Texas Young Filmmaker Short Film, 2 minutes, RGV Premiere

Synopsis: In a world where imagination is the only escape, Olivia retreats into a reality of her own making. As her parents' tension grows, the line between fantasy and fear blurs, and her refuge becomes her last solution.

Karla Sofia Rivera

Bio:

Karla Rivera is a rising freshman at the University of Texas at Austin, where she’ll be majoring in Radio-Television-Film at the Moody College of Communication. She has competed at both the local and state level, earning recognition as the 2025 UIL 5A Narrative State Runner-Up and receiving a Superior Ranking in SkillsUSA. Outside of her endeavours in film, Karla served as the 2024–2025 President of the HHSS Speech & Debate Team, where she was named the 2024 NSDA National Champion in Dramatic Interpretation and the 2025 NSDA Duo Interpretation National Runner-Up.

Credits include: A Step Away (2025 SkillsUSA Superior Ranking, 2025 5A Narrative State Runner Up, 2025 HCISD Student Film Awards Best Director and Best Actress winner, 2025 STXIFF Official Selection), THE MEAL, and Echoes of the Past (2024 SkillsUSA Superior Ranking, 2024 SFA Best Drama and Best Cinematography nominee).