Rosa's Dilemma

Rosa finds herself in a whirlwind of emotions as she navigates an unexpected love triangle between her two coworkers at a fast food joint.

  • Maya Simone
    Director
    Naming Space: The AADS Story
  • Maya Simone
    Writer
  • Maya Simone
    Producer
  • Neveah Payne
    Key Cast
    "Rosa"
  • Jabari Ford
    Key Cast
    "Parker"
  • Tyler Mullins
    Key Cast
    "Josh"
  • Brianna Hucke
    Key Cast
    "Steph"
  • Nylah Walker
    Key Cast
    "College Girl"
  • Christian Childress
    Key Cast
    "Drunk Cat Guy"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Romance, Comedy
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    April 28, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    2,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  • Pink Knife Film Festival
    Greensboro, North Carolina
    United States
    May 4, 2025
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Maya Simone

Maya Simone is an award-winning filmmaker from Columbia, South Carolina. In May 2025 she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and a minor in African American and African Diaspora Studies.

In 2025, Maya was awarded the Silberman Family Emerging Filmmaker Scholarship from Uptilt Film Fest. In 2024, “Mouseshrooms,” a film Maya co-wrote, won Best Film and Runner Up: Writing at the 2024 Film48 Greensboro Competition.
In her senior year of college, she was accepted into the Lloyd International Honors College Pubantz Artist-in-Residence Program, where she was awarded a grant to write and direct Rosa’s Dilemma, a romantic comedy short film.

In 2023 Maya was accepted into the Gotham Film and Media Institute's Gotham EDU Film And Media Career Development Program where she received the Sidney Poitier Initiative Scholarship that covered the full tuition of the program. Later that year, she became an HBCU 20x20 | The Application + Martian Blueberry Writing Fellow, a program led by animation veteran Carl Jones, renowned for his work on The Boondocks and Black Dynamite.

In her narrative films, Maya aims to create the kind of stories her younger self longed to see growing up, while exploring genres such as romantic comedies and surrealism in the process. In Maya's documentaries, she hopes to amplify voices of underrepresented communities, with a focus on stories that reflect the Black Diaspora.

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Director Statement

Growing up, romantic comedies and coming-of-age films were my favorite comfort movies. Yet, I couldn't help but notice the lack of diversity in these beloved genres. "Rosa’s Dilemma" is my heartfelt response to that gap—a way to honor the little girl in me who longed to see someone who looked like me represented with depth and affection as a main character.
Rosa’s Dilemma is a romantic comedy that takes inspiration from timeless films such as "Bridget Jones's Diary" and "10 Things I Hate About You." Rosa's Dilemma also takes visual inspiration from the vibrant, playful worlds of 90s' comedies like Good Burger and iconic romcoms like "Clueless" and "Legally Blonde." Expect neon pizza lights, bold fashion choices, a raging house party, and a lively energy that feels nostalgic yet fresh.
Through Rosa's Dilemma, I aim to create a story that is not only fun but a love letter to all the hopeless romantic Black girls who yearn to see themselves on screen. At its core, this movie is about embracing individuality and realizing that sometimes, the love you've been searching for has been right by your side all along.

Thank you for considering Rosa’s Dilemma.

Best,
Maya Simone