Politically Correct

A group of television writers try so hard to be politically correct that it impedes their writing process. Politically Correct takes aim at stereotypes and hegemonic norms present in film and television writing.

  • Savannah Rodgers
    Director
  • Savannah Rodgers
    Writer
  • Makay Foster
    Writer
  • Savannah Rodgers
    Producer
  • Laura Kirk
    Key Cast
    American Honey, The Sublime and Beautiful, The Only Good Indian, Lisa Picard is Famous
  • Gregory Leigh Nielsen
    Key Cast
  • Kristin Rea
    Key Cast
  • Markisha Rangel
    Key Cast
  • Caiel J. Noble
    Key Cast
    Destination Planet Negro
  • Eric Shin
    Key Cast
  • Becca Huerter
    Key Cast
  • Dongjun Lee
    Cinematographers
  • Dongjun Lee
    Editors
  • Makay Foster
    Production Designers
  • Margoth Mackey
    Assistant Directors
  • Ben Brodsky
    Still Photographers
  • Rachel Benefiel
    Assistant Camera
  • Krista Jarboe
    Production Assistants
  • Channing Shives
    Production Assistants
  • Kaitlyn Preut
    Production Assistants
  • Steven Shade
    Assistant Editors
  • Baron M. Redman
    Special Thanks
  • Tony Ontiveros
    Special Thanks
    The Sublime and Beautiful, Jayhawkers
  • Chris Heimsoth
    Special Thanks
  • Riley Oregard
    Special Thanks
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 56 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 8, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    800 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Wild West Film Festival
    Lawrence, Kansas
    United States
    April 23, 2015
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • The Tensie Awards
    Lawrence, Kansas
    United States
    May 7, 2015
    No screening; awards only.
    Best Screenplay; Nominated: Best Comedy.
  • Doc Sunback Film Festival
    Mulvane, KS
    United States
    June 18, 2015
    Judge's Choice Award
  • Free State Festival
    Lawrence, KS
    United States
    June 27, 2015
    Official Selection
  • Top Shorts Online Film Festival
    Online
    United States
    July 2, 2015
    Online Premiere
    Audience Choice Award: Indie Comedy
  • Kansas City LGBT Film Festival
    Kansas City, MO
    United States
    July 14, 2015
    Kansas City Premiere
    Out Here Now Short Film Competition Winner
  • Global Independent Film Awards
    United States
    United States
    July 15, 2015
    No screening; awards only.
    Best GLBTQ Film (Silver), Best Supporting Actress (Bronze), Diversity and Inclusion Award (Bronze), Nominated: Best Editing
  • Lid Off Film Festival
    Lucas, KS
    United States
    September 26, 2015
    Official Selection
  • Citizen Jane Film Festival
    Columbia, MO
    United States
    October 22, 2015
    Official Selection
  • The Yonkers Film Festival
    Yonkers, New York
    United States
    October 22, 2015
    New York Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Festigious International Film Festival
    Online
    United States
    November 2, 2015
    Audience Choice Award: Comedy
  • Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
    United States
    November 6, 2015
    Florida Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Merlinka International Queer Festival
    Merlinka
    Serbia
    December 13, 2015
    Serbia Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Kansas City Jewish Film Festival
    Leawood, KS
    United States
    January 30, 2016
    Official Selection
  • Cinevana - Hollywood
    Hollywood, CA
    United States
    February 26, 2016
    California Premiere
    Official Selection
  • See/Saw Film Festival
    Lawrence, KS
    United States
    March 4, 2016
    Official Selection
  • Kansas City FilmFest
    Kansas City, MO
    United States
    April 14, 2016
    Best Heartland Student Short Film, Fred G. Andrews Emerging Filmmaker Award (Savannah Rodgers)
  • Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    July 18, 2016
    Official Selection
  • First Friday Film Festival
    Kansas City, MO
    United States
    August 5, 2016
    Official Selection
  • Cinema Constant
    Austin, TX
    United States
    2016 Best Comedy Short Film
  • Glitter! Oklahoma LGBT Film Festival
    McAlester, OK
    United States
    July 29, 2017
    Oklahoma Premiere
    Best Micro Short Film
  • Austin Revolution Film Festival
    Austin, TX
    United States
    September 18, 2017
    Texas Premiere
    Director's Choice: University Film
  • TeaDance Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
    Greenville, NC
    United States
    October 12, 2017
    North Carolina Premiere
    Honorable Mention
  • EyeCatcher International Film Festival
    McAlester, OK
    United States
    November 8, 2018
    Nominated: Best Microshort
Distribution Information
  • REVRY
    Country: United States
    Rights: Video on Demand, Console / Handheld Device
Director Biography - Savannah Rodgers

Savannah Rodgers is a director, writer, and producer currently based out of Lawrence, KS. She creates short films, web series, and is developing her first feature film. In 2014, she founded Professional Amateur Productions, a company aiming to create quality, intersectional feminist content. Most recently, Savannah received the 2017 Next Gen Award from the Twister Alley International Film Festival and was a was a Top 10 finalist for the 2017 Horizon Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

Savannah received the Visionary Award from the Outlaw Film Festival and the Fred G. Andrews Emerging Filmmaker Award from Kansas City FilmFest in 2016. Her short film Sketches (2016) premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival; it has received multiple honors on the independent film festival circuit. Her directorial debut Politically Correct (2015) was named Cinema Constant's 2016 Best Comedy Short Film, and has garnered awards from Kansas City FilmFest, Kansas City LGBT Film Festival, and other festivals worldwide. Both Sketches and Politically Correct have received distribution at REVRY, the world's first LGBTQ+ streaming platform.

Savannah was a semi-finalist for the Sundance Institute's Episodic Storytelling and YouTube New Voices labs in 2016. Her proposed web series, Poly, was an IndieWire Project of the Day. Her documentary work has been featured on Films for Action. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Kansas City Women in Film & TV.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Politically Correct was a labor of love.

I originally pitched the idea of writers trying too hard to be politically correct to my co-writer Makay Foster months before we ever shot it. What she didn't know was that the kinds of deliberations that these characters have are the conversations I have in my own head whenever I write something, no matter how big or small.

From what I've found, most people are too afraid to try to write characters that lie outside of what we're bombarded with every day: white, male, heterosexual, cisgender, Christian and heteronormative. People are so afraid of doing something wrong that they won't try at all.

We thought it would be funny to have a room of writers that were trying too hard to be inclusive.

After months and months of planning, countless rehearsals and meetings, we shot the film in February in a matter of hours. We had a group of wonderful actors who thrived when we told them to improvise. We had a wonderful Director of Photography who we trusted to capture the humor of the piece. The day of, everything went smoothly, much to our surprise.

We were all fortunate to have been a part of this process and we all learned a substantial amount. We all genuinely hope you enjoy Politically Correct for what it is: a comedy.