PRESS RELEASE  - ANGEL HEADS TO FESTIVALS

ANGEL - PRESS RELEASE - MARCH 2025

"ANGEL" – A Darkly Humorous Exploration of Family, Grief, and Redemption Shot in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA – March 1, 2025 – ANGEL, the latest short film from writer-director Anna Koukouli Born, offers a heartfelt and darkly comedic exploration of grief, family dynamics, and the messy process of forgiveness. Shot entirely on location in Los Angeles, the film tells the story of a Californian family confronting loss, alcoholism, and the legacies of military service. Through a poignant blend of humor and raw emotion, ANGEL paints an honest picture of familial love, pain, and resilience.

Inspired by Koukouli Born’s own experiences, the story expands beyond her personal journey to explore universal themes of loss and reconciliation. “The characters in ANGEL are based but aren’t exact mirrors of my family,” she explains. “But they reflect the emotional truths many families face when dealing with grief and unresolved trauma. The mix of humor and heartache captures the contradictions of life—it’s painful and absurd all at once.”

FROM THERAPY TO THE SCREEN

The idea for ANGEL began as a therapeutic exercise during grief counseling. What started as a cathartic writing project eventually turned into a full-fledged screenplay. Koukouli Born credits her friend and collaborator Rachael Hip-Flores with pushing to bring the project to life.

“Rachael and I were having a casual conversation about family stories when the topic shifted to my father’s passing,” she recalls. “She said, ‘You need to write this as a script.’ When I told her I already had, her eyes lit up, and suddenly, the possibility of making this film felt very real.”

Hip-Flores, who plays the film’s lead character Elvira, was immediately drawn to the project. “I’m a sucker for dark comedies. I’m a sucker for complicated family dynamics. And I’m a sucker for working with my friends. This movie was basically a custom-built Rachael-trap,” she says.

Together, Koukouli Born and Hip-Flores worked for months to shape Elvira, who is both inspired by Anna and distinct as her own character. “Elvira never doubts or second guesses herself, which I love, but it took some time to get my head around that trait in her harsher moments. I can be a big old softie and usually assume I’m in the wrong if someone is upset. Elvira is never wrong, as far as she is concerned!” Hip-Flores, who comes from a diverse Cuban-Asian-White American background, channeled elements of her heritage into the character, infused with a touch of Greek temperament under Koukouli Born’s direction.

The film also stars Jarrod Bogan as Jake, Elvira’s younger brother, and Nicole Ansari-Cox as Sarah, their mother. Bogan, an actor-director and long-time collaborator of Koukouli Born, gives a nuanced performance as a duty-driven Navy sailor who evolves from stoic avoidance to becoming a partner in his sister’s shenanigans.

Casting Ansari-Cox was a serendipitous turn of events. Koukouli Born had admired Ansari-Cox’s acting and activism for years but initially doubted she would join the project. “When we were crowdfunding for ANGEL, I sent Nicole the link, hoping she might support us,” Koukouli Born recalls. “But after our first round of casting, I kept thinking about her. Finally, I said to myself, ‘She’d never go for it,’ but I sent her the script anyway.”

To her delight, Ansari-Cox responded enthusiastically. “She was in London at the time, and I woke up to a message saying, ‘This is a beautiful script, and I’d be happy to be part of it.’ I couldn’t believe it.”

BUILDING A PASSIONATE TEAM

Behind the camera, Koukouli Born assembled a team of dedicated collaborators who shared her passion for the story. Producers Jon Akkawi and Ann Allsopp brought their unique perspectives and expertise to the project, helping to bring ANGEL to life.

“I was attracted to the project because I could easily relate to the themes of grief and family dysfunction and loved the specific dark comedic take on them,” Akkawi shares. “It was also an opportunity to work alongside a diverse BIPOC and LGBTQ+ cast and crew, all led by a talented woman writer-director whose voice and vision I wanted to support and amplify.”

Allsopp explains further, “Anna and I have been internet friends for years, so I was thrilled to finally get to work with her and this incredible team to bring an important family story to life,” she says. “I’m a big fan of dark comedies, and I love the way ANGEL explores the complex (and sometimes comedic) nature of grief and family dynamics.”

Koukouli Born explains the recipe for making things happen: “I have so much gratitude for everyone involved,” she says. “Our crew has been phenomenal when it came to executing my vision but also supporting the project any way they could. I am forever grateful to them. The post production team, all friends or friends of friends, have been meticulous and sharp in making this film look the best it possibly can. Our Executive Producers have been generous and caring, checking in with us every step of the journey to make sure we have everything we need. Our crowdfunding contributors have been our guardian Angels! Finally, my husband, Stefan Born, not only EPed the film but also the composer, created a stunning score for the film which is a beautiful tribute to his father in law. Everything came together because of professionalism but also love and passion for the project.”

