About:
Director and Writer
Searit Kahsay Huluf (pronounced SA-AH-DEE KAH-SAI HU-LOOF) was born in Fresno, California, and raised in Los Angeles. She developed a deep love for storytelling early on and went on to study screenwriting and animation at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television.
After graduation, she moved to the Bay Area to join Pixar Animation Studios, where she contributed to major projects including Incredibles 2 and Turning Red. Outside of Pixar, she wrote and directed a range of live-action and documentary short films, including BARK!, buna, GAMERS, Exploring Blackness, and 19th Amendment Doc. Her films have screened at renowned festivals such as SXSW, SFFILM, HollyShorts, Frameline, Cinequest, CAAMFest, and the Pan African Film Festival.
Searit creative voice caught the attention of Pixar President Jim Morris, who invited her to join the studio’s SparkShorts program. She directed Self, an Oscar-qualifying stop-motion short now streaming on Disney+. The film earned her a 2025 NAACP Image Award nomination, a place on Variety’s “Top 10 Animators to Watch” list in 2024, and the Gold Short Film Award at the Collision Awards that same year. She also participated in the 2023 Women in Animation Mentorship Program, where Mark Osborne, co-director of Kung Fu Panda, mentored her.
Searit served as a Film Festival Jury Member for SIGGRAPH 2025, where she reviewed over 130 animated short films and helped select the festival’s top winners. She has also led international filmmaking and writing workshops at the Annecy Film Festival, Animae Caribe in Trinidad, and the 24 Frames Festival in Bologna.
She is currently directing an immersive play for the Bay Area Singapore Festival, celebrating Singapore’s 60th anniversary of independence. She serves as a juror for Voices With Impact, a film festival and grant initiative supporting stories centered on mental health.
Workshop:
Funding Your Own Short Film: From Idea to Festival Premiere
Are you ready to make your short film but unsure how to finance it, build the right team, or navigate the festival circuit? This hands-on workshop is designed for independent filmmakers who are ready to take control of their projects and bring their stories to life without waiting for permission. Whether you’re a first-time director or a seasoned storyteller preparing your next short, this session will walk you through the practical, strategic, and creative realities of funding and launching an independent film.
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