Private Project

Sam and Jess

Neighbours, Sam and Jess, are both aware of each other’s existence but incapable of expressing their feelings and actually meeting... until one day, a touch of fate gives them a helping hand.

  • Nina Katungi
    Director
  • Nina Katungi
    Writer
  • Daniel Lynch
    Producer
    1050 minutes, Peekaboo, Irrevocable, Brian, The Tender Grace
  • Nina Katungi
    Producer
  • Aroha White
    Key Cast
    "Jess"
  • James Winter
    Key Cast
    "Sam"
  • Kirk Pflaum
    Cinematography
  • Joel Anscombe-Smith
    Sound Design
  • Rose Peterson
    Production Design
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Romance
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 43 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 30, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 NZD
  • Country of Origin:
    New Zealand
  • Country of Filming:
    New Zealand
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:39 :1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Nina Katungi

Nina Katungi graduated in 2004 at the University of Arts London (LCC) with a BA in Film/Video. Her debut as a writer/director was for my Graduation short "Desde el Alma" (From the Soul) about a Cuban man and his love for music. Since then she’s focused on Screenwriting and has written two shorts, including "Sam and Jess" and two spec features. Having worked as a script reader and written film reviews, she’s also pursuing Script Development.

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Director Statement

Sam and Jess is a short film that catches a glimpse in the lives of two lonely souls, trying to live, love and be happy. It’s an observation piece where the characters' personalities will resonate through their surroundings. The idea is to view the characters from their point of view, so we come to experience the world as they do. We all have our moments where we retreat within ourselves, sometimes it’s by choice, sometimes it’s all we know, and sometimes it’s because we’re lost. These moments could last a mere second or even a lifetime. It’s something we can all relate to but have different ways of expressing and dealing with them.