The MPI Original short film Grind will screen at the Oakland International Film Festival, a celebrated showcase known for spotlighting innovative and socially resonant stories from around the globe. The screening takes place on Wednesday, September 10, at 4:00 p.m. at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, California. Get your tickets here.

Grind follows 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.

Originally developed in the 2022 MPI Short Film Lab by writer-director Mark Apicella, Grind was acquired in 2024 for co-production as an MPI Original through the MPI Production Lab.

Step behind the scenes of Grind to see how the film came to life. Watch the trailer below and explore more at GrindFilm.com.