Samantha Shada’s narrative short films, Beauty School and Sexless, both premiered at the Oscar Qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival before broadcasting world wide on ShortsTV with DirectTV. Her script adaptation of Willa Cather’s The Song of the Lark participated in Sundance Co//abs, Stowe Story Labs at the Sidewalk Film Festival and in the Joan Scheckel Filmmaking Labs. Since completing her film degree at Emerson College and landing in California, Sam worked with notable companies such as the William Morris Agency, the United Talent Agency, Universal Pictures, Overbrook Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Studios.
Shada is preparing to direct her debut feature narrative Come Home With Me, an Arab-American coming of age story set post-9/11, which participated in the 2025 Stowe Producers’ Lab, Cinephiallia Productions Development Workroom, Joan Scheckel Filmmaking Labs, Sundance Co//abs and Allison Anders’ Autobiographical Screenwriting course. The project has secured fiscal sponsorship with Denver Film. Sam received the Arab America Foundation’s 40 Under 40 for 2025.
Actively engaged in elevating platforms for female creatives, she proudly supports Women In Media, Women in Film and Television Colorado, The Colorado Film and Video Association, and the Alliance of Women Directors and programmed Seeking Our Story, a screening series featuring influential films directed by women.
