Hooperella(2026)

Hooperella is a modern fairy-tale satire set in the cutthroat world of academic research. Gabriela Quiroz, an overworked PhD student, prepares for a crucial Research Funding mixer where major grants are awarded—her chance to finally break free from invisibility. Her entitled lab partner Andrew routinely takes credit for her work while coasting through his own responsibilities, and their advisor Dr. Thatcher reinforces the power imbalance at every turn. Expected to remain indispensable yet unseen, Gabriela must find the courage to defy both her advisor and lab partner if she wants to secure funding for her own research and reclaim her place in the lab. The film explores ambition, exploitation, and the quiet rebellion required to be heard in spaces designed to silence you.