The Betti Ono Foundation presents the feature project from 2024-25 Artist in Residence, Oakland filmmaker + visual artist Celia C. Peters.
The Next 15 Minutes: Full Spectrum Futures is a juried showcase of boundary-breaking sci-fi stories that puts underrepresented filmmakers in the driver’s seat.
Five visionary Bay Area screenwriters step into the spotlight to present a 15-minute segment of their original sci-fi script—brought to life by talented Bay Area actors reading in character. The Betti Ono Foundation is proud to support this electrifying platform where inspired storytellers partner with gifted actors to make magic happen.
The Next 15 Minutes: Full Spectrum Futures isn’t just a showcase—it’s a portal. Brace yourself for a fantastic journey through bold sci-fi tales from the minds of these diverse writer-directors. Dimensions overlap, timelines fracture, and nothing is off-limits. Are you ready to cross over?
The Next 15 Minutes is the latest addition to the Bay Area’s blossoming independent film movement. It’s an evening of authentic inclusion and hot performances, because in an era of erasure, representing ourselves matters more than ever. Event time includes the show and a reception to follow.
Learn more about the featured stories below:
CELIA C. PETERS – “GODSPEED”
In 2060, visionary innovator Brandy Forsythe is creating a cybernetic device that will revolutionize humanity—until a spiraling mental breakdown stops her in her tracks. Brandy is terrified she’s becoming psychotic but her most trusted ally has a different explanation: the problem is that she is not human — and the only cure for what’s unraveling her is on another world.
GINGER YIFAN CHEN –“NO DAMAGES”
A young undocumented mother enters the world of cybernetic sex work to seek refuge from an abusive relationship.
INA ADELE RAY –“WHAT DOES IT COST TO BE CIVIL?”
Albert Foster’s life is disrupted when robocallers spoof his phone number, leading to a tense confrontation with Walter Compton, who believes he’s the culprit. As the situation spirals, Albert is forced to confront the unsettling consequences of modern technology and the fragility of civility.
TAJIANNA OKECHUKWU – “HERITAGE”
After a crazy night out in Downtown Oakland takes a jarring turn, Ijeoma must escape a surreal escape room by outwitting the ancient trickster gods that force her to confront her fractured identity before she loses herself —past, present, and future—forever.
TIMOTHY SLATER –“CELESTIAL CHAINS”
In the 18th century, a group of enslaved Africans and their cruel captors are abducted by an advanced alien race, only to find themselves transformed by a dying planet’s radiation into beings of extraordinary power. Now, the enslaved must confront their captors, their own humanity, and an alien threat as they struggle to reclaim their freedom and navigate a modern Earth where they are seen as gods.
THE NEXT 15 MINUTES JURY:
Celia C. Peters, Creator, The Next 15 Minutes
David Roach, Co-Founder, Oakland International Film Festival
George Rush, Esq., Independent Film Production Counsel/Producer
Sango Tajima, Performer/Writer/Director
Steven Raven Liang, Filmmaker, SFFILM FilmHouse
