Accelerant

As crippling debt mounts, a down-on-his-luck gambling addict goes to the extreme to save his family’s failing ice cream shop, but his slacker sister gets in the way.

SHORT | 8:35

Director Biography - Dorothy Xiao

Dorothy Xiao is a first generation Chinese American writer and director with a degree in Psychology from UCLA. Named after her parents’ immigration lawyer, Dorothy grew up in the multicultural neighborhood of Alhambra, known for having some of the best Chinese food in Los Angeles. In her film work, Dorothy creates grounded family dramas with a hint of fantasy, exploring themes of resilience, friendship, and hope, inspired by the diverse immigrant communities she grew up around.

Dorothy is an avid supporter of empowering underrepresented voices in media, and when not making films, Dorothy lives on an almost daily diet of boba milk tea, reads juicy romance novels, and binge watches anime with her 30-year-old stuffed bunny Rabby.