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Logline

The Running Kind is a fast paced, kaleidoscopic, dark comedy that tells the story of Cary, an unhappy screw up, who decides to fake his own death rather than watch his only friend die of cancer.

Synopsis

The film tells a universal story in a unique way, playing out over a series of vignettes, memories, and nightmares, as if to mimic Cary’s life flashing before his eyes.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Kephren Palmer – Writer/Director
Kephren Palmer is a writer and director from Stockton, California. A USC film school graduate, Kephren has written and directed several short narrative projects as well as commercials. As a producer, he has produced short narrative projects which have gone on to appear in major festivals.

Norris Palmer – Writer/Director
Norris Palmer is a Los Angeles based filmmaker born in Stockton, California. Since graduating from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in 2020, he has produced many short narrative films which have received admission into numerous prestigious film festivals, including SXSW, and gone on to online distribution where they’ve received hundreds of thousands of views. Among these are Kodama, ZZZ, Everything Stays, Sweet Deliverance, Edge of Town, and The Show.

Maria Paula Quesada – Producer
Maria Paula Quesada is a Costa Rican writer, director, and producer. Growing up in a tiny yet diverse country, with a big, close-knit family, she has drawn constant inspiration from her upbringing. Her approach to storytelling from an early age has been informed by vulnerability, humor, and empathy; aspects which continue to inform her work through a genre-bending approach. A USC Film School Graduate, Maria Paula has produced award-winning short films, as well as music videos, and branded content in the US and Costa Rica. In 2024, Maria Paula has directed and edited content for the largest music festival in Central America, Picnic Festival, as well as directing, writing and acting in the comedy short film Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday.

Gabby Fiszman – Producer
Gabby Fiszman is a writer, director, and producer whose upbringing was just as eclectic as her storytelling. As a first-generation American raised by Brazilian immigrants across four different states, Gabby encountered a wide range of cultures, which instilled in her a deep sense of compassion and was crucial in her path to become a storyteller. A graduate from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Gabby independently produces and directs narrative shorts, music videos, and more. Her project, Holy Smokes, was the recipient of the Kevin Smith Comedy Screenplay Award on American Zoetrope’s new platform, Decentralized Pictures, and she is currently in post-production for the proof-of-concept short, starring Mena Suvari, and Executive Produced by Kevin Smith.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.