CHICKEN
In a Bronx juvenile prison, a 16-year old boy faced with losing custody of his child must discover what it takes to be a father through raising a chicken. Inspired by true stories.
Written & Directed by: Josh Leong
Produced by: Denyvi Rose | Catherine Nguyen | Nadera Herbert-Bey | Josh Leong
Executive Producers: Irwin Tan | Sounil & Gracie Yu | Jin & May Leong
Casting: Sophia Hiller
1st Assistant Director: Sophia Heriveaux
Cinematographer: Luc Ung
Editor: Josh Leong
Original Score: Gavin Brivik | Philip Daniel
Cast: Jordan Biggs | Biorkys Acosta | Opal Besson
Extras: Alan McDonald | Nathan Lewis | Jamir Reef | Sherman Fraser Jr. | Elijsha Saint-Laurent | Tyrese Avery | Joselito Morales | Anthony Perez | Lauren Franco | Jack Lee | Ana Palmers
Voiceover: Gervais Weekes
Unit Production Manager: Maya Tysoe
1st AC: Jason Wang
2nd AC: Cesar Oyarzabal
Gaffer: Matt Liang
Key Grip: JR Nelson
Sound Mixer: Elias Rivera | Rhea Li | Cailey Gottwald
Boom Operator: Cailey Gottwald | Andrew Sachs
Production Designer: Grace Musser
Art Director: Ainsley Roh
Costume Designer: Meg Ta
Hair, Make-Up: AJ Avivah
Script Supervisor: Amber Akhtar
Production Assistants: Shelby Moore | Katie McLean | Karen Jie | Amrut Ayyala
Van Drivers: Turner Andrasz | Malcolm Brainerd | Harshith Kotni | Xavier Silva | Danielle Fuller
Chick Handlers: Ilona De Jongh | Leslie Dweck
Stills Photographers: Owen Gavis | Rae DuCharme
Rap Lyrics: Darquell | Sadiki
Locations: Neil Pergament | Daniel Vincent | Steven Pace | Nicholas Vasquez | Leona Urena
Insurance: Bre Kelly
Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer: Matthew Orlando
Colorist: Andrew Ceen
Community Advisors: Kevin Myers, Christopher Silvera
In Association with: Sprout by Design | C3.NYC Juvenile Justice Ministry | NYC Administration for Children's Services | NYC Department of Education | Fourth Period | Handheld Films | Cinema-Vision
Shot on Location in New York City
“Imagine all of the milestones you hit when you were 16 years old. For the young men in Josh Leong’s tender short film, Chicken, a prison sentence will determine the course of the rest of their lives, and it’s up to them to find strength in their hearts to care for other living things.”
- Joey Moser, full review on Awards Daily
Festivals
ACADEMY AWARD®-QUALIFYING – Tribeca Film Festival
ACADEMY AWARD®-QUALIFYING – Hollyshorts Film Festival
ACADEMY AWARD®-QUALIFYING – Cleveland International Film Festival
ACADEMY AWARD®-QUALIFYING – Chicago International Film Festival – CineYouth
JURY AWARD WINNER – Best Narrative – National Film Festival for Talented Youth
JURY AWARD WINNER – Best Narrative – Seattle Black Film Festival
WINNER – Best Drama Award, Best Overall Film Award – Scout Film Festival
WINNER – Best Student Short Film – Short Encounters Film Festival
SHORTLIST – Cannes Young Director Award
FINALIST – Youth Cinema Network Award
CENTERPIECE – Yale Student Film Festival
DC Shorts International Film Festival
Washington West Film Festival
District Dreamers Film Festival
Omeleto Premiere Pick
Beyond The Short Premiere Pick
Filmsupply Films Premiere Pick
United Airlines – Tribeca Channel In-Flight Programming
PRESS
Awards Daily / Tribeca Shorts: ‘Chicken’ Tenderly Dives Into Child Incarceration and Fatherhood
Film Fest Report / Interview with Josh Leong, director of CHICKEN
Reelprint / Josh Leong on CHICKEN
Film Business / Tribeca 2022 Director Interviews
Film And TV Now / Short Film Review: CHICKEN
Mama’s Geeky / Chicken Review | Tribeca Film Festival
Harlem Community News / CHICKEN based on true stories of children in NY juvenile detention centers
We Are Moving Stores / Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Josh Leong
Following Films / Tribeca Film Festival 2022 - Josh Leong on CHICKEN
OrcaSound / Josh Leong’s CHICKEN Inspired by True Stories From New York’s Incarcerated Youth
Cinematic Faves / CHICKEN and PRAGMA Reviews | Tribeca Film Festival 2022
Red Carpet Crash / Tribeca Film Festival Short Reviews
Chicago Reader / Chicken
Take2Indie / A Near Perfect Short Film
Just Celebrity Magazine / Josh Leong’s Chicken, inspired by true stories, to world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival
Arts Muse Magazine / Stories from New York’s Incarcerated Youth to World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival
NYC 77 / Chicken Review
CMRubinWorld / Championing Youth and Communities: A Conversation with Josh Leong