Zeenat And The Men Who Give Her Pause
New York City
Project Details
ZEENAT AND THE MEN WHO GIVE HER PAUSE is a narrative short film written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Richa Rudola (Cow Heavy And Floral). The film follows Zeenat, a South Asian woman in midlife who has quietly receded into the background of her own life. When an unexpected connection with a younger colleague makes her feel seen again, it awakens a part of herself she thought had disappeared. Intimate and gently humorous, the film explores desire, invisibility, menopause, and self-reclamation.
Roles For This Project
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Short Film
DAVID
$200
Man
New York City
40 - 60
SAG-AFTRA, Short Film
Short Film
Submissions Due:
10/23/2026
DAVID — OFFICE MANAGER (Male, 40s–50s, any race/ethnicity) Zeenat's manager at a corporate office. Professional, self-assured, and accustomed to being in charge, David embodies the everyday rhythms and hierarchies of the workplace. His authority feels casual and effortless rather than intimidating.
-
Short Film
RUMI
$300
Man
New York City
18 - 28
SAG-AFTRA, Short Film
Short Film
Submissions Due:
10/17/2026
Zeenat’s college-aged son. Bright, perceptive, and emotionally attuned, Rumi has the easy affection of a son who loves his mother but is beginning to see her as a person beyond her role in the family. Home from college, he notices subtle shifts others miss and, with a simple question, prompts Zeenat... [See More]
-
Short Film
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL WOMAN
$175
Woman
New York City
24 - 35
SAG-AFTRA, Short Film
Short Film
Submissions Due:
10/25/2026
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL WOMEN — 2 ROLES (Female, 20s–early 30s, any race/ethnicity) Two stylish, confident young professionals in Zeenat’s workplace. Contemporary, self-possessed, and completely at ease taking up space, they represent the younger world moving around Zeenat as she becomes increasingly con... [See More]
-
Short Film
Renee
$175
Woman
New York City
7 - 9
SAG-AFTRA, Short Film
Short Film
Submissions Due:
10/23/2026
RENEE (Female, plays 6–7, Mixed East Asian/White) Peter and Rose’s six-year-old daughter. Bright, affectionate, and completely at ease with her parents, Renee has the natural curiosity and unfiltered energy of a young child. Her presence gives us a glimpse into Peter’s warm, lived-in family life and... [See More]
-
Short Film
Peter
$300-$400
Man
New York City
30 - 42
SAG-AFTRA, Short Film
Short Film
Submissions Due:
10/16/2026
PETER (Male, 30s to early-40s, East Asian or mixed East Asian) NYC local hire preferred. A thoughtful, emotionally intelligent professional with an easy warmth that makes people feel seen. Kind, curious, and quietly confident, Peter forms an unexpected friendship with an older colleague, Zeenat, th... [See More]
Similar Roles
Roles For This Project
-
Submissions Due:
10/23/2026
DAVID — OFFICE MANAGER (Male, 40s–50s, any race/ethnicity) Zeenat's manager at a corporate office. Professional, self-assured, and accustomed to being in charge, David embodies the everyday rhythms and hierarchies of the workplace. His authority feels casual and effortless rather than intimidating.
-
Submissions Due:
10/17/2026
Zeenat’s college-aged son. Bright, perceptive, and emotionally attuned, Rumi has the easy affection of a son who loves his mother but is beginning to see her as a person beyond her role in the family. Home from college, he notices subtle shifts others miss and, with a simple question, prompts Zeenat... [See More]
-
Submissions Due:
10/25/2026
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL WOMEN — 2 ROLES (Female, 20s–early 30s, any race/ethnicity) Two stylish, confident young professionals in Zeenat’s workplace. Contemporary, self-possessed, and completely at ease taking up space, they represent the younger world moving around Zeenat as she becomes increasingly con... [See More]
-
Submissions Due:
10/23/2026
RENEE (Female, plays 6–7, Mixed East Asian/White) Peter and Rose’s six-year-old daughter. Bright, affectionate, and completely at ease with her parents, Renee has the natural curiosity and unfiltered energy of a young child. Her presence gives us a glimpse into Peter’s warm, lived-in family life and... [See More]
-
Submissions Due:
10/16/2026
PETER (Male, 30s to early-40s, East Asian or mixed East Asian) NYC local hire preferred. A thoughtful, emotionally intelligent professional with an easy warmth that makes people feel seen. Kind, curious, and quietly confident, Peter forms an unexpected friendship with an older colleague, Zeenat, th... [See More]