Ursula Ellis Wins $50,000 Curated Short Film Production Grant With Her Wonderful Project “ARLENE IN 5B”
Stowe Story Labs is pleased to announce the award of the 2026 $50,000 Curated Short Film Production Grant to Ursula Ellis for her script “Arlene in 5B.”
Ellis is the writer and will direct the short. The grant is to support the development, production, and distribution of the film.
“Arlene in 5B” is a darkly comedic drama centered on New York septuagenarian Arlene’s daily routine of “doing the research,” terrorizing her AA group, and harassing service workers - upended by the arrival of party-girl neighbor Audrey. But when Audrey brings home an unexpected pet, an even more unexpected bond is formed.
Short Film Grant Winner, Writer/Director Ursula Ellis
Ellis is a Los Angeles-based writer-director whose work explores outsiders on the margins through regional and genre elements. Her films have screened at festivals including Fantasia, HollyShorts, Woodstock, and Mill Valley, and her work has been supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. She previously developed a feature adaptation of her Hulu short “Occupational Hazard” with 20th Digital Studio / Disney.“Arlene in 5B” serves as a companion short to her feature “Untitled Turtle Movie,” in development with producers Ben Gojer (“$Positions,” SXSW '25) and Katie White (“Imaginal Disk,” Tribeca '26).
Independent Spirit Award-winning producer Liz Cardenas will serve as lead mentor on the project and will administer the $50,000 grant.
Ellis said, "’Arlene in 5B’ was inspired by my real-life neighbor 'Lee,' a force to be reckoned with who deepened my understanding that community is not always something we choose - it is more often something we inherit through proximity, circumstance, and an openness to the world around us. I am honored that Stowe Story Labs is supporting this film and helping us share a small part of Lee’s story. I know she would have been thrilled - distinctly critical, but thrilled.”
“Ursula has a strong voice and has written a powerful, inter-generational story that will resonate,” said David Rocchio, founder and director of Stowe. “We are honored to be funding Ursula’s project and excited to work with her and her team,” he said.
Stowe Story Labs is also pleased to award two honororable mentions through this process:
Writer JLee Mackenzie and Director Molly Karna with the script “Felix” and
Writer and director Ayla Amano with the script “Hold Tight”
The Award includes a $50,000 curated grant, mentoring available through Stowe Story Labs, and benefits including a discounted ARRI camera package; a complimentary Film Fatales membership for qualifying filmmakers; a consultation with Seed&Spark on crowdfunding, pitching, and distribution; and the winning film will be screened as a "spotlight" film during the annual Slamdance Film Festival. To learn about all of the benefits, please visit https://stowestorylabs.org/short-film-production-grant.
You can learn more about the project here.
_____
ABOUT THE SHORT FILM GRANT COMPETITION JURY
Stowe would like to thank the Short Film Production Grant Jury:
Ciara Appelbe: Creative Producer and Head of Development of O’Sullivan Productions (“Vikings”);
Shari Lynette Carpenter: Writer/Director, (“Queen Sugar”, “Single Black Female”);
Melody Cooper: Award-winning Playwright and Screenwriter (“Law & Order: SVU”);
Ali Doyle: Producer and Development Executive (“Kneecap”);
Madison Egan: Writer and Film Programmer;
Katerina Eichenberger: Stowe Director of Admissions and Enrollment, Actress and Producer (“The Great Lillian Hall”);
Darrien Michele Gipson, Creative Producer and Executive Director of SAGindie;
Joe Jeffreys: Creative Producer and Development Executive;
Kristin Overn, Creative Producer and PAGE International Screenwriting Awards Executive Director;
David Pope: Screenwriter/Filmmaker and Stowe Co-Founder;
David Rocchio, Screenwriter/Filmmaker and Stowe Founder and Director;
Irene Soriano: Film Curator & Festival Programmer, Sundance Film Festival
ABOUT STOWE STORY LABS
Stowe Story Labs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping top emerging and established screenwriters, filmmakers, and creative producers develop skills and projects. Stowe’s mission is to help advance their community members’ work, and through that to bend the world a bit through story. Learn more about Stowe’s Labs, Retreats, Writing Programs, and Grant Programs at stowestorylabs.org.