ROOTED IN LOS ANGELES

Filmed entirely on location in Los Angeles, ANGEL captures the authenticity of its setting. Key scenes take place in the historic West Adams neighborhood and the scenic Kenneth Hahn Park, both of which add a distinct cultural and visual identity to the film.

“West Adams is quintessential Los Angeles,” Koukouli Born says. “When my friend and cast member Brenda Cisneros offered her home as a filming location, it felt like the perfect fit. It allowed us to celebrate a piece of LA and a culture that has become, and will always remain, a part of me.”

The church location is the stunning McCarty Memorial Christian Church, also located in the heart of the West Adams neighborhood. “The McCarty people have been exceptionally accommodating and generous with their space and time, helping us complete our shoot successfully,” Jon Akkawi explains. “We appreciate them and this special place, which has added so much production value to our film,” Anna adds.

The cemetery scenes were originally planned for the Los Angeles National Cemetery, but the team faced significant hurdles after the VA denied their permit. “They said the portrayal of a deceased veteran as an alcoholic didn’t honor veterans’ memories,” Koukouli Born explains. Given her own family’s history this moment had a profound effect on her “It was frustrating and ironic. They literally have homeless alcoholic veterans in tents outside their office windows, and this is their issue?” she recalls saying.

The team pivoted, transforming Kenneth Hahn Park’s idyllic Viewpoint into a convincing military cemetery. “We added small flags and tiles to mimic Memorial Day decorations, and it worked beautifully,” she says. “People keep asking where this military cemetery is in LA.”

SHEDDING LIGHT ON VETERANS AND ALCOHOLISM

At its heart, ANGEL delves into the impact of alcoholism on military families. Veterans often turn to alcohol to cope with PTSD, depression, and the challenges of transitioning back to civilian life. This struggle leaves a lasting impact on their loved ones, a reality Koukouli Born knows firsthand.

“My father was a retired Navy officer who struggled with mental health and addiction—an all-too-common story among veterans,” she explains. “This film is my way of addressing those struggles but also showing the ripple effects on the families, too. For us, everything came crashing down when my father died.” She recalls a poignant moment with her brother: “He asked me, ‘Why are you so set on putting the beer in his coffin? You fought him your whole life to quit drinking.’ My answer was simple—‘Because now, it doesn’t matter anymore.’ At this point, it was all about forgiveness and healing.” she adds.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Having concluded production in November 2024, the ANGEL team is now in festival fever. “We’re submitting to a diverse mix of film festivals across North America and internationally,” Akkawi says. “We can’t wait to share this story with audiences and see how it resonates.”

ABOUT THE CHARACTERS

The Gutierrez family, though fictional, reflects the very real struggles faced by many families dealing with the impact of alcoholism, especially within military communities:
Elvira Gutierrez, the eldest daughter, has distanced herself from her father's alcoholism, but she cannot escape the emotional scars it left behind.
Jake Gutierrez, her younger brother, is a Navy sailor who has always felt like he was never enough in his father’s eyes.
Sarah Gutierrez, their mother, is a volatile figure who endured her husband's alcoholism, often by ignoring the problem or lashing out, leaving her children with unresolved anger toward her.
Bruna Gutierrez-Mendez, wife to Jake and probably the only completely sane and reliable person in this family.
Steve Rowland, husband to Elvira, solid as a rock and tolerant to the Gutierrez family shenanigans.

CREDITS

CAST

Elvira - Rachael Hip-Flores
Jake - Jarrod Bogan
Sarah - Nicole Ansari-Cox
Bruna - Brenda Cisneros
Steve - Peter Rambo
Family Friend #1 - Rohit Thawani 

Family Friend #2 - Helga Fontánez 

Mourner - Melissa Turkington 

Mourner - Nancy Frazen

Mourner - Mark McCray 

Mourner - Rashidi Jackson 

Mourner - Andrea Rodriguez 

Officer - Marcus Rucks Officer - Matt Betti
Sailor - Anthony Taylor 

Sailor - Hernán Angulo 

Veteran - Stefan Born

CREW

Writer/Director: Anna Koukouli Born DP: Molly Farrell White
Editor: Nancy Frazen
Composer: Stefan Born
1st AC: Cass Chang 2nd AC: Valery Li 2nd AC: B
Gaffer: Kyle Gill

Key Grip: Anzen Kennedy
Grip: Seamus Curley
Grip: Matt Larson
Production Sound Engineer: Noah Lerner 

