Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw, Universal and TIFF Set Inaugural Class of Filmmakers for ‘No Drama’ Initiative (EXCLUSIVE)

Jordan Peele‘s Monkeypaw Productions, the Toronto International Film Festival and Universal Filmed Entertainment Group have announced the inaugural class of emerging filmmakers for their “No Drama” initiative.

Born from the mind of Peele (as well as the “Get Out,” “Us” and “Nope” director’s long-term deal at Universal), “No Drama” asks the artists to reflect on this question: “What’s your biggest fear? What monsters lurk in the deepest corners of your inner thoughts?”

Five filmmakers have been selected to create proof of concept or short films that explore horror across cultures, time, environments and society. Chandler Crump, Charlie Dennis, Helena Hawkes, Jared Leaf and Ariel Zenogotita will each receive a $50,000 grant from TIFF to produce their projects during the one-year, non exclusive program.

“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome the first class of ‘No Drama’ filmmakers to the Monkeypaw family. Chandler, Charlie, Helena, Ariel and Jared each bring a unique instinct to genre storytelling. I’m inspired and chilled by their approaches to examining fear,” said Peele, announcing the participants. “With generous support from Universal and TIFF, Monkeypaw and I are excited to empower and elevate talent that will define the next generation of great filmmakers. I cannot wait for audiences to experience the monsters they’re cooking up.”

The program kicked off last month with a four-day intensive on the Universal Studios lot. TIFF, Monkeypaw and Universal’s Filmmaker & Content Strategies team have developed a year-long curriculum where the selected filmmakers will participate in roundtables and workshops focused on “enhancing their creative processes and increasing their knowledge of the studio system” while they produce their proof of concept and short films.

“With ‘No Drama,’ we are setting up the filmmakers for success by providing them with studio resources that enable them to create impactful content with strong production values, and an incredible creative partnership with Jordan and team at Monkeypaw,” said Universal Pictures president Peter Cramer. “The bar was raised by adding TIFF’s prestigious brand and release platform to the initiative. I can’t wait to see what these five talented filmmakers bring to the table.”

The program concludes next fall when the filmmakers will have the opportunity to screen their projects during TIFF (outside of official selection) and to participate in TIFF Industry market screenings organized by the festival. UFEG and Monkeypaw will have the exclusive option to purchase their projects after the initiative ends.

“Congratulations to these five impressive filmmakers as they channel their own wild visions through genre. We can’t wait to unleash their work on the global film industry gathered in Toronto next September for our 50th edition,” said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey.

About partnering with Universal, Peele and Monkeypaw on the program, which celebrates “the next wave of visionary storytelling,” Bailey added: “This collaboration marks a significant step in TIFF’s commitment to fostering bold and diverse voices in cinema, and we look forward to witnessing the impact these films will have on audiences worldwide.”

[Pictured above: TIFF’s Cameron Bailey, Universal’s Peter Cramer, Helena Hawkes, Jared Leaf, Janine Jones-Clark, Monkeypaw’s Jordan Peele, Charlie Dennis, Ariel Zengotita and Chandler Crump.]

Bios for the selected filmmakers are below:

Chandler Crump received her BFA in film and television at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Crump’s debut short film “Color Him Son” made its world premiere at the Afrikana Film Festival, screened at the New York International Shorts Film Festival and won best undergraduate narrative film at the Fusion Film Festival. She has picture-locked her second short, “There’s Someone at the Door,” a one-room feminist horror film. Crump’s resume also includes serving as a junior executive in television development at Billy Porter’s production company. Born and raised in San Francisco, she is currently based in New York City.

Charlie Dennis is writer-director from the West Midlands in the United Kingdom, who strives to improve accessibility within film and TV aims to ensure that even the most exciting stories stay profoundly human. His Deaf-led BBC short film “Silent World” was subsequently picked up as a TV series after winning the National Lottery Arts Project of the Year, as well as nominations from BAFTA, Academy Award and BIFA-qualifying film festivals.Dennis recently directed splinter units for an upcoming Sky TV series starring Kenneth Branagh. He has also been long- and shortlisted at Cannes Lions and 1.4 Awards.

Helena Hawkes is a New Mexico native and the middle child to a mixed Hispanic family of ten children. Hawkes set foot on her first film set in the sixth grade and, since then, the screenwriter, director, painter and occasional poet honed her genre skills as an intern at Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Productions. Hawkes also worked as an apprentice to horror screenwriter and director, Leigh Whannell, while developing her own projects. As a writer, Hawkes explores female-driven tales that deal with family dynamics, identity, transformation and self-image all of which are told through a genre and sometimes surrealist lens.

Jared Leaf is an award-winning writer, director and producer (via his Ninety Third Story banner) based in Portland, OR. Leaf’s directorial approach is influenced by his background as both a classically trained actor and former college linebacker at San Jose State. He has written and directed numerous projects for Nike, including documentaries for Serena Williams and the Serena Williams Design Crew, as well as “Decolonizing Design,” a five-part docuseries on cultural appropriation in design. Since 2018, Leaf has directed eight short films across genres, including romantic comedy, noir mystery, action, comedy and horror. His feature directorial debut, a documentary on the Black Seminoles of Florida and their fight for freedom amidst 19th-century US expansion, is currently in production and set to wrap in early 2025.

Ariel Zenogotita is an award-winning Puerto Rican filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His work tends to explore the space between psychological horror and dark comedy. His films have been selected at festivals including SXSW and Palm Springs International ShortFest and featured on websites like Short of the Week, Director’s Notes and Vimeo Staff Picks. Zenogotita has also been featured on Latinx Directors, the first-ever database dedicated to showcasing prominent Latino directors based in the United States.