Pretty Dudes
Pretty Dudes is an American LGBTQ digital dramedy created by Chance Calloway that tells the story of a group of friends in Southern California who navigate in and out of platonic and romantic relationships. Predominantly featuring an inclusive and intersectional cast and crew, the series stars an ensemble that includes Xavier Avila, Tiffany Commons, Bryan Michael Nuñez, Kyle Rezzarday, Manny Shih, Joshuah Noah Snel, Aria Song, Tae Song, Yoshi Sudarso, and Olivia Thai.[1] Pretty Dudes aired initially on YouTube and streams on Amazon Prime Video and VOD service Stoopid Ambitious as of 2019.[2][3]
| Pretty Dudes | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Dramedy Sex comedy LGBTQ Independent |
| Created by |
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| Directed by | Chance Calloway |
| Starring |
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| Opening theme | "How We Break ('Pretty Dudes' Anthem)" by Matt Almodiel, Chance Calloway and Peter Su
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| Composer | Trey Randol |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 19 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Cinematography |
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| Editors |
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| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 9–34 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Distributor | CSRC Storytelling |
| Release | |
| Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) |
| Original release | March 25, 2018 – present |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
Premise
Set in the greater Los Angeles area, the series follows a group of millennial friends of varying races, genders, and backgrounds as they navigate platonic and romantic relationships. Photographer Zario (Bryan Michael Nuñez), business law student Ellington (Xavier Avila), gamer Alexander (Kyle Rezzarday), and doumi Jay (Tae Song) live with model Sunji (Yoshi Sudarso), where they are frequently visited by hard-drinking neighbor Eagle (Olivia Thai). After entering a bet to get Zario a new boyfriend, resentments and betrayals cause friction in the group. The second season expands the main group to include painter Kish (Tiffany Commons), art gallery owner December (Aria Song), Ellington's younger brother Marshall (Joshuah Noah Snel), and December's younger brother Boaz (Manny Shih).
Cast and characters
Main cast
| Character | Actor | Occupation | Seasons | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Hector "Zario" del Rosario | Bryan Michael Nuñez | photographer | Main | Guest | |||||||||||
| Ellington Gomez-Pacheco | Xavier Avila | business law student | Main | ||||||||||||
| Jericho "Jay" Kim | Tae Song | doumi | Main | ||||||||||||
| Alexander Erzhähler | Kyle Rezzarday | gamer | Main | ||||||||||||
| Sunji Spencer | Yoshi Sudarso | model and actor | Main | ||||||||||||
| Eagle Diolosa | Olivia Thai | active duty airman | Main | ||||||||||||
| Marshall Gomez-Pacheco | Joshuah Noah Snel | unknown | Recurring | Main | |||||||||||
| December Lín | Aria Song* | art critic | Recurring | Main | |||||||||||
| Rock Diolosa | Marc Fajardo | unknown | Recurring | Main | |||||||||||
| Kish Yancey | Tiffany Commons | painter | Main | ||||||||||||
| Boaz Lín | Manny Shih* | photographer | Main | ||||||||||||
| Cassian "The Body" Crosby | Christian Olivo† | actor | Main | ||||||||||||
| †Prior to joining the cast as season two regulars, both Manny Shih and Aria Song appeared earlier in the season, Song in a guest spot (episode: "The Death of Romeo") and Shih in a recurring status. *Olivo appeared in a recurring status for the majority of the season, though was credited as a lead for his initial consecutive appearances. | |||||||||||||||
Recurring
- Stacy Snyder as Mandy
- Cesar Cipriano as Shane Cortez[4]
- Chelsea Gray as Ty
- Kelsey Toussant as Calligraphy "Callie" Reynolds
- Stanley Wong as Erwin Lee
- Leo Lam as Gregory
- Carlin James as Elijah
- Nicko Sabado as Lando
- Courtney Grant as Tevin
- Sammy Cantu as Ken Dahl (season 2)
- Charlit Dae as Ram Takada (season 2)
- Tatiana A. Lee as Geneva Fauntleroy (season 2)
- Anthony Ma as Michael Michigan (season 2)
- Brennan Mejia as Carver Gomez-Pacheco (season 2)
- Peter Adrian Sudarso as Quincy (season 2)
- Angelique Maurnae as Armoni Chantal (season 2)
- Henita Telo as Fable (season 2)
- Amira Gray as Nia (season 2)
- Dickie Hearts as Chance (season 1)
- Michael Bow as Genie (season 1)
- Clifford Cisneros as Zach Largaespada (season 1)
- Tony Garbanzos as Patrick (season 1)
- Beau Sia as Stranger (season 1)
Guest
- Dion Basco as Samuel ("All-American Type")
- Osric Chau as Vincint ("The Death of Romeo")
- Giovannie Espiritu
- Wilson Lai as Korey ("Spectrum")
- Avalon Penrose as White Kish ("Chicos Lindos")
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||
| 1 | 19 | October 11, 2016 | April 4, 2017 | ||
| 2 | 19 | December 24, 2019 | TBA | ||
Season 1
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Curse" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Tony Garbanzos | October 11, 2016 | |
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Alexander, Ellington, Jay, Sunji, and Zario have an unsuccessful night at the club. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of filmmaker Oscar Micheaux. Cast notes: First recurring appearances of Cesar Cipriano (Shane), Tony Garbanzos (Patrick), Amanda Suk (Jerrica), and Kelsey Toussant (Callie). | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "The Dudes Make a Bet" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | October 18, 2016 | |
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After returning from the club, the Dudes decide to enter a high-stakes bet to find Zario a new boyfriend. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of singer Juan Gabriel. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Girls" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | October 25, 2016 | |
