The MPI Original short film Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up, written and directed by MPI filmmaker Trần Hoàng Calvin, will screen on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the New Generation Filmmakers Forum in Chicago, Illinois, a highly regarded program that showcases exceptional emerging filmmakers and innovative short-form storytelling. Trần will also join audiences for a post-screening Q&A. Get your tickets here. 

Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up follows the Clifford family as they attempt to sell their run-down farm and start a new life. But when an endangered bird is discovered on the property—putting the sale at risk—their son Andy faces a difficult choice: reveal the truth, or “shoot, shovel, and shut up.”Developed in the 2021 MPI Short Film Lab and produced through the Production Lab, the film is now premiering at festivals. If you’re interested in bringing your own idea to life, you can now apply to the 2026 Short Film Lab, centered on the theme A Republic, If You Can Keep It: Reflecting on America’s 250th. Learn more here.