On Monday, September 29, 2025, the Landmark Westwood Theatre rolled out the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of Parachutes, the award-winning short thriller written and directed by Leslie Alejandro. The 30-minute film, based on actual events, had already made waves by winning Best Horror/Suspense at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. In LA, the screening brought together friends, family, and fans, who gathered to celebrate and honor the filmmakers.
The premiere brought out a mix of Hollywood talent and advocates for immigrant voices. Guests included Kevin Alejandro (also co-executive producer of the film), Billy Burke, Stephanie Arcila, Leith Burke, Edi Gathegi, and Maria Gabriela de Faría.
Parachutes follows Youngwon [Laura Im], a Korean teenager who arrives in the U.S. through a foreign exchange program and finds herself trapped in an abusive host home. Isolated, she forms a life-altering bond with Keiko [Haruka Igarashi], a fellow immigrant teen. The film doesn’t flinch from showing the horrors of the girls’ reality but also reveals the strength, courage, and friendship that forms from solidarity.
After the film, Awards Buzz‘s Sari Cohen took the stage to moderate the panel discussion in front of a packed theater.
Writer/director/co-producer Leslie Alejandro was joined by actors Monica Potter (Georgina Mae “George” Ford), Laura Im, Haruka Igarashi, and co-executive producer Dani de Jesus. The film also stars Sherry Cola as Lili, who was unable to attend. The woman who inspired the story, Sora, who also could not be there, was deeply felt in the room. Sora is a classically trained cellist, and her music can be heard throughout the film, as pointed out during the discussion.
Leslie Alejandro shared that Parachutes is mainly based on real events, drawn from a deeply personal story told to her by Sora years ago. It was a story that stuck with her. “I wanted to give her the ending she never got,” Alejandro shared. Indeed, the film is chilling but cathartic. The ending is a little “Tarantino,” a little poetic justice. While not real-to-life, it is the one we all wanted to see.
Monica Potter, best known for her emotionally grounded roles, took a terrifying turn as George, the unstable and abusive host mother. It was an important role, Potter admitted. One she wanted to take. This kind of abuse hides in plain sight, and it was something she wanted to shed light on. Interestingly, Leslie intentionally kept Potter apart from Laura and Haruka during the shoot to maintain real-life tension. It was a decision that helped them stay in their characters. All of that translated on screen.
Laura Im’s portrayal of Youngwon is heartbreaking yet quietly revolutionary. She starts invisible. Voiceless. But inside her, there’s fire. Laura Im made sure we saw her evolution. She came across as not just a survivor, but as someone who reclaims her power.
In one of the film’s most memorable moments, we see Youngwon and Keiko, played by Haruka Igarashi, laughing while watching TV and learning English together. The two spoke about how it’s the only scene with real lightness. It shows that even in trauma, there’s connection. There’s humanity.
Igarashi and Im had a chemistry that seemed effortless, despite the cultural and linguistic differences we see on screen. Youngwon and Keiko didn’t speak the same language, but they managed to understand each other because of their situation. That bond is at the heart of the film.
Alejandro shot with a shifting aspect ratio—from wide 16:9 to a claustrophobic 4:3. Parachutes uses visual language to mirror Youngwon’s shrinking world. That choice made the audience feel like the walls were closing in. She proved that horror isn’t just ghosts or gore. Real horror is what happens behind closed doors when no one’s looking.
Co-executive producer Dani de Jesus, known for supporting AAPI and social justice stories, emphasized the film’s importance and how it’s an extension of her mission. Parachutes takes a hard look at microaggressions, casual racism, and abuse. The film doesn’t sensationalize it or fall back on tropes; it exposes realities that often go unseen or even ignored.
As the discussion drew to a close, the panel reflected on what “chosen family” means to them. That is, after all, what is at the heart of Alejandro Films.
The night ended at Barney’s Beanery, where the cast and crew mingled with supporters, fellow filmmakers, and advocates. There were hugs, tears, laughter, and an understanding that this film was just the beginning of a much-needed conversation.
Parachutes isn’t just a short film. It’s a mirror, a megaphone, amplifying truths we can no longer ignore.