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Jay consults with a Stranger and Ellington's younger brother Marshall for assistance with gay dating apps. The Dudes head to the gym, but not before Zario has an awkward run-in with Ellington's girlfriend Mandy. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of activist Marsha P. Johnson. Cast notes: First recurring appearances of Joshuah Noah Snel (Marshall), Stacy Snyder (Mandy) and Beau Sia (Stranger). | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | ""Who's Miss Bliss?"" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | November 1, 2016 | |
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Alexander uncovers mysterious details about Sunji's past. Sunji meets with a director about a potential role. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of performer Dorothy Dandridge. Cast notes: First recurring appearance of Stanley Wong (Erwin). | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Millennial Gay" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | November 1, 2016 | |
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The Dudes try to use their expertise in picking up women to give Zario confidence to get back into the gay dating scene. Jay's positive he's going to win the bet, which causes Ellington to devise ways to up the stakes. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of writer and activist James Baldwin. Cast notes: First appearances of Olivia Thai (Eagle). Thai would be upgraded to lead with the very next episode. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The First Straw" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | November 15, 2016 | |
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Zario goes out on the first date of the bet, with a nervous suitor chosen by an equally nervous Alexander. Ellington reveals that he has plans to marry Mandy. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of Eddie Aikau. Cast notes: First recurring appearances of Dickie Hearts (Chance), Nicko Sabado (Lando), and Jeffrey Jay Soto (Mick). | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Americano" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | November 22, 2016 | |
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The Dudes discuss gender, sexuality, and marriage over coffee. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of Vincent Chin. Cast notes: First recurring appearances of Aria Song (December) and Chelsea Gray (Ty). | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "They Call It Falling for a Reason" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Jeremy Sinclair | December 4, 2016 | |
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While out on a date with Eagle's pick for the bet, Zario reminisces about his relationship with Shane (Cesar Cipriano). Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of Jason Raize. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "All-American Type" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | December 5, 2016 | |
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Zario takes pictures for a podcast, where a group of industry performers discuss the state of Asian American representation in filmmaking. Sunji, Jay, and Alexander battle a spider. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of Sessue Hayakawa. Cast notes: First recurring appearances by Dion Basco, Chance Calloway and Carlin James, all of whom would not appear again until the second season. First recurring appearance by Leo Lam (Gregory). | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Dem Genes" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | December 13, 2016 | |
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Jay's cousin stops through town in the middle of the night and Jay drags Zario along to meet him. Ellington's proposal to Mandy gets interrupted when she presents a proposition of her own. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of brothers George and Willie Muse. Cast notes: First of two guest appearances by Michael Bow (Genie). | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Three Dinners" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | December 20, 2016 | |
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Eagle finally convinces Rock to have the Dudes over at their place. Sunji puts a plan into motion in hopes of getting Jerrica back. Zario goes on date number five, but runs into Chance again. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of electronic engineer Gerald "Jerry" Lawson. Cast notes: First recurring appearance by Kevin Young. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "How We Break" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | February 14, 2017 | |
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Zario and his date grow a deeper connection. Eagle and Rock's prank war escalates uncomfortably. Sunji's attempts to woo Jerrica backfire. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of writer Qiu Miaojin. | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Level Up" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | February 14, 2017 | |
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The Dudes decide to focus their energy on fitness over romance, but Alexander and Eagle both find potential love connections at the coffee shop. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of Hazel Ying Lee. Cast notes: First recurring appearance by Clifford Cisneros (Zach). | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "Bedfellows" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | February 28, 2017 | |
