may i put you on hold?
About:
LOGLINE:
While battling the absurdity of telephone customer service, Liz is unexpectedly transferred to the Afterlife, only to find it’s just as a bureaucratic mess as Earth. Now, stuck between death and hold music, Liz must figure out what really matters to get home.
ABOUT:
In 2019, after taking the festival circuit by storm with my award-winning short Zombie Debt, I was eager to dive into my next project, May I Put You On Hold. I kicked off casting in early 2020, and then—well, you know the rest. The pandemic hit, and like so many other things in our lives, May I Put You On Hold got put on hold. The irony is not lost on me.
But as time passed, the film took on a much deeper meaning. In early 2021, I unexpectedly lost my father. Due to COVID restrictions, I hadn’t seen him in over a year and wasn’t able to be by his side in the hospital. Instead, I spent his final moments with him over the phone, wishing I had called more often.
Because of this, the film’s message—that life is fleeting, that we have to stop putting our lives on hold and tell the people we love how much they mean to us—hits closer to home than ever. And I know I’m not alone in that feeling. After everything the world has been through these past few years, I believe so many of us can relate to Liz when she finally picks up the phone to call her mom. Now more than ever, this story needs to be told.
But the world also needs to laugh. As a comedy storyteller, I love to explore deep, meaningful themes while finding the humor in them. That’s what I love most about this script—how it reminds us that even in the hardest moments, we can still find something to laugh about. My father taught me that, with his deep love for both film and comedy.
As a female director, I’m also committed to creating opportunities for other women and non-binary filmmakers. I know firsthand how challenging it can be to break into this industry, so I make it my mission to foster inclusive sets. I’m proud to share that 80% of our cast and crew are women, including our cinematographer, Becky Davis. In fact, all key creative positions above the line—aside from writer Ryan Self—were filled by women.
Technology has made it easier than ever to connect, yet it still takes a conscious choice to reach out. My biggest hope with this film is to remind people to pick up the phone and call their loved ones—because every day we have with them is a gift.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
https://www.mayiputyouonhold.com/
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS:
Outstanding Achievement Award (Comedy Short), IndieX Film Festival 2025
Best Narrative Short Nomination, Gig Harbor Film Festival 2025
Best US Short Nomination, Catalina Film Festival 2025
Best Comedy Nomination, SIMI Film Festival 2025
Best of Ventura County Nomination, SIMI Film Festival 2025
Semifinalist, Shore Scripts Finishing Fund 2025
Semifinalist, ScreenCraft Film Fund Fall 2022
Coverfly, The Red List #9 in Comedy Short
Coverfly, Top Overall 10% in 2023
Coverfly, Top 20 of the month in Comedy Shorts in 2022
FILM FESTIVAL SELECTIONS:
California Women’s Film Festival - 2026
Worldwide Women’s Film Festival - 2026
Cambria Film Festival - 2026
Utah Film Festival - 2026
Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema - 2025
NewFilmmakers NY Film Festival - 2025
Another Hole In The Head Film Festival - 2025
Anchorage International Film Festival - 2025
IndieX Film Festival - 2025
Ojai Film Festival - 2025
Coronado Island Film Festival - 2025
Newport Beach Film Festival - 2025
Catalina Film Festival - 2025
Gig Harbor Film Festival - 2025
Breck Film Festival - 2025
DC Shorts Film Festival - 2025
SIMI Film Festival - 2025
HollyShorts Film Festival - 2025
Iron Mule Short Comedy Film Festival - 2025
BraveMaker Film Festival - 2025
