Syra McCarthy (Director) is a 5’2 half Filipino, half New Zealander first generation American filmmaker and actor. Represented by Even/Odd Studios, Syra is a seasoned commercial director whose portfolio spans national commercials, music videos and short films - her body positive ‘Shapermint’ spot was recently featured in the New York Times. As an actor she is known for her work in The Dropout, Greys Anatomy & a forthcoming feature, “Josephine,” starring Channing Tatum & Gemma Chan. Striving for equity within our industry, Syra founded Soft Hold Collective, a Bay Area film directory highlighting women & non-binary talent behind the camera.

"Kyle’s story hit close to home. In Kyle, I saw myself: another Bay Area native queer Asian American artist, spoken for by others, and still struggling to speak up. Through this short, we’ve found strength, comfort and friendship in each others’ voices."

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Kyle Casey Chu (she/her) and Róisín Isner (she/her, pronounced “Rosheen”) are a filmmaking duo from San Francisco. They became best friends in high school playing in punk bands at local dives, and began their close writing/producing partnership in 2020.

Kyle is a social worker and former elementary school teacher, co-founder of Drag Story Hour, and award-winning novelist (HarperCollins, 2025). Róisín is a political organizer, amputee, and drummer/vocalist for the band Strange Men.

Their Sundance and SFFILM-funded proof-of-concept short “After What Happened at the Library” has so far been programmed at nine 2025-2026 Oscar-qualifying Film Festivals, winning Florida Film Festival’s Special Jury award and Charlotte Film Festival’s Best Narrative Short award. 

In April 2025, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation named Kyle a Rainin Arts Fellow in Film, awarding her $100,000 to produce “After What Happened at the Library.” The feature script has been workshopped at the Sundance Trans Possibilities Intensive, Lambda Literary Retreat, Film Fatales’ “Fatales Forward” intensive, and SFFILM’s Filmhouse Residency.

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