Experiencing Interruptions?

It Happened In August

A quiet immigrant drama about love, grief, and rediscovering art after loss.

It Happened In August is a romantic drama that follows Aim, a Thai immigrant, and her younger brother as they return to New York City after the loss of their mother and the collapse of Aim’s artistic dreams.

One evening in late August, while working at a Thai restaurant, Aim is stunned when her ex-girlfriend Sandra, now an acting coach, walks in unannounced. Their unexpected reunion stirs buried emotions and draws Aim into a quiet reckoning with grief, love, and the creative fire she thought she had lost.

As old feelings resurface, Aim finds herself torn between her family responsibilities and the pull of rediscovering her true self. Through a quiet act of courage, she begins to step forward, opening herself once again to love and art.

Aim walks into Sandra’s workshop. Their eyes meet across the room, and in that silent moment, both know this could be the beginning of something new.

  • Artima Sakulkoo
    Director
  • Artima Sakulkoo
    Producer
  • Nicholas Kennedy
    Producer
  • Artima Sakulkoo
    Writer
  • Artima Sakulkoo
    Key Cast
    "AIM SURIYA (AIMME)"
  • Linsy Segarra
    Key Cast
    "SANDRA ROSARIO"
  • Marvin Moser
    Key Cast
    "ARO SURIYA (ARROW)"
  • Linsy Segarra
    Co-Producers
  • Nyeem Greenwood
    Co-Producers
  • Warut Snidvongs
    Director of Photography
  • Chris Lesso
    Composer
  • Lucciana Pascual
    Editors
  • Artima Sakulkoo
    Editors
  • Louis Contreras
    Production Designer
  • Cori Diaz
    Costumer Designer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 30, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Thailand, United States
  • Language:
    English, Thai
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital;RED Komodo 6K Camera
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9 & 4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - City College of New York
  • Telly Awards 2025
    New York City
    United States
    Bronze Winner: Student Narrative
  • BAFTA Student Awards 2025
    New York City
    United States
    Faculty Nominee (Live Action – Drama)
  • Best Actor & Director Awards – New York
    New York City
    United States
    Winner: Best Director in an LGBTQ+ Film
  • St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase
    St. Louis
    United States
    July 18, 2025
    Official Selection
  • DUMBO Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    Semi-Finalist
  • QFEST ST. LOUIS
    St. Louis
    United States
    May 31, 2025
    Midwest Premiere
    Official Selection
  • CUNY Asian American Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    May 30, 2025
    Finalist
  • The CUNY Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    May 8, 2025
    Finalist
  • CCNY LGBTQ+ Student Center Screening
    New York City
    United States
    April 10, 2025
    Community Screening Event
  • Queer Here Cinema
    Los Angeles
    United States
    March 31, 2025
    West Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Saphlicks Film Collective
    New York City
    United States
    March 29, 2025
    East Coast Premiere
    March Selection
  • Southeast Asia International Film Festival
    Bangkok
    Thailand
    December 28, 2024
    Southeast Asia Premiere
    Finalist
  • Cityvisions 2024
    New York City
    United States
    May 29, 2024
    Graduate Showcase Screening
Director Biography - Artima Sakulkoo

Artima Sakulkoo is a queer Thai filmmaker, actor, and storyteller based in Brooklyn, New York. Her work explores themes of identity, migration, and intimacy through personal, character-driven narratives.

She began her filmmaking journey in 2016 after moving to the U.S. to study at Lindenwood University, where she earned a BFA in Digital Cinema Arts. Her early shorts, The Introvert (2018) and EXTROVERSION (2019), won multiple awards, including Best Film and Best Director. After graduating in 2019, she worked professionally in production and as an assistant director, returning to Thailand in 2020 to continue working in the commercial industry.

In 2022, Artima returned to New York to pursue her MFA in Film at The City College of New York. Her latest short, It Happened In August (2024), is currently screening at festivals across the U.S. and Southeast Asia. The film recently earned her the Best Director in an LGBTQ+ Film award from the Best Actor & Director Awards, and she was nominated to compete in the 2025 BAFTA Student Awards in the Live Action-Drama category. She is also a Telly Award recipient for her work in narrative storytelling.

Artima is passionate about telling underrepresented stories, particularly those rooted in the Thai diaspora and LGBTQ+ experience. She believes storytelling is a path to both healing and visibility.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

It Happened In August is a deeply personal story. I lost my mother at the same time I was discovering my queerness. I never felt entirely comfortable in my body or sexuality until now. This film is my way of honoring that journey. There were many emotional ups and downs during the three years after my mother passed. Still, one of the most profound discoveries I made as a filmmaker was identifying my audience.

I moved to the States when I was 18, and during summer breaks, I worked alongside Thai immigrants in restaurants. Many of them put their dreams on hold to support their families back home. This sacrifice, which prioritized responsibility over happiness, left a lasting impression on me.

My sexuality is just as vital to this story as my ethnicity. Too often, queer characters are misrepresented or sidelined. I want to see two queer women at the center of a story, loving each other openly, without needing to explain why their love is valid.

This film is for queer people and Thai immigrants in the U.S., for those who want to be loved, seen, and understood. It’s for anyone craving stories where their love is treated as equal, not othered. And it’s for the Thai community that deserves to be seen on screen.