The MPI Original short film Grind, written, directed, and produced by MPI filmmaker Mark Apicella, will screen on Friday, October 17, at 4:00 p.m. in New York City as an official selection of the Chelsea Film Festival. The prominent festival is ranked No. 6 in the USA Today list of “Top 10 Best Film Festivals in North America” and is recognized worldwide for discovering new talent and premiering bold independent films. Get your tickets here.

Grind follows the story of John, an aspiring sneaker designer in East Los Angeles, who lands the opportunity of a lifetime to be featured in his idol’s pop-up shop—only to have his best friend and business partner threaten to derail everything by promising John’s design to a gang with their own agenda.

The film originated in MPI’s 2022 Short Film Lab and was later acquired as an MPI Original through the Production Lab. Go behind the scenes in the video below to see how MPI programs helped Mark bring his script to life.

Learn more about the film at GrindFilm.com. Inspired by Grind? Explore MPI’s filmmaker opportunities at thempi.org/filmmakers.