Script Supervisor: Natalie Sayth

1st AD: Matt Betti
Production Assistant: Sofia Braid 

Production Assistant: Yusuf Arifin 

MUA: Luna Imagawa
Costumes: Venk Modur 

Production Design: Mark McCray 

Casting: Helga Fontánez 

Associate Editor: Anna Rose Price 

Titles Designer: Julia Griffin
VFX Artist: Zeke Faust
Colorist: Iris Devins
Online Editor: Jeff Sawdon

Producers

Producer: Jonathan T. Akkawi 

Producer: Ann Allsopp
Producer: Melissa Turkington 

Producer: Rolando Joseph Herrera 

Executive Producer: Tulin Ozturk 

Executive Producer: Stefan Born 

Executive Producer: Jerry Sun 

Co-Producer: Witold Siwanowicz 

Co-Producer: Peter Kopecky

Co-Producer: Saraubh Kotkar 

Co-Producer: Neha Kotkar 

Associate Producer: Emma Colgate 

Associate Producer: Ted Colgate 

Associate Producer: Shauna Joy

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Anna Koukouli Born is a bicoastal writer-director splitting her time between NY and LA.
She explores women's stories, dysfunctional families, unbearable workplaces, social inequality and climate-caused disasters set in the near future. Drawing from her Greek history and heritage, she loves allegorical cautionary tales of strong tragic characters trying to overcome the adversity of the world around them and inside their heads in the dark hour of the soul. Sometimes they’re absolved. Sometimes they come down crushing.
She’s also obsessed with women’s rights and gender parity. Her humor is darker than yours. She bets on it.
Anna studied Story Analysis and TV Development at UCLA Extension and holds a BA (Hons) Marketing and an MBA from the British Universities of Lincoln and Liverpool, respectively. Anna’s first short film APPRAISAL has screened at the 23rd Beverly Hills Film Festival and Santa Barbara International Shorts Film Fest.
ANGEL is currently in the film festival circuit, while a third film of hers “Don’t Forget To Brush Your Hair” is in post.

For more information, interviews, or to schedule a screening of ANGEL, please contact: 

Anna Koukouli Born - Writer/Director - anna@annakoukouli.com

Jon T. Akkawi - Producer - jakkawistudios@gmail.com
 

ANGEL is a production of Lilifornia Diaries Productions, Bougie Arabs Entertainment, in association with We Make Movies.

Follow us on social media:

IG: angel.theshort
IG: annakoukouliborn
IG: Bougiearabsentertainment

INTERVIEW WITH BOLD JOURNEY

We were lucky to catch up with Anna Koukouli Born recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
As the saying goes “The strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire.” And I’ve lived to confirm this is true. Joke aside, it took a while but I have come to acknowledge that bad things are a matter of life, adversity and hardship are as common as the clouds in the sky. So in the end we all have to wake up and start all over again every single day. My family and I have gone through some really hard and really crazy stuff, like a life threatening accident my mom went through, loss of properties and wealth through a con artist uncle, my dad’s alcoholism, another property loss due to a lethal earthquake in 1999… lately I was diagnosed with breast cancer – all good, early detection saves lives, y’all!
My point is, if I’d let all the depression, financial instability, desperation after each situation like this take over my life, I’d be really and utterly lost. Hard things happen to everyone. It’s our ability to recognize the situation and pick ourselves up and walk again that makes the difference.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Writing is a very isolating endeavour, a lonely thankless act, so I get very excited when I’m on set directing. It’s my happy place, the moment when I get in “the zone” in a way that it feels part of my nature. I’ve been using my set time to explore the female state of mind through a hyperrealism lens, and I’m about to engage on a dysfunctional family story about two adult siblings that try to sneak their alcoholic father’s unfinished beer into his coffin.
You can read more about it here and also contribute to our project if it tickles your interest: https://seedandspark.com/fund/angel-2#story

I love dark dramas, but also the release dark comedy brings.
And of course I’m pitching my writing around LA for both features and TV series.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Curiosity, Resilience, Imagination.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I think it’s the Devil and Miss Prym that did it for me by Coelho. It is a story about money, temptation, and choosing the right side. Morality is always hanging from the thin tiny thread and we are all everyday faced with challenges that ask us this: do the right thing.
I’ve seen too many times in life, in sports, in business, people cutting corners, bribing their way up, backstabbing others and all the expressions of tempting opportunities to leap ahead of others, and I’m convinced that in every given moment in our lives we face choices that when are drilled down to the basics have to do with our moral compass.
The Devil and Miss Prym raises all those questions of morals with sharp dilemmas and profound intensity in its characters and I believe it’s one of those books that make people better.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @annakoukouliborn

• Twitter: @akoukouli