Behind Her Smile
Behind Her Smile is a psychological thriller about two childhood best friends whose bond begins to fracture under the weight of unspoken envy and ambition. Sinclair Harris, once the adored high school cheerleader, is stuck in the past—while Jasmine Carter, a rising track star, is stepping into her prime. But when a suspicious accident leaves Jasmine bedridden and under Sinclair’s care, the power dynamic shifts. What begins as a gesture of friendship slowly turns into a chilling test of control, obsession, and the dark lengths people go to avoid being forgotten.
Currently in Film Festivals Season: Trillvision Film Festival, The Great Film Club, Austin Micro Film Festival, California Women’s Film Festival, Golden State Film Festival, Marina Del Rey Film Festival, and One-Reeler Film Competition.
Written and Directed by
MINDA HARTS
Produced by
MINDA HARTS
Starring
ZIAH MARCHE
SARAH KAUFMANN
Director of Photography
JASON FOSTER
Edited by
MARIO FIERRO
Music by
RYAN MCLEAN
The Distance Between
The Distance Between (2025) explores friendship over three decades through intimate conversations in a car. This short film has been officially selected for The California Women’s Film Festival, Santa Paula Film Festival, Trillvision Film Festival, Silicon Beach Film Festival, Culver City Film Festival, Temecula Valley Film Festival, and The Studio City Film Festival. The Distance Between won Best Drama at the Santa Paula Film Festival.
Written and Directed by
MINDA HARTS
Executive Producers
AMA BROWN
TONYA M. EVANS
NATALIE GILLARD
Produced by
MINDA HARTS
Starring
ZIAH AS ELAINE
SARAH DEVERMONT AS YASMIN
Key Crew
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - JAVIER DE PABLOS-VELEZ
FIRST ASSISTANT CAMERA - KEVIN ALEXANDER
EDITED BY MARIO FIERRO
COMPOSER BY ANTONIO “MALACHI” WILSON
SOUND DESIGN AND MIXING - PAUL FONAREV
COLOR GRADING - COLEMAN MASON
GRAPHIC DESIGN - AMANDA OESEF
HAIR AND MAKE-UP - ALYSSA HOLBROOK
HAIR AND MAKE-UP ASSISTANT - KACY TATUS
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR - TIFFANY HERBERT
Technical Crew
GAFFER - JOAQUIN SU CURIEL
PRODUCTION SWING - JARED GANGADARAN
SOUND RECORDIST - DANTE MARINO
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR - LIEU NGUYEN
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT - JACKIE ELLIOTT
Special Thanks
COOKE OPTICS
BECINE
Demetrias
DEMETRIAS. Can two people from completely different worlds find a connection and carry it with them forever? When Riley meets Demetrias at a cafe, she never expects their conversations about Baldwin, Lorde, and life to change everything.
In Film Festival Season: Urban Film Festival, Catalina Island Film Festival
Starring
HERIZEN GUARDIOLA
COLIN MCCALLA
Written, Directed, and Produced:
MINDA HARTS
DP: JAVIER DE PABLOS-VELEZ
The Memo, a psychological workplace thriller that explores the tumultuous journey of Minda (played by Kyla Pratt) as she experiences unprecedented highs and devastating lows while navigating the corporate ladder. Minda has a meteoric rise through the ranks of a major tech company and when landing the Forbes 30 and 30 list, everything changes. The Memo tackles what it really means to be “the only one in the room,” and what happens when you decide not to play by the rules. Executive Produced by Valeisha Butterfield; Based on the best-selling book The Memo by Minda Harts; Directed by Vanna James; Written by Nakia Stephens; Music Supervision by MC Lyte
Executive Producers: Minda Harts, Kyla Pratt, Modupe Congleton, Miatta Johnson & Valeisha Butterfield
Film Festivals: Essence Fest, Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, and CANNES WORLD FILM FESTIVAL.
THE LIST COMING SOON
