Chicago Connections Drive Award-Winning Short ‘Maggie’s Not Okay’; Streaming Debut Today on Omeleto
After a wildly successful run on the festival circuit, the award-winning short film Maggie’s Not Okay will debut on the prestigious YouTube channel Omeleto to its 4 million subscribers on Thursday, December 11th. Written by and starring Mouzam Makkar (Law and Order SVU, Seal Team, The Vampire Diaries, The Fix, Naomi), the film marks the film directing debut of Vance Smith, former Artistic Director of Chicago’s Stage Left Theatre and producer of other award-winning shorts such as Each Lovely Thing, Émigré Americana and Huge.
The story centers on a chronic people pleaser named Maggie who is always getting pushed around. But when she tries to return a lost cat to its owner, Maggie is finally pushed too far and decides to push back… in a most unexpected way. Makkar explains to SCREEN, “Before it was a personality trait, people-pleasing was survival – wired into the ancient human psyche so we wouldn’t be abandoned by our tribe. Maggie’s Not Okay traces that instinct into the present, where it still quietly governs our behavior—especially for women conditioned to be polite, quiet, and accommodating. The film asks what happens when that wiring finally short-circuits.”
Let’s enjoy Maggie’s Not Okay right here, courtesy of Omeleto…
The issue of representation is important to the filmmakers. Maggie’s Not Okay resists the expectation that BIPOC stories must center on identity, instead telling a universal story that honors the richness of BIPOC experiences while allowing its characters to be defined by their humanity first—their joy, messiness, struggle, and growth – all while making you laugh.
The film also features Behzad Dabu (How to Get Away with Murder, The Good Place, The Chi), Paloma Nozicka (The Irrational, The Red Line, Proven Innocent, Empire, Each Lovely Thing) and Clare Cooney (Departing Seniors, 4400, Chicago Med, Runner), who also edited. This core group all met working in the Chicago Theatre scene and brought the collaborative ensemble aesthetic Chicago is famous for to the project. Director Vance Smith shared with SCREEN, “this is a group of artists that starts off with a shared language and a shared experience.”
Maggie’s Not Okay has screened at 22 festivals, five of which are Academy Award Qualifying. It has won five awards – two for Best Comedy, two for Best Actress and one for Best of the Fest – and was nominated for many others. Omeleto is a highly selective YouTube channel that curates short films and has almost 4 million subscribers. From their submission page: “Omeleto is not a festival. It is a mark of arrival, a distinction reserved for the next generation of cinematic visionaries. Each month, no more than 20 films worldwide are chosen. Selection is rare. Standards are uncompromising. To be featured is to be recognized as a filmmaker to watch.”
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