shelf life examines intersectionality and its effect on friendships. Best friends and roommates, Cami and Maxine, are serving in a restaurant in New York City when three customers attempt to get their attention. Despite Cami feeling apprehensive, Maxine eagerly serves them without her. When Cami is unexpectedly approached by Chris, her initial hesitation fades. An insensitive question and subsequent reactions from the group ensue, ultimately causing Cami and Maxine to discuss whether their friendship can last despite their different identities.
Technical details
Narrative Short - United States - 15 minutes - English (with subtitles)
Cast and Credits
Director - Jordan Exum
Writers - Brooke Hayman & Sam Kamerman
Producers - Brooke Hayman & Jordan Exum
Co-Producer - Sam Kamerman
Director of Photography - Matthew W. Hayes
Composer - Rachel Williams
Editors - Deijah Lee-Carroll and Nora Tennessen
Intimacy Consultant - Kennedy G. Murray
1st Assistant Director - Audra Bryant
2nd Assistant Director - Ahmed Mohamed
Assistant Camera - Eliza Kamerling-Brown
Gaffer - Katie Colwell
Key Grip - Emily Massey
Grip - Rue Sawant
Production Sound Mixer - Edwin Diagon
Script Supervisor - Sofia Graziani
Hair/Makeup & Continuity - Caroline DeSantis
Wardrobe - Brooke Hayman & Jordan Exum
Still Photographer - Sierra Enea
Production Assistants - Gelila Hawthorne, Belle Maniago-Geil & Anders Geil
Assistant Editor - Jordan Exum
Supervising Sound Editor & Re-Recording Mixer - Andre Kelman
Colorist - Calvin Bellas
Key Cast
Sam Kamerman - "Maxine"
Brooke Hayman - "Cami"
Mitchell Pope - "Chris”
Xavier Smalls - "Pat"
Tim Luckett - "Zach”
LVFF 2026 Award Nominations
Best Film by a First-Time Director - Jordan Exum
Screening Details:
female perspectives onscreen. April 25th 2026. 3pm-8:00pm. Venue to be announced.
Director biography
- Jordan Exum
Jordan Exum (she/her) chose directing to serve the story, prioritizing the actor/director relationship as central to bringing characters and narratives to life. She is a graduate of Boston University’s undergraduate Film program with a minor in African American Studies. This academic focus informs her mission to tell nuanced stories about Black people, exploring the many facets of Black Thought and expanding representations of Blackness in narrative media. To deepen her understanding of actors and refine her directing style, Jordan trained at Andrew Wood and Howard Fine’s acting studios in Los Angeles (2021–2022).
After moving to New York city in 2022, Jordan joined Soundtrack NY as a client services specialist. There, she engaged with filmmakers and contributed to projects including Killers of the Flower Moon (Scorsese, 2023) and Knock at the Cabin (Shyamalan, 2023). This experience has broadened her knowledge of sound design, mixing, and post-production, enriching her filmmaking perspective.
"shelf life" is her first short film as a director, producer and assistant editor.