SCARING WOMEN AT NIGHT

a film by KARIMAH ZAKIA ISSA
story by ACE CLAMBER
starring IZAIAH DOCKERY
with KAVITA MUSTY and DASHAWN LLOYD BLACKWOOD
2023 · 11m · Drama · Black and Trans-led

Two strangers are scared on a late walk home. As they try to escape one another, their worlds collide at an intersection forcing them to question who they're afraid of and why.

TIFF | Montreal Nouveau (Competition) | Iris Prize (Competition)
Available Light (Made in the North Award) | Inside Out (Emerging Canadian Artist)
Vancouver Queer (People’s Choice Best Canadian Short)
NewFest | BFI Flare | VIFF | Seattle Queer | Image+Nation | St John’s Womens | Bushwick | | Outfest Fusion
Seattle Black | Dieppe | Human Rights Arts and Film

FAE PICTURES presents
with the participation of ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL TORONTO ARTS COUNCIL
HIRE HIGHER COMMUNITY ONE FOUNDATION REDLAB PANAVISION WILLIAM F WHITE

DIRECTOR BIO
Karimah is a Montreal native, London and Toronto based filmmaker who directs and writes short films, music videos and branded content. Karimah's work is centered around crafting stories that dive into themes of overcoming and succumbing to social expectations, how self worth is built and broken, and the dark truths that live within us all. Her most recent project, Lanes '20 (for the city of Toronto) is an educational, narrative dance piece that explores responsibility and participation in present day social justice movements. Up for release this spring is a short experimental doc about one of her mother's greatest joys - hosting dinner parties, and Bow Down, a music video for Juno nominated artist, Storry. Alongside her co-writer, Ace, she's developing an episodic that explores the reunion of estranged friends both living lives of 'stealth'.

DIRECTOR STATEMENT

While working on this project I’m continuously reminded of Ace and I as kids. Seven year old rugrat “tomboys” knowing nothing about gender, binary, sexuality or any social construct really - but even then we saw something different in each other that has bonded us for a lifetime. We’re as close to the people we’re each meant to be as ever, and it feels amazing to combine our insights to tell a story from Ace’s perspective that ultimately connects us all.

We've set up a world where everyone feels like they know what’s about to happen simply by aligning a couple social cues. Woman. Alone. Night. From there we shift into our lead, Ash's perspective, having lived experiences on both ends, he’s our key to seeing this familiar scene differently and begin questioning our complacency. Once we meet Ash, we spend a lot of time with him, learning how he’s adapted to react in this environment.

This story isn’t the kind meant to give you the answer at the end. There isn’t a big 180 where everyone knows how to fix this or be ok with it or even grow from it. It’s the kind that is meant to share someone’s truth and start a conversation about how we’ve been socialized to perceive and perform gender.

Ace has been fully involved from pre through post acting as our north star. I’m really excited to have cast an incredibly talented trans-masculine performer, Izaiah DB, for this dynamic role and to have worked alongside our QT BIPOC community to create a film that authentically represents Ace’s experience.

We acknowledge that we work, live, and exist on the traditional territory of many Indigenous Nations.
The area known as Tovaangar (the Los Angeles basin and So. Channel Islands) has been caretaken by the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples. We pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.
The area known as Tkaronto has been caretaken by the Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Huron-Wendat, and the Métis. It is now home to many Indigenous Peoples such as the current Treaty 13 holders, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. This territory is subject to the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement to share and care for the Great Lakes region.