Stills
1 frame
Part of this film's cast or crew? Let us know to add or correct credits, genres or details. Filmmaker sign-in opens with the claim email at Awards Night, 19 September 2026.
Credits
Written by
Produced by
Starring
Synopsis
In 1964 at Sofia Home for Unwed Mothers in Columbus, MS, Robin, the youngest girl at the home and her confidant, Carole, are confronted by the final stages of their pregnancy.
Director's Statement
The Fall Leaves was conceived as my senior thesis film and it was produced in March of 2018 in Oakland, MS. Coming from a Catholic background in Mississippi, filming in my home state was crucial to me and to accurately produce my screenplay. These characters and this story highlight so many themes that are important to me and I'm eager to share this story with new audiences and shed light on this part of American history that many are unfamiliar with. The Fall Leaves revolves around the power of female camaraderie in the face of exile and shame. While this story takes place in 1964, I believe it clearly has resonance in our current political climate. I'm very grateful and honored to have worked with the amazing team that has made this film possible. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Maya McCullough
What makes this one special
- Nominated for Best Student Film
- A first-time filmmaker
- A student film
Also selected at
2 official selections across 2 other festivals
- SelectionBig Apple Women's Film Festival
- SelectionOxford Film Festival
Recorded by the filmmaker on their entry.
Director's Biography
Maya McCullough Director
Maya McCullough was born in Starkville, MS and raised in Memphis, TN. She recently graduated for New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with honors. Maya lives and works in Brooklyn, NY as a freelance writer and is in preproduction for her third short film entitled Before That Step.
Placings
Recognised in this category at AFIN 2019, as announced that season.
- Best Actress Semi-Finalist
Official laurels
Each recognition carries a permanent, verifiable AFIN credential - a link a filmmaker can put on a CV - plus a downloadable laurel for posters and press kits.
Nominee toolkit
Everything you need to share and credit this recognition.
Ready-made announcement
Copy this for your socials, newsletter or press kit.
The Fall Leaves was an official Nominee for Best Student Film at the AFIN International Film Festival 2019, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.
Add it to IMDb
IMDb adds festival awards from the festival's event page, not from your film's page.
- Open the AFIN International Film Festival event page on IMDb and choose the 2019 edition.
- Choose Edit (contribute), then Awards, and add your film under the category (Best Student Film) with the outcome shown on your laurel above.
- Submit. IMDb reviews it and publishes it to the event page and to your film's page.