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In the course of one night Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of songwriter Howard Ashman. | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | "Healthy Competition" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | March 7, 2017 | |
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Zario gives Mr. Seventeen a redo date, but memories of his past relationships threaten to sour the mood. 'Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of performer Eartha Kitt. | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Tastes Like Finger" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Bryan Michael Nuñez | March 14, 2017 | |
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Zario gives Mr. Seventeen a redo date, but memories of his past relationships threaten to sour the mood. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of LGBT advocate Blake Brockington. | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | "Dude Dares" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Tony Garbanzos | March 21, 2017 | |
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Tensions rise with a high stakes game of Truth or Dare. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of boxer Muhammad Ali. | ||||||
| 18 | 18 | "Liminal Spaces" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | March 28, 2017 | |
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Zario decides who wins the bet as all the Dudes congregate at Eagle and Rock's place. Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of writer Essex Hemphill. Cast notes: This episode marks the final appearance of Beau Sia as Stranger. | ||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Where the Music's Strong, the Drinks Are Loud" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | April 4, 2017 | |
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Zario and Marshall go out to celebrate the end of the bet, and the night Episode notes: Dedicated in memory of Calloway's older brother Travis Parker Johnson. Episode title is pulled from the 1989 Patti LaBelle song "Still in Love." Cast notes: This episode marks the final appearances of Tae Song (Jay), Olivia Thai (Eagle), Tony Garbanzos (Patrick), and Jeffrey Jay Soto (Mick). | ||||||
Season 2
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 21 22 | 1 2 3 | "The Death of Romeo" (triple-length season premiere) | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen FlickIt Presents! The Death of Romeo written by Vince Cruz | March 17, 2020 | |
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The Dudes are back, and there are big changes. The Gomez brothers have moved in with Sunji, Alexander, and Zario in a new house. Sunji and Zario don't seem to be getting along, and Alexander starts a beef with Kish, the tenant who lives in Sunji's basement. The Dudes throw a fateful housewarming party. Episode notes: Dedicated to the memory of Spencer Williams. Cast notes: Joshuah Noah Snel (Marshall) becomes a regular cast member. First appearances of regular Christian Olivo (Cassian) and first recurring appearance of Manny Shih as Boaz. | ||||||
| 23 | 4 | "Amnesty Night" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen | TBA | |
| 24 | 5 | "Jack of All Shades" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | TBA | |
| 25 | 6 | "Chicos Lindos" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen | TBA | |
| 26 | 7 | "Meat Cute" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen | TBA | |
| 27 | 8 | "Set Phasers to Ho" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | TBA | |
| 28 29 | 9 10 | "Gobble Gobble (Part 1) Cake Responsibly (Part 2)" | Chance Calloway Gerry Maravilla | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen | TBA | |
| 30 | 11 | "Merc'd" | Chance Calloway | Andrea Lee | TBA | |
| 31 | 12 | "Spectrum" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen | TBA | |
| 32 | 13 | "Untitled Sunji Spencer Project" | Stanley Wong | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen | TBA | |
| 33 | 14 | "Deus Sex Machina" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen | TBA | |
| 34 | 15 | "Present Tense" | Heather Matarazzo[5] | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen | TBA | |
| 35 | 16 | "Arm Candy" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | TBA | |
| 36 | 17 | "Dick Pics, Flicks & Fucktangles" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen FlickIt Presents! The Death of Romeo written by Vince Cruz | TBA | |
| 37 | 18 | "Ken Dahl" | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway & Christopher Edelen | TBA | |
| 38 39 | 19 20 | "The Friends We Became" (double-length season finale) | Chance Calloway | C.S.R. Calloway | TBA | |
Soundtrack
Season 1
- How We Break ("Pretty Dudes" Anthem) by Matt Almodiel, Chance Calloway and Peter Su[6]
- Overthinking by COAH
- Man Made Mess by Tim Be Told[7]
- Invisible World (Disappear) by Paul Dateh[8]
- Stuck On You by Marc Hightower[9]
- What You Have by Nathan Ray Penland[10]
- Old-Fashioned Love by Peter Su
- Underneath by Brandyn Burnette[11]
- Wasted by Tim Be Told
- Orion by Ryan Mitchell Grey
- Change the World by Sivan Levi
- Santa Barbara by Peter Su[12]
Season 2
- How We Break (A.J. Sealy Remix) by Matt Almodiel, Chance Calloway and Peter Su
- Nobody Freakin' by Megan Vice[13]
Short films and other media
Pretty Dudes: Caught Gay-Handed
Caught Gay-Handed was the very first Pretty Dudes-related project, released April 30, 2017.
How We Break ("Pretty Dudes" Anthem)
Chance Calloway and Gerry Maravilla co-directed the Malibu-set music video for the series anthem. Featuring Nuñez in an unnamed role implied to be Zario, other cast members also appear in the video alongside the song's singers Matt Almodiel, Calloway and Peter Su.[14]
Pretty Dudes: The Double Entendre
Containing two episodes, "Bravo Double Delta" and "Brother's Keeper," this short was co-written by all of the season 2 writers, Chance Calloway, Christopher Edelen, and Andrea Lee.
