Walid Chaya in Level Up Magazine for Award-Winning Film "Darn It Darla!" Feb. 2025

Thursday, February 6, 2025 | Darn It Darla! made a bold CCIFF debut, earning Walid Chaya the Best Male Director award.

Darn It Darla! made a bold and memorable debut at the Central Coast International Film Festival (CCIFF) this month, earning Walid Chaya the coveted Best Male Director award. The festival, held at the Elite Theatre in Oxnard from February 1-2, 2025, showcased exceptional filmmaking, and Darn It Darla! quickly became a standout with its darkly comedic take on Hollywood’s often troubling behind-the-scenes realities.

Chaya, who not only directed but also starred in the short film, presented a bold vision for the story of Naveen, a former child star entangled in the manipulative grasp of her ruthless talent manager, Blake—a role that Chaya himself portrayed. The film explores the dark side of artist exploitation and conservatorships, exposing the oppressive forces that limit creative freedom in the entertainment industry. - Sahil Sachdeva, LEVEL UP Magazine

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