PLEASE, STAY
Set in the underbelly of East Los Angeles, Please, Stay follows two strangers who have fallen through society’s cracks and are left to face the consequences alone. Esme is a young woman surviving within an abusive relationship where her body functions as currency. In her world, intimacy is commodified, lust is inescapable, and the only perceived way out is the end of her own life.
Over the course of a single night, as Esme contemplates this final choice, her path collides with Azat, a recent émigré whose struggle extends far beyond a language barrier. The promise of the “land of opportunity” proves hollow as he confronts exploitation and the quiet cruelty of being unseen in a new country.
As Esme and Azat cross paths something subtle begins to shift. The edges soften. The brutality loosens its grip just enough to allow for connection. Their fleeting encounters remind us that even in violent and dehumanizing circumstances, our capacity for empathy endures. Sometimes, being truly seen by another person is enough to find a reason to stay.
Our Team
taylor lewis
Written from a place of ache, loneliness, and suicidal ideation, Please, Stay also holds fast to a quiet belief in the miraculous. As our world grows more violent, more pornographic, and more disconnected, the film insists on the power of human connection. Even something as seemingly insignificant as meeting a stranger can alter the course of a life.
Writer / Producer
Diliana deltcheva
As an immigrant from Bulgaria, Diliana gained a deep understanding of the isolation that can come from living between cultures. In many ways, that feeling mirrors the quiet distance technology has introduced into modern life. As screens replace presence, meaningful encounters between strangers have grown increasingly rare. Yet genuine human connection—unfiltered, unexpected, and imperfect—still holds immense power to heal and give life meaning.
Director / Producer
Cinematographer Gary Long
Gary is a cinematographer with a deep love for shooting on film and a reputation for pushing craft in service of story. He brings a rare mix of emotional sensitivity and hands-on innovation—most notably his custom-built optical adaptor, The Long Shot (developed with Old Fast Glass), designed to expand lens options and unlock more expressive imagery on film cameras. For Please, Stay, Gary’s commitment to 16mm is essential to the film’s visual language—its texture is raw, intimate, and alive, and its natural grit is exactly what this story demands.
LATEST NEWS
Kodak is donating 16mm film to our project — a thrilling show of support for artists keeping the craft of analog storytelling alive. We’re deeply grateful for their generosity and their commitment to the future of short-form filmmaking.
Award-winning editor Jack Gravina is on board! His work spans high-profile projects for Netflix and beyond, with lead editor credits on acclaimed titles including Sean Combs: The Reckoning , This Is the Zodiac Speaking, and more. Known for shaping culturally resonant series, he has helped drive eight documentaries into Netflix’s Top 10 — seven reaching the #1 spot.
With a background in music composition, Jack brings a bold, multidisciplinary edge to storytelling — instinctive, rhythmic, and emotionally raw — making him the perfect creative force to help Please, Stay land with impact.
Please, Stay wins the LA SHORTS FILM GRANT!
Deep gratitude to Jacques Thelemaque and Amanda Sweikow for seeing the power in this story and standing behind our mission: to remind people that human connection saves lives. Their support isn’t just encouragement — it’s the spark that propels this film into motion.
