When a tomboy growing up on military bases struggles to fit in at a new school, one small act of rebellion has large reverberations at home—forcing her to face harsh realities about gender, power, and what it really means to find your place in the world.
I contributed the title design to Picture Day, a resonant and contemplative short film written and directed by my friend & colleague Kelly Pike. Now Oscar-qualified with its award for Best Live Action Short Film at the Warsaw Film Fest last November, I’m excited to watch from the wings as our work is now in consideration for the Academy Award shortlist for Best Live Action Short Film of 2024.
“I hope to illuminate how gender conditioning operates in our society – not always through the grand pronouncements or obvious barriers, but through thousands of small, daily messages that shape children's sense of possibility and worth. By examining these subtle currents, I hope the film can remind us that dismantling institutional sexism isn't simply a matter of changing laws or policies. We're dealing with deeply embedded cultural narratives that require persistent examination and conscious unwinding.” – Kelly Pike
