“Liz Rao's The Truck is an urgent, gripping look at Teen Love and The Freedom to choose in This America right now.” - Spike Lee

” IN The Truck, Liz Rao’s striking voice as writer and director transforms a coming-of-age tale into a visceral look at power dynamics in America. With poetry and courage, The Truck offers a pressing and much-needed perspective on our current moment. Evoking layered and nuanced performances from Shirley Chen and Daniel Zolghadri as two love-crossed teenagers in trouble, The Truck brings to life a quietly chilling and powerful story." - Joan Chen

Spike Lee, Joan Chen Board Liz Rao’s Short ‘The Truck,’ a Post-Roe Thriller, as EPs

Oscar Momentum Builds for Liz Rao’s Unshakable ‘The Truck’

”Our narrative award went to Elizabeth Rao’s “The Truck,” a film that works in both the micro and the macro, telling a story of two teenagers (Shirley Chen & Daniel Zolghadri) trying to obtain a morning-after pill in an area of the country where that’s becoming increasingly difficult. Beautifully shot and tenderly performed, it’s a special short"
-BRIAN TALLERICO, ROGER EBERT.COM

DIRECTORS Q&A: THIS TRIANGLE OF LYNCHIAN AMERICANA -CHICAGO CRITICS FILM FESTIVAL

* OFFICIAL SELECTION Telluride Film festival
* screening MoMA: The Museum of Modern Art, New York City
* WINNER, Florida Film Festival - Grand Jury Award, Best Narrative Short, Oscar-QUALIFIED
* WINNER, Hamptons International Film Festival, University Short Film Award
 
* WINNER, FLICKERS' RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL - Best Screenplay
* WINNER, EDINBURGH SHORT FILM FESTIVAL - BEST FILM (UK)
* WINNER, FUSION FILM FESTIVAL - FIRST PLACE  
* AWARDEE, FUTURE OF FILM IS FEMALE 
* WINNER, NYU FIRST RUN FESTIVAL - SECOND PLACE 
* WINNER, Asian American Showcase - JONATHAN LAXAMANA Emerging Filmmaker Award
* WINNER, Bend film festival - Jury Prize, youth jury award 
* Winner, Bend film festival - best student short
* WINNER, CHARLOTTE FILM FESTIVAL - jury award, Best Student Short Film
* WINNER, BUSHWICK FILM FESTIVAL - honorable mention, short narrative film 
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, WME FUTUREFEST 
* official selection, SAnta Barbara international Film Festival
* official selection, Durban International Film Festival (african Premiere)
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Que du Feu Festival (French premiere)
* NOMINEE, Encounters film festival  (UK)
* NOMINEE, clapham international Film festival (UK)
* NOMINEE, HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESITVAL
* NOMINEE, Norwich Film Festival (UK)
* NOMINEE, São Paulo Film Festival (Latin American premiere) - upcoming, in competition
* NOMINEE, Catalina Film Festival, Best Advanced Student Film
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Chicago Critics Film Festival
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Asian american international film festival
* Official selection, Salute your shorts film festival
* Official selection, HOLLYshorts festival

* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Edinburgh International Film Festival (UK Premiere)
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, INDIEcork FILM FESTIVAL
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, La Guarimba International Film Festival (italian premiere)
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Chilliwack international Film festival (canadian premiere)
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Kyiv International Short Film Festival (Ukrainian premiere)
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Aesthetica Short Film Festival (UK)
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, San Diego International Film Festival  
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Cinema femme film festivaL
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, SAN DieGO ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL - upcoming
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, MONTANA FILM FESTIVAL
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, RiverRun International film Festival
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Nantucket Film Festival
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Brooklyn Film Festival 
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, TACOMA FILM FESTIVAL
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Kansas City FilmFest International 
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, Cucalorus Film Festival
* OFFICIAL SELECTION, El Paso Film Festival
* more FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENTS upcoming :) 

THE TRUCK

Against the simmering anxieties of post-Roe America, Jo, 16, and Arash, her boyfriend, attempt to buy the morning-after pill in a small town where reproductive rights are contested and quietly policed.

Executive Producers JOAN CHEN and SPIKE LEE

Starring SHIRLEY CHEN and DANIEL ZOLGHADRI and GARRETT RICHMOND
With DUVALL O'STEEN and BRIAN MCCARTHY

a GOLDEN MEDINA FILMS and ZAZA PRODUCTION

Writer-Director LIZ RAO
Producer ELIZA SOROS
Co-Writer JONATHAN FRED SCHNEIDER
Director of Photography GIANNA BADIALI
Casting Directors KATE ANTOGNINI and CHARLOTTE ARNOUX, CSA
Production Design MARIANNE AUVINET GOULD
Co-Producer YUANLI ZHOU
Associate Producers MANYA GLASSMAN and LORA CRINER
Editor ANDREW MIGLIORI
Music by OREL TAMUZ
Colorist BENJAMIN HANDLER
Production Sound Mixer NIGAM BHANDARI
Sound Design ROTEM DROR
With Additional Sound Mix and Sound Design by HAINA ZHOU
With Additional Original Music by GILAD BARAKAN
Vocals by SHIRLEY CHEN, LIZ RAO, ANDY BRAME
Art Director REBECCA YEONG AE MZENGI COREY
Costume Designer LAUREN CARMEN
Costume Consultant JASMINE LEWIS
1st AC JASON MASELLE
2nd AC GABI AZEVEDO
Gaffer CHARLIE THEOBALD
Key Grip HUNTER STARK
1st Assistant Director MC HARVEY
Unit Production Manager TERRENCE SHU
Hair and Make-Up Artist and Wardrober RACHAEL SONNENBERG
Rigging Grip GULAB SINGH
Intimacy Coordinators BAHAR BAHARLOO and ALEXANDRA TYDINGS
Poster Design and Thumbnail Design SHIPEI WANG
Title Design CADE FEATHERSTONE
Director’s Assistant ANNA ZHANG