury on Trym, Bristol
    October 17, 2025
    Honorable Mention
Director Biography - Dan Chen

Dan Chen is an actor best known for his work in film and television. When not on set, he enjoys working in administration at an independent school for girls in Manhattan, and as a college adjunct professor (including a course on Art and Social Change). He is a graduate of Cornell University, Brooklyn Law School, and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Dan is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild (now SAG-AFTRA) and earned his SAG card with a guest starring role on the HBO hit series THE SOPRANOS. Between teaching and acting, Dan feels blessed to be able to do what he loves. He is represented by Central Artists Talent Agency in Burbank, California.

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Director Statement

Shot in one day, Don't Waste The Pain was inspired by a prompt offered by a fellow artist (Jess Titterington) at an open-door, collaborative forum called "Office Hours" at The Williams Center (in Rutherford, NJ), described as "A Roundtable Discussion for Rounding Out Ideas". It was my first (and so far only) meeting, and my idea was to assemble a group of local creatives to make a film together, on my one Sunday off in November, for a film challenge that required: 1) a character named Alex; 2) a polaroid photograph; 3) a book of matches; 4) duct tape; and 5) a vinyl record. This short film is a collaborative effort of the local (to NJ) cast and crew who were available that day.