Sia
2022, Drama
Release Year: 2022
Country: United States
Director: Ashlei Shyne
Writer: Ashlei Shyne
Executive Producers: Ashlei Shyne and Sepi Shyne
Producers: Cashmere Jasmine
Director of Photography: Vivian Lau
Music by: Faranak Shahroozi
Editor: Chinwe Okorie
”Sia” is a poetic short film that follows Nola & Sia, a Black queer female couple whose vibrant life together is upended when a global pandemic threatens to tear apart their entire world. “Sia“ takes place during the 2020 social justice uprising in Los Angeles following the murder of George Floyd. Through the eyes of Nola and Sia, we will see how national policies, voter suppression, and lack of access to adequate health care for BIPOC & LGBTQ+ people have helped contribute to the vast number of deaths in the United States.
GALLERY
About the director
Ashlei Shyne, is an LA-based comedy writer, actress, filmmaker and activist hailing from Dayton, Ohio. Go Buckeyes! This actress turned filmmaker, is best-known starring as Aaliyah Jones in her groundbreaking comedy series “#TMI”. As a writer, she is passionate about writing character-driven comedies centered around Black women and the LGBTQ+ community. Ashlei is a alumni of Amy Aniobi’s (Executive Producer of HBO’s Emmy-nominated comedy, “Insecure”) 2021 Tribe Writers’ Fellowship. Over the years she’s honed her comedic timing at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, IO West and Second City LA. During her time studying improv. She founded Rainbow Bright Comedy: a BIPOC LGBTQ+ improv troupe.
As an activist Ashlei serves on the board of Still Bisexual, and on the #Out4MentalHealth San Fernando Valley Task Force. She has served on the Community Engagement Committee for the Human Rights Campaign Los Angeles. As well as the 2018 & 2019 planning committee that brought the world’s first city-sponsored Bi Pride to the city of West Hollywood. Ashlei’s love for community and visibility has helped her create programs like Sacred Space: A Black LGBTQ+ Wellness Event, which centers around providing a safe space where Black LGBTQ+ members can receive healing from other Black LGBTQ+ wellness practitioners. Bi Visibility in Film, a one-day film festival that celebrates Bi+ stories and storytellers.
Ashlei’s past time is spent traveling, Googling useless information, and tending to her forty-plus plant children.
