Experiencing Interruptions?

Maggie's Not Okay

Maggie, a chronic people pleaser, is always getting pushed around. But when she tries to return a lost cat to his owner, Maggie is finally pushed too far and decides to push back… in a most unexpected way.

  • Vance Smith
    Director
  • Mouzam Makkar
    Writer
  • Mouzam Makkar
    Key Cast
    "Maggie"
    Law and Order SVU, Seal Team, The Vampire Diaries, The Fix, Naomi
  • Behzad Dabu
    Key Cast
    "James"
    How to Get Away with Murder, The Good Place, The Chi
  • Clare Cooney
    Key Cast
    "Rachel"
    4400, Chicago Med
  • Paloma Nozicka
    Key Cast
    "Laurie"
    Empire, Chicago Med, The Red Line, Proven Innocent
  • Vance Smith
    Producer
    Each Lovely Thing, Huge, It's Okay, The Model
  • Mouzam Makkar
    Producer
  • Clare Cooney
    Producer
  • Behzad Dabu
    Producer
  • Suzaine Aguirre
    Producer
  • Suzaine Aguirre
    Cinematographer
    A Newlywed Story, Ally Chia, The Champion
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    18,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digitial
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • LA Shorts International Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    July 28, 2024
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Austin Film Festival
    Austin, Texas
    United States
    October 26, 2024
    Texas Premiere
    Official Selection
  • San Jose International Short FIlm Festival
    San Jose, CA
    United States
    October 25, 2024
    Best Comedy
  • Cleveland International Film Festival
    Cleveland, OH
    United States
    March 30, 2025
    Ohio premiere
    Official Selection
  • Edmonton International Film Festival
    Edmonton, Alberta
    Canada
    October 1, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Dances With Films NY
    New York, NY
    United States
    December 5, 2024
    East Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • International South Asian Film Festival Canada
    Surrey, British Columbia
    Canada
    September 27, 2024
    Canadian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • NoHo Cinefest
    North Hollywood
    United States
    September 13, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Key West Film Festival
    Key West, FL
    United States
    November 15, 2024
    Florida Premiere
    Jury Nominee
  • Anchorage International Film Festival
    Anchorage, AK
    United States
    December 13, 2024
    Alaska Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
    Dubuque, IA
    United States
    April 27, 2025
    Iowa Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Sunscreen Film Festival
    St Petersburg, FL
    United States
    April 25, 2025
    Local premiere
    Official Selection
  • Lake County Film Festival
    Grayslake, IL
    United States
    November 2, 2024
    Illinois Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Yountville International Short Film Festival
    Yountville, CA
    United States
    January 31, 2025
    Local Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Pasadena International Film Festival
    Pasadena, CA
    United States
    April 7, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Blue Island Short Film Festival
    Blue Island, IL
    United States
    April 10, 2025
    Best of the Fest, Best Actress
  • Burbank International Film Festival
    Burbank, CA
    United States
    September 23, 2025
    Nominee - Best Comedy Short
  • Charlotte Film Festival
    Charlotte, NC
    United States
    September 25, 2025
    North Carolina Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Lady Filmmakers Festival
    Beverly Hills, CA
    United States
    September 17, 2025
    Best Comedy Short
  • Chicago South Asian Film Festival
    Chicago, IL
    United States
    September 18, 2025
    Chicago Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Micheaux Film Festival
    Culver City, CA
    United States
    October 26, 2025
    Nominee -- Best Comedic Performance
Director Biography - Vance Smith

Vance Smith is a producer, director, and actor living in Los Angeles. He has directed and produced several award winning short films that have screened at festivals around the world including Austin Film Festival, LA Shorts, Cleveland International Film Festival, and Rotterdam Independent Film Festival. Before moving to LA, Vance spent 20 years making theatre in Chicago, most notably in his capacity as Artistic Director of Stage Left Theatre, where he worked closely with writers to develop and produce dozens of new works. He has also directed a bunch of plays, including a production of Detroit by Lisa D'Amour for The Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2023. Vance attended the School at Steppenwolf and graduated from Tulane University.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

For almost two decades, I made theater in Chicago, as an actor, director, producer, designer, and ultimately Artistic Director. The Chicago aesthetic has long been rooted in the concept of ensemble— building long-term collaborative relationships that yield deeper work and allows artists to grow and expand their skill sets. It’s a model that values the group over individual achievement.

Over the course of the last decade, many of us who came up together in Chicago have moved to LA, where we have very much stayed connected with our Chicago community. I’ve been collaborating with Mouzam Makkar since 2010. So when she approached me that she was ready to write her first film and wanted me to direct, we both knew it was time to build our ensemble in Los Angeles, including collaborators from our theater days and like-minded new folks that we met here. And that is what the MAGGIE’S NOT OKAY team represents— a group of artists that start off with a shared language and a shared experience. We hope it will be the first of many such collaborations.