Justice for My Sister Announces Winners for Inaugural Short Film Launchpad
Coinciding With 10th Anniversary of the Nonprofit
Championing BIPOC and LGBTQ+ Voices in Film
Los Angeles, CA – Justice for My Sister (JFMS)—a nonprofit supporting BIPOC women, nonbinary youth, foster youth, and survivors of violence to become the next generation of filmmakers, activists, and cultural workers—has announced the recipients of its inaugural Short Film Launchpad, a new initiative aimed at uplifting emerging storytellers from underrepresented communities. The announcement coincides with the organization’s 10th anniversary under the leadership of founder and executive director Kimberly Bautista.
Two short films, Papers (wri/dir. Ginger Yifan Chen) and Line of Descent: Prelude (wri/dir. Jarvis Fuller), have been selected for funding and in-kind support by the JFMS staff and community. Jahmil Eady, coordinator of the Short Film Launchpad initiative, recently premiered her own folklore horror short, Haint, at HollyShorts Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and Beyond Fest 2025.
Interim Executive Director Jewel Delegall said, “The Justice for My Sister team, and its founder and Executive Director Kimberly Bautista, have taken what started out as a grassroots idea and have created an operationalized program that bridges into the industry, an option that doesn't exist for many emerging filmmakers. Working with these two directors has been exciting and a learning experience. They are so deserving not just for their talent and creativity, but for their determination to tell these important stories the way they want. Both of them are unique with two very different stories, and providing a space for new voices to be heard is what JFMS is all about. We're inspiring storytellers and filmmakers to build their own opportunities, and that's why these two directors were chosen. They are ambitious, eager, and creative.”
Short Film Launchpad was opened to all JFMS alumni to attend a special edition of BIPOC Sci-Fi Screenwriting Lab, in which they were asked to write a short film; 20 people were accepted and received mentorship to write their shorts and 17 pitched in the Pitch Forum, a special breakout, during the Justice for My People Film Festival. Seven people advanced to the semi-final stage, and two were chosen to director their stories.
Shanghai-born, Bay Area-based Chen (they/them), who attended BIPOC Sci-Fi Screenwriting Lab from 2023-2025, will helm Papers, a 10-minute short based on several real stories of green card marriages from Chen's days at Chapman University. In particular, Papers focuses on an Iranian and Asian-American pair whose college romance is further complicated by the threat of deportation. Papers is slated to begin production in Spring 2026.
Chen's films and screenplays have been showcased at SF IndieFest, Beverly Hills Film Festival, and Los Angeles CineFest. They have crewed on 100-plus short-form works, three pilots, and four features, primarily as an editor, AC, or AD. Additionally, they have served as Screenwriting Instructor at BAYCAT Fellowship, festival coordinator at CAAMFest, and program coordinator at the Asian American Film Lab.
Chen said, “I'm an immigrant, and this story is just one piece of the tapestry of immigrant narratives. Right now, our rights are being undeniably threatened. That's what's really driving me to make this film and make this soon. I really want to collaborate with immigrant artists and make an impact through our voices.”
A Los Angeles-based filmmaker, Fuller will bring to life Line of Descent: Prelude, a magical realism piece about a young boy’s quest to inherit his family’s ancient magic through the wisdom of his grandfather’s storytelling. The film is slated to begin production in February 2026.
Growing up as the fourth of five kids in Denver, Fuller knew he wanted to be a filmmaker ever since he saw Jurassic Park on the big screen. Since moving to L.A. in 2009, he has worked on every type of production from big-budgets with A-listers to small works. For his project, Fuller chose to write a prequel to a short he wrote while participating in BIPOC Sci-Fi Screenwriting Lab in 2020.
“What I'm excited about most with creating this project is the message and the opportunity to see people like me be magical on screen in leading positions,” Fuller said. “And again, in a way that isn't tied to the commodification of black pain—the magic in the mundane of us just being who we are.”
Fuller continued, “When it came time to sign the JFMS contract, it all hit me that after being in L.A. for such a long time, this is the first time I’ve taken a project from a concept to script to funding, and now I have significant backing for something that is mine. My main concern is production value and a good story. I feel like what this means to me is, what you’re doing is valid, people care about it, and there’s an audience for it.”
The Justice for My Sister Short Film Launchpad will provide the two filmmakers with production funding, mentorship, and industry guidance, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to cultivating an equitable media landscape.
For more information about the program and upcoming work check out our programs page.