THE STORY
When a long-anticipated wildfire approaches, an entire community is faced with evacuating their beloved home. All the while Izzy, an observant 11-year old girl, struggles with accepting change and the uncertainty that lies ahead.
This live-action short film places us square in the perspective of a child, innocent and unable to fathom the scale of a wildfire that approaches. As the fire approaches, the community begins to evacuate. Izzy contends with what she might take with her, all the while unsure of where it is her family might be going.
This project is about the tension and the struggle of letting go. Of learning a language to cope with that possibility. The denial, the resistance, the grief, but also the unexpected joy in saying goodbye.
This film is dedicated to the many who have lost so much due to wildfires in the past few years. It honors the resilience people express in moving forward all while never forgetting where they come from.
The Team
Colin Rosemont
Director & Writer
Colin Rosemont creates stories that speak to the importance of history, place, and community. Growing up in the Santa Monica Mountains left him with many stories of fire and fire resilience. He founded the production company, Mimetic Films, dedicated to creative and experiential stories with ecological themes. His narrative and documentary short films have screened at film festivals nationwide including Santa Barbara International, Mammoth Lakes International, San Diego International, Durango Independent, SF Docfest, and Red Nation Film Festivals.
His work has been funded by the California Humanities, National Endowment for the Humanities, Vision Maker Media, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Paula Contreras
Co-Producer
Paula Contreras (she/her/hers) is a recent graduate from California State University, Northridge with a dual degree in Linguistics and Cinema and Television Arts, Entertainment Media Management. In 2024 she had the opportunity to study Media Creation and Management in Stuttgart, Germany at the acclaimed Hochschule der Medien.
Paula’s film resume encompasses producing and production coordinating AFI thesis films as well as being part of the Student Academy winning film ‘Skin’. As a first generation Colombian-American, Paula aspired to grow as a producer and uplift her community to pursue the craft in front and behind the camera.
Gabriel Gutierrez
Co-Producer
Gabriel Gutiérrez is a Colombian-American producer from the American Film Institute Conservatory (Class of ’23). His Thesis film (Dosh) has been a great success winning both the Slamdance Spirit award and the Audience’s award at the Oscar qualifying Tasveer Film Festival. At the same time Gabriel was also a winner of the McDonald’s Spotlight Dorado grant, A national competition for Latino filmmakers debuting at 2024 SXSW Film Festival.
Gabriel’s goal as a filmmaker is to bring people together to celebrate films about different cultures, familial dynamics, address social issues, and ultimately show us that we have more in common than what divides us. This passion led him to create ‘Cine-Más’, Fort Worth, TX’s first-ever Latin American film festival in 2018. He also has been attached to several independent films over the past five years, most prominently A24’s A Ghost Story 2017.
Attila Tayefeh
Editor
Attila Tayefeh is an Iranian filmmaker based in Los Angeles, with a background in electrical engineering. Currently pursuing his MFA in Film Editing at the American Film Institute Conservatory. Passionate about alternative and multi-genre storytelling, Attila has edited over 30 short films, including documentaries, narratives, and experimental. Attila weaves his stories through diverse forms of expression-whether dancing to emotions or using ingredients to sculpt meaningful moments.
Attila’s works have been recognized by various film festivals, including Short Shorts, Karlovy Vary, and New York Independent film Festival.
Yandy Liu
Cinematographer
Yandy Liu, a cinematographer hailing from an Asian American multicultural background, embarked on her journey in cinematography at the age of 20. To fortify her craft in filmmaking, she pursued a double major in Art History and Cinema Studies during her undergraduate tenure at the University of Toronto.
Subsequently, Yandy further honed her skills by attending the American Film Institute, where she currently holds the position as a second-year cinematography fellow. Passionate about the craft of visual storytelling, Yandy possesses a fervent dedication to character-driven genres.
Irena Weaver
Production Designer
Irena Weaver is a Los Angeles-based production designer and art director with a BFA in Film and Animation from Rochester Institute of Technology. With over seven years of experience, she brings a fine art sensibility and a sharp eye for detail to every production. Her background in commercial and branded digital content — including work for MasterClass, Nike, and Levi’s — informs a precise, design-forward approach that she carries into her narrative film work. Irena is known for crafting immersive environments and for her highly collaborative presence on set.
If Ever is a film that takes the immediate danger of a wildfire evacuation and suffuses it with fairy tale logic to immerse us in the perspective of a child who discovers that uncertainty and lack of control are inherent in life. Our film does not linger on the trauma or dispossession wrought by wildfire disasters, but rather seeks to create a conversation around community and the difficult, but necessary, task of saying goodbye to someone or some place you love.
As a thesis film at AFI Conservatory, our team has the opportunity to create a work that is truly singular, and will be experienced and celebrated by audiences around the world, starting with an international film festival run in 2026. This will only be possible through donations from individuals like you.
Our team has been awarded the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Production Award for a short film with science related themes. To date we are over 90% of the way to our goal of fully fundraising our film.
By supporting our project directly through our university platform, a registered 501(c)3, you will ensure that If Ever comes to life with all the tools necessary to create a singular cinematic experience.
We thank you for your contribution as we continue hold each other ever closer and embrace the uncertainty around every corner.
LETTER TO DONORS
LETTER TO DONORS
*MAKE SURE TO SELECT AFI THESIS FILM 2522 - IF EVER from the drop-down to Donate! *