Santa Clarita Director and KHTS Video Department Head Andrew Menjivar, will have his film Shady Oaks Takedown screened at the internationally recognized “Artemis Women in Action Film Festival.”

A 25-year-old recent graduate from COC, Andrew “Menji” Menjivar has been making movies since he was six. But never would he have thought that he would have had seen this level of success and recognition while he was still in his 20s.

“This is not my first screening, but this is by far the most recognized project that I have done,” said Menjivar. “But again, I don’t think I could have accomplished this without the amazing and hardworking cast and crew that I had.”

In April, Menjivar’s short-movie, Shady Oaks Takedown, will be screened at the “Artemis Women in Action Film festival,” an international movie festival which celebrates silver screen actresses in the action genre.

The film’s acceptance into the film festival surprised Menjivar, because he didn’t submit Shady Oaks Takedown to be considered for Artemis, and originally made the project for another film festival.

Originally submitted for a competition called the “48 Hour Film Project Los Angeles,” Menjivar directed and helped edit the project in less than two days as per the rules of the festival.

“It was a rollercoaster of emotion for those 48 hours. Production takes a lot out of you and you feel burnt out; but I couldn’t stop there and I had to go straight into post-production,” said Menjivar. “At one point during the two day process, I slept for only three hours.”

Now, despite the film’s original intent of only being meant for that first competition, Menjivar said that it is now being spread and submitted to festivals by other people.

“This is a big thing for me because this isn’t something that was just posted to Youtube and it was done with,” said Menjivar. “Other people have been submitting this movie to festivals, and it just feels pretty amazing to see people care so much about something that I’ve created.”

The action-comedy film, Shady Oaks Takedown, follows the story of two senior care facility residents, Ashley and Ruth, who enroll in a Krav Maga class at a local senior center.

“Ashley and Ruth get more than they bargained for when they take that class,” said Menjivar. “They soon put their newfound skills against each other, only to realize in time that they shouldn’t be fighting each other, but none other than the facility director, the iron-fisted Doctor Strangler.”

Leading an eight person cast and crew (including Youtube sensation “Granny Pottymouth”) through the 48-hour-process was one of the most rewarding times of his artistic career, Menjivar said.

“I feel extremely proud because everyone on the crew did a great job and it turned out beautifully even under those insane time constraints,” he said. “But it also allowed me to do something I’ve always wanted to do in a project which is to highlight women in action films.”

According to Menjivar, the project features men and women from diverse backgrounds ranging from 20-years-old to an 84-year-old woman, all of whom executed action packed choreography intermixed with comedic moments.

“The whole thing was amazing special because of the cast and crew, and that really shows in the end product,” said Menjivar.

Catch Shady Oaks Takedown during the Artemis Women in Action Film Festival 2018 Thursday, April 26 to to Sunday, April 29.

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