NO ESCAPE
When her perfect romantic getaway in the woods is ruined by the appearance of the ominous 'Indian Mother', Nisha must fight the obstacles of her immigrant past, in hopes of ever having an American future.
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Leena KurishingalDirectorSkeDJes Sketch Comedy, WAVE Grant
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Leena KurishingalWriterSkeDJes Sketch Comedy, WAVE Grant
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Leena KurishingalProducerSkeDJes Sketch Comedy, WAVE Grant
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Timothy FarrellProducerThe Year Between, Give Me Liberty
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J. H. Rogers IIIProducerMound Bayou: Jewel Of The Delta *Emmy nominee
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Marissa Jo CerarProducerHulu's Black Cake, ABC's Women Of The Movement, The Handmaid's Tale *Humanitas winner, Emmy nominee
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Leena KurishingalKey Cast"NISHA"Quantum Leap, General Hospital
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Mike MonrealKey Cast"JIM"ABC's Women Of The Movement
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Shivani ThakkarKey Cast"THE INDIAN MOTHER"Four Samosas, MKM Bollystars USA
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Parvesh CheenaKey Cast"GHOST DAD"The Mandalorian, Outsourced
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Gregory HollimonKey Cast"RENTAL OWNER"Strangers With Candy, Bob's Burgers
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Daniel IzuiDirector Of PhotographyZen Room, The Christmas Pitch
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Mark DavisGafferThe Bear, Candyman, Fargo
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Hannah D. KetteringLocationsMutt, UCB Comedy Originals
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Shannon MacKinnonProduction Designer
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John WongSound DesignerSouth Side, Empire, Work In Progress
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Oscar JassoComposerCrossroads, L'Accordatore, The Perfect Letter
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Jordan AmandesColorist
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Mel WilsonMakeup/ HairSomebody Somewhere, The Bear, Chicago PD
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Marquecia JordanWardrobe ConsultantJeff Award Nominee, BTAA Award Recipient
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Nihar GagnejaLocation Sound
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:horror comedy, horror, comedy, romantic comedy, south asian, indian, parody, slapstick, monster, los angeles, chicago, bipoc, minorities, female filmmaker, female protagonist, first time director, cabin in the woods, overbearing mothers, assimilation, culture clash, interracial couples, deer, romantic getaway, weekend vacation, jokes, immigrants, homage, ghost, mother daughter, gold, ladle, grant winning
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Runtime:9 minutes 36 seconds
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Completion Date:April 11, 2024
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Production Budget:9,500 USD
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Country of Origin:United States, United States
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Country of Filming:United States, United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:ARRI Alexa Classic
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Aspect Ratio:1.85:1
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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Chicago Horror Film FestivalChicago, IL
United States
May 17, 2025
Best Actress/Chicago Award, Best Actor/Chicago Nomination -
Poppy Jasper International Film FestivalGilroy, CA
United States
April 10, 2025 -
Northwest Illinois Film Festival/ Shorts-A-PaloozaMorrison, IL
United States
April 9, 2025 -
Panic FestKansas City, MO
United States
March 28, 2025 -
Portland Comedy Film FestivalPortland, OR
United States
December 8, 2024
Best Horror Comedy Award Finalist -
Yellow Springs Film FestivalYellow Springs, OH
United States
October 6, 2024 -
Dreamscape International Film FestivalHouston, TX
United States
September 26, 2024 -
Nevada Women's Film FestivalLas Vegas, NV
United States
June 22, 2024 -
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival/ VC Film FestLos Angeles, CA
United States
May 3, 2024
World Premiere
Leena Kurishingal is a SAG-AFTRA performer of 18 years appearing on stage, screen, and more, with a film degree from Columbia College Chicago in her back pocket. She crossed into writing thanks to a diversity scholarship from the Upright Citizens Brigade LA, where she studied improv, sketch, and characters. This led to collaboration with the all WOC sketch group, Soul Sista Comedy. She also wrote, directed, and produced a one-hour sketch variety show pondering Indian identity for stage called 'India & You: And Me. And Everybody'. Leena focuses on imperfect female characters, learning to thrive as such, and integrating Indians into the American cultural fabric. She has since received the UCLA Phyllis Gebauer Scholarship for TV Writing, pitched short form content for Bite-Size Horror under FOX Digital, and become a WAVE Grant recipient for first time female directors. When not cultivating art, she lovingly cultivates her plants.
Growing up in the US as a child of immigrants, there is a dual life one constructs that generally involves slinking around like an FBI agent, revealing no more than is absolutely necessary to overly strict parents. It takes its toll, especially since it often CONTINUES into adulthood. Fast forward and you find yourself in a constant battle of lifestyles, when you just want to make everyone happy. Thus, the creation of this horror comedy short. It breaks the genre mold by featuring a woman of South Asian descent and her inner fears around obligation. It poses questions that are important for our specific psyches, yet honors classic horror emblems which broader audiences know and love, including the young couple in the woods, thunder 'n lightning, shadowy unknowns - and of course, a Ghostie dad. (I'm positive that's a mainstay.) It's funny because the main character's juggling act is ridiculous. It IS insane to not stand up to your parents as an adult. But it's also a part of life for this segment of the American populace who often have to fight to feel like they are American, even when born and raised here. NO ESCAPE is a way to integrate us into something as American as apple pie, letting our experiences be part of the societal canon, too.