(Los Angeles, CA / June 6, 2022) — Shadow Self, a short film about self-reflection, mental health and the maddening impact of isolation during long pandemic lockdowns, has been honored with a screening slot at NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA)’s film festival on Saturday, June 18 at South Park Center in downtown LA.

The 23-minute ‘existential comedy’ spotlights the onscreen gifts of actress Alyssa Brayboy – who conceptualized, produced and wrote the film together with the film’s prolific director Jesse Randall and his production company JR Vision Films – as she seamlessly tackles the dual role of a reckless party girl who comes face-to-face with her sobering reality and “Shadow Self” during the extended COVID lockdowns.

“Our film is about loving all parts of ourselves – good, bad, ugly and indifferent, as well as highlighting queer women of color,” said Brayboy.

Randall, a passionate filmmaker with a keen focus on generating authentic onscreen moments that resonate within the LGBTQIA+ community’s diverse personal experiences of triumph, tragedy and everything in between, was inspired to bring the Shadow Self story to life after collaborating with Brayboy on his original series, The Safety Plan – which, incidentally, screened at NFMLA in 2020 and led to the show’s distribution deal with Revry TV.

He explained that “Shadow Self encompasses this very common experience of pandemic-induced isolation and cabin fever in a way that is really fun and honest, thanks to Alyssa’s incredible performance as both Quinn and The Shadow, along with Diego Madrigal’s neon-noir style cinematography.”

To learn more about Shadow Self screening at NFMLA, visit NewFilmmakersLA.com.

Find Alyssa Brayboy and Jesse Randall on IG:

Alyssa Brayboy is a Los Angeles-based actress, producer, writer, entrepreneur and SheEO/Founder of Buttons, a Black and Latina female-owned production company that gives prominence to the personal narratives and traditions of underrepresented and diverse voices through the power of film.

Brayboy launched her acting career in 2014 with parts in productions such as Already Lucky, 30 Nights and 2018’s The Mix and Serve, a TV series that she also produced. She has since created, directed and written several films, shorts and series, including the upcoming short film Shadow Self, a collaboration with director Jesse Randall (with whom she worked on his series The Safety Plan) about how COVID-19’s lockdowns impacted the mental health of queer women of color.

She was also nominated for Best Comedic Performance in 2021’s Best of NFMLA Awards for her role in The Safety Plan, Maverick Movie Awards’ Best Supporting Actress nominee for her role in Already Lucky and won Best Supporting Actress at the Silicon Beach Film Festival for her role in Coyote.

Jesse Randall is a writer, director, & producer based in Los Angeles. The North Carolina native, who grew up in the country nurturing his imagination – and realizing his future creative career plans – through the magic of films and television.

After completing film school in Wilmington, he set off for New York City to fulfill his dreams of making movies, where he studied with Tony-nominated actress Lorraine Serbian and celebrated playwright Julie McKee. Randall’s artistic turning point came upon meeting and forging a significant personal and creative relationship with cinematographer Taylor Stanton, who inspired his creative confidence through working together on several captivating and provocative productions.

Today, Randall’s work primarily focuses on creating thought-provoking LGBTQIA+ content through his production company, JR Vision Films, which have been featured in the 2016 Frameline Film Festival, 2020 SeriesFest and 2020 New Filmmakers Los Angeles. His first digital series The Safety Plan, along with his entire short film collection, was acquired by Revry TV. The Safety Plan, about starting over, loneliness and finding your rightful place in the world, was nominated for Best New Media at the 2021 NFMLA Awards.