This short doesn't seem to be in canon with the actual plot of season 2. Among other things, The Dude House is a different location, singer Tanerélle plays Kish (actress Tiffany Commons has been cast in the same role for season two), and Sammy Cantu plays a character named Aza Keeper, where his season two character is named Ken Dahl.[15]
Reception
Critical reception
The show's first season received a positive response from critics who mostly praised its diversity and inclusive storylines. Philip Hernandez of Black Talent TV called Pretty Dudes "a one a kind web series."[18] Asyiqin Haron of Geeks of Color called the show "incredibly diverse," highlighting the "great storytelling."[19] It was listed as one of "9 Dope, Black Web Series To Dive into for the Summer" by Shadow and Act, called "extraordinary" and "the rare series that showcases nuanced friendship between gay and straight men" by Jordan Simon who went on to add, "If you love Noah's Arc, you will enjoy this.".[20] While noting that Pretty Dudes seemed "created for the gay male and female gaze," Devin Randall complimented the "truly fleshed out story" in a review for Instinct Magazine.[21] RIZEup Magazine called the series "trendsetting."[22] In a negative review, queerguru said the series has a "lightweight plot" "intended to be watched only by other millenials."[23]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Awards | Category | Recipients | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | NYPS Awards | Best Series | Pretty Dudes | Won | [24] |
| Best Performance by an Ally | Xavier Avila | Won | |||
| 2018 | Asians on Film Festival of Shorts | Best Music Video | How We Break ("Pretty Dudes" Anthem) | Won | [25] |
| 2019 | LGBTQ Shorts Film Festival | Best LGBTQ Short | Pretty Dudes: The Double Entendre | Nominated | [26] |
| Comedy Shorts Film Festival | Best Comedy Short | Pending | [27] | ||
References
- Casino, Khier (November 23, 2016). "New 'Magic Mike' Parody Will Have a Cast of All Sexy Asian Men". NextShark. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- Amazon Video: Pretty Dudes. Retrieved July 1, 2019
- Stoopid Ambitious: Pretty Dudes. Retrieved December 24, 2019
- Nepales, Ruben. "A Fil-Am actor's life: Cesar Cipriano". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- "Heather Matarazzo joins webseries Pretty Dudes as director". July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- Stoopid Ambitious Productions (October 13, 2019). "How We Break (Pretty Dudes Anthem)". Vimeo OTT. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- Tim Be Told (May 1, 2014). "Tim Be Told - Man Made Mess (FULL AUDIO) - Official Music Video". YouTube. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- Paul Dateh (October 23, 2016). "Paul Dateh - Invisible World (Disappear) - Official Music Video". YouTube. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- Marc Hightower (January 14, 2017). "Marc Hightower - Stuck On You". YouTube. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- Nathan Ray Penland (August 14, 2017). "What You Have - Nathan Ray Penland". YouTube. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- EMAN8 (July 6, 2016). "Brandyn Burnette - Underneath". YouTube. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- petersumusic (January 19, 2017). "Santa Barbara - Peter Su [Official Music Video]". YouTube. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- Megan Vice (March 18, 2018). "Megan Vice - Nobody Freakin' (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
- "Matt Almodiel, Chance Calloway and Peter Su – How We Break ("Pretty Dudes" Anthem)". Retrieved July 14, 2019 – via YouTube.
- Borama, Jennifer (June 30, 2019). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Tanerélle". TVOvermind. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085PXN912/
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40623794-pretty-dudes
- Hernandez, Philip. "LOOK WHO'S NEXT: Pretty Dudes". Black Talent TV. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- Haron, Asyiqin (January 14, 2017). "'Pretty Dudes' Web Series by Chance Calloway [Review]". Geeks of Color. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- Simon, Jordan (June 13, 2018). "9 Dope, Black Web Series To Dive into for the Summer". Shadow and Act. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- Randall, Devin (June 6, 2018). ""Pretty Dudes" Is An LGBTQ Web Series With Hot Guys, Diverse Storytelling, And A Lot of Heart". Instinct Magazine. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- "50 Trendsetters To Watch #37: "Pretty Dudes"". March 15, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- "Pretty Dudes: a web series for other pretty dudes". October 31, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- "2017 NYPS Network Awards". December 27, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- "Asians on Film Festival of Shorts 2018 – AWARD WINNERS". January 29, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- "AUDIENCE AWARDS PRESENTS 2019 LGBTQ SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL". Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- "AUDIENCE AWARDS PRESENTS 2019 COMEDY SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL". Retrieved May 16, 2019.
External links
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