Cain
18min, RED Raw
When a Neanderthal rescues a human child from the woods he unwillingly attracts the attention of a more advanced and dangerous species.
Director: Zijian Yan
Writers: Zijian Yan, Ajani Jackson
Producer: Miroslav Macala
Co-Producer: Chloe Lenihan, Meg Wechter, Madeleine Shapiro
Director of Photography: Zachary Halberd
Editor: Zijian Yan
Composer: Dylan Glatthorn
Sound Design: Lawrence Herman
Production Design: Perry Mateson
Cast: Eric Whitten, Christopher Stadulis, Derek Johnson, Ethan Itzkow, Jamyl Dobson, Sam Gordon, CJ Bane, Matthew Ferretti, Maria Tholl, Kassie Thornton, Jovan A. Davis, Datus Puryear
Email: miro.macala@gmail.com
Phone: (607) 220-8010
About the Writer/Director
Born in Venezuela to Chinese parents and raised in Milwaukee, WI, Zijian grew up always with a paintbrush, notebook, or musical instrument in his hands. His passion for illustrating graphic novels, writing, and composing music brought him to New York City. Here, Zijian studied film scoring at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and Steinhardt School through the generosity of the NYU Trustee, Tisch, and Al Jolson Scholarships. In addition, he studied painting and illustration at The Art Students League of New York.
Inevitably, he forged these multiple pursuits into film: working at the Tribeca Film Institute, The Criterion Collection, HBO, and Big Beach Films. The joys of filmmaking eventually brought him to Columbia University’s Graduate Film Division, where he is studying for an MFA in film directing and screenwriting. His sci-fi project, The Glitch, won the Spirit of Jesse Award at The Jesse Thompkins III Foundation for Young People in the Arts. His thesis film, CAIN, continues to explore the realms of science fiction and fantasy through the world of Neanderthals and prehistoric humans. CAIN received the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s 2013 short film production grant for its pursuit of realism in science. Zijian continues to write, illustrate, and direct horror, sci-fi, and fantasy stories. He is currently creating an online fantasy graphic novel, The Rift.
About the Producer
Born in Venezuela to Chinese parents and raised in Milwaukee, WI, Zijian grew up always with a paintbrush, notebook, or musical instrument in his hands. His passion for illustrating graphic novels, writing, and composing music brought him to New York City. Here, Zijian studied film scoring at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and Steinhardt School through the generosity of the NYU Trustee, Tisch, and Al Jolson Scholarships. In addition, he studied painting and illustration at The Art Students League of New York.
Inevitably, he forged these multiple pursuits into film: working at the Tribeca Film Institute, The Criterion Collection, HBO, and Big Beach Films. The joys of filmmaking eventually brought him to Columbia University’s Graduate Film Division, where he is studying for an MFA in film directing and screenwriting. His sci-fi project, The Glitch, won the Spirit of Jesse Award at The Jesse Thompkins III Foundation for Young People in the Arts. His thesis film, CAIN, continues to explore the realms of science fiction and fantasy through the world of Neanderthals and prehistoric humans. CAIN received the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s 2013 short film production grant for its pursuit of realism in science. Zijian continues to write, illustrate, and direct horror, sci-fi, and fantasy stories. He is currently creating an online fantasy graphic novel, The Rift.
