When a young woman desperate to get to an important networking opportunity finds a senior with the beginnings of dementia abandoned in her car, she must grapple with an unsupportive system and her own priorities.

Director Biography - Ellen Ancui

Ellen Ancui is a WGA, AWD, award-winning, neurodiverse, bi, writer/director who specializes in traumadies—darkly funny stories where (mostly) women dig their own graves, then complain about the landscaping. A Long Island kid raised by a Sicilian mom who converted for her Jewish dad (but still snuck ham sandwiches into the garage) Ellen was destined to tell complicated stories and overfeed people. A former private chef to fancy people like Horton Foote, Ellen founded SOLO ARTS GROUP, NYC and gave the original Upright Citizens Brigade their first home (you’re welcome, comedy). After 2 successful one-woman shows, ZEL REBELS! THE STORY OF A WOMAN IN A (1) MAN SHOW (Public Fringe) and JUMPING OFF THE FRIDGE (HBO Workspace) she moved to LA, wrote for Sony’s MALCOLM & EDDIE, and her play GLORY PIE sold out at the Coronet with love letters from Variety. Other credits: BROWN & FRIENDS (Netflix), SIZZLER (Next Stage Press), and several one-acts at The Braid Theater. Her directorial debut, SAVERIO, now an Oscar-qualified short for 2026, is selected for the American Pavilion Emerging Artists at Cannes 2026, has already played at 36 film festivals, nominated for 18 awards, and won 10, including 5 audience awards, the Grand Prize at the Jeonju Int'l Short Film Festival, Korea, and a NYWIFT Excellence in Directing Award. Ellen is developing the feature of SAVERIO, and has been hired to direct the indie feature, RYAN & JEANETTE later this year. She is the producer and co-host of the 2026 Women Podcasts winner for Best Comedy, FILTHY MILFS, and creator of AGING FEARLESSLY on Substack.