A homeless female veteran, Penny, is camping outside of a fancy restaurant on Christmas eve when a kind stranger donates her a gift card to go inside and get a hot meal. After struggling to get a seat, she is finally able to order dinner when an angry patron calls the police. When the cops try to escort Penny out, it triggers her trauma.

NARRATIVE SHORT | 15:17

Director Biography - Yelena V. Krivosheyeva

Born and raised in Russia, Yelena worked as a journalist from a very young age. By the time she graduated high school, she had a huge resume that allowed her to be accepted into one of the best schools and also get a job as a freelance reporter for a major newspaper. But as the country’s censorship laws intensified, she found it very difficult to tell the stories that inspired social change. She emigrated to the United States nearly two decades ago and instantly felt more equipped to follow her dreams and tell the stories she found meaningful.
After receiving her Bachelor's in Communications/Advertising and working in corporate America, she continued searching for methods to combine her passion for storytelling while remaining true to her goal of tackling relevant social issues.
In 2018 Yelena received her MFA in directing from Chapman University.