Private Project

ROOM

A teenager struggles with depression and social anxiety, expressing it through locking himself in his imaginary room where his life plays out. The film is shown from the boy’s perspective in his “room” showing how real life events affect him in it. Since the pandemic began, many teenagers have experienced feelings of isolation and some of them still struggle to overcome their depression even after the pandemic subsides as this boy can't get out of his psychological lockdown.

  • Ian Dani Kim
    Director
  • Ian Dani Kim
    Writer
  • Ian Dani Kim
    Producer
  • Ian Dani Kim
    Key Cast
    "Ian Dani(himself)"
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 14 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 20, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Korean
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Bergen County Technical High School-Teterboro
  • NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth)
    Seattle
    United States
    April 29, 2023
    World Premiere
    Official Selection / Age 15-18
  • CineYouth Film Festival (presented by Chicago International Film Festival)
    Chicago
    United States
    April 22, 2023
    Official Selection / Animation
  • The ASIFA-East Animation Festival

    United States
    April 17, 2023
    Official Selection / College Student
  • Newport Beach Film Festival
    Newport Beach
    United States
    October 18, 2023
    Official Selection / Youth
  • LA Shorts International Film Festival
    Official Selection
    United States
    July 30, 2023
    Official Selection / High School Shorts
  • All American High School Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    October 28, 2023
    Emerging Talent Award Nominee
  • Boden International Film Festival
    Sweden
    Sweden
    February 27, 2023
    Award Winner: Semi-Finalist
  • New York Animation Film Awards (NYAFA)
    New York
    United States
    September 20, 2023
    Award Winner: Semi Finalist
  • Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival
    Rhode Island
    United States
    August 7, 2023
    Award Winner: Semi-Finalist
  • Tallgrass Film Festival
    Wichita
    United States
    October 5, 2023
    Award Winner: Honorable Mentioned / Emerging Young Filmmaker Short Film
  • Screen Test Student Fest
    Schaumburg
    United States
    April 15, 2023
    Award Winner: 2nd Prize
  • Indie Memphis Youth Film Fest
    Memphis
    United States
    August 26, 2023
    Award Winner: National Audience Award
  • CAFF The Cultural Animation Film Festival
    Honolulu, Hawaii
    United States
    October 12, 2023
    Award Winner: Best Student Award
  • Carneigie Mellon International Film Festival
    Pittsburgh, PA
    United States
    March 24, 2024
    Award Winner: Best High School Judges Prize
  • Yale Student Film Festival
    New Haven, CT
    United States
    April 13, 2024
    Award Winner: Best High School Award
  • NJ Young Filmmakers Festival
    Hoboken
    United States
    June 11, 2023
    Award Winner: Jury’s Stellar Award for Animation
  • YOUKI International Youth Media Festival
    Wels, Austria
    Austria
    November 5, 2023
    Award Winner: Best Film / Age 13-17
  • INDIEYOUTH Shorts Festival
    Tucson
    United States
    April 29, 2023
    Award winner: Best Indie Youth
  • BFI Future Film Festival
    London, UK
    United States
    February 16, 2024
    UK Premiere
    Award Winner: Best New Talent Special Mention
  • LUCAS – Internationales Festival für junge Filmfans
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Germany
    October 5, 2023
    Award Winner: Best Short Film / Teen
  • Cinequest Film & Creativity Film Festival
    San Jose, CA
    United States
    March 30, 2024
    Award Winner: Best Student Short Film Award
  • Seattle International Film Festival
    Seattle
    United States
    May 20, 2023
    Award Winner: WAVEMAKER AWARD GRAND JURY PRIZE
Director Biography - Ian Dani Kim

Ian Dani Kim is a 17-year-old filmmaker, writer, and visual artist. Ian Dani Kim is an award-winning film director, the 2024 YoungArts Award Winner with Distinction in Film, and the 2023 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards National Gold Medalist. Ian Dani Kim has won the 49th Seattle International Film Festival's Wavemaker Award Grand Jury Prize, the 2024 Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival's Best Student Short Award, the 46th LUCAS – Internationales Festival für junge Filmfans (Germany)' Best Short Film Award in the Teens Section, and the 2024 BFI Future Film Festival (UK)'s Best New Talent Special Mention. His primary interests are psychology and filmmaking. He has been making films about adolescent psychology and is working on his sixth film. He is studying Digital and Media Arts at Bergen County Technical High School-Teterboro in New Jersey, United States.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I love stories and visuals, and I've been eager to be a film director who harnesses both. My mind is always percolating with ideas, and I am enthusiastic about expressing them with inventive stories and unique visuals. But what draws me the most to film is that they reflect human lives, and audiences reflect on their lives through films.