A dystopian short film by Joelle Velez & Kemi Mayomi

CHOKE centers around the fictional Very Nice Town, and its dark loyalty test which robs its citizens of the ability to speak for 24 hours, called "The Choke."

Poppy Sanchez is head of "pop-aganda" - er, marketing, for the Choke. Her dream of meeting her idol and all-time crush, The MAYOR, is dashed when she is chosen to participate in the Choke. Poppy’s day goes from bad to worse as she tries to be a “good apple” and maintain her opportunity to impress the Mayor while working within the limitations of being muzzled. (Deck by Kemi Mayomi)

WORLD PREMIERE: Oscar-Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival (2026)