Private Project

I Had a Dream (in english)

Maki is an ESL student from Tokyo. She joined a conversation partner program provided by the school that leads her to an unexpected experience.

  • Ladya Cheryl
    Director
  • Ladya Cheryl
    Writer
  • Ladya Cheryl
    Producer
  • Danny Smight
    Producer
  • MK Haresign
    Key Cast
    "Maki"
  • Gloria Jung
    Key Cast
    "Simone"
  • Lena Vosk
    Key Cast
    "wife"
  • Kent Koren
    Key Cast
    "Lenny"
  • Claudine Brantley
    Key Cast
  • Zeke Khaseli
    Music Composer
  • Nico Osborne
    Sound Design
  • Sidi Saleh
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    drama, comedy
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 35 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 8, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Indonesia
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Big Apple Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    July 28, 2021
    North American Premiere
    Summer Shorts Official Selection
Director Biography - Ladya Cheryl

Ladya Cheryl was born in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 2013, she
made her debut as a director for a short experimental film called "Vulgar". The film was screened at Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival. She learnt that through visual she can learn and express herself truthfully.
In early 2016 she moved to New York. She finished her Film Production Certificate at The New School in 2018 and did an internship at The Film-Makers' Cooperative (NACG). She was one of the curator for New Year New Work 2019.
Her short film, I Had a Dream (in English) was screened as a part of summer shorts program at Big Apple Film Festival 2021. As a former ESL student, the theme of language barrier always fascinate her.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My intention in directing this film was to tell a non-traditional “fish out of water” story. I aimed to achieve this by delving into the middle ground between one's sense perception of reality and their subconscious psyche. The starting point of the story is when Maki - our main character - moves to New York City and takes her first steps towards learning English, all the while having to navigate the customs and culture of her new home away from home. I felt a personal need to tell this story since it’s semi-autobiographical. I moved to New York in 2016 and the idea came to me after I enrolled in an ESL program and encountered certain cultural differences (both subtle and not so subtle) that struck me as uniquely American. This film is a tribute, both to the past and culture I hold dear, and to my development of confidence.