When producer Astrid Lark talks about OLIVE, the Oscar-qualified short film directed by Tom Koch, her voice carries both tenderness and conviction. “It’s an intimate story, but it hits something universal,” she says. “It moves you in ways you don’t quite expect.” Starring Academy Award–nominated Lesley Ann Warren, the film traces love, identity, and the fragile architecture of memory through the shifting perspective of Alzheimer’s.

For Lark, teaming up with Koch again, after producing his debut short Orange, was not just a reunion but a continuation of a creative language they had already begun to build. “Tom has this incredible clarity of vision,” she says. “He knows exactly what world he’s building, who the characters truly are, what they long for, what’s standing in their way, and how he wants audiences to experience their journey.” She describes his conceptual approach with affection, each film inspired by a color, shaped by memories or family stories he’s reimagined. “Orange was about brotherhood and self-expression. With Olive, he takes you inside the heart and mind of two people facing aging and love in the most vulnerable way. His stories expand your empathy. Producing work that can move people like that, that’s why I do this.”

Telling a story about Alzheimer’s, however, demanded invention. Lark knew the film had to offer audiences a fresh cinematic experience. “There have been extraordinary films about dementia, The Father, Amour, so we knew we weren’t going to retread that ground,” she explains. “People think they know what dementia looks like. But what if, in someone’s mind, they’re not suffering? What if they feel young again? What if they’re home? What if they’re falling in love?” That question sparked the film’s unique emotional structure, immersing viewers directly in the shifting interior world of its protagonist, Sam.

“We wanted the audience to feel what he feels,” she says. “To live inside the way his mind reorders time and memory. And then, when you finally see the story through Marie’s eyes, the truth hits you in a completely different way.” Lark and the team grounded these artistic choices in research, consulting the Alzheimer’s Association and reading accounts from caregivers. “One caregiver talked about playing along with a loved one’s delusions to avoid distress. That was huge for us. It helped shape the film’s emotional authenticity.”

Ambition on screen often requires acrobatics behind the scenes, and Olive was no exception. “We were making a short film on a modest budget, but the vision was anything but modest,” Lark says. Shooting in New York brought both cinematic texture and logistical strain. Lesley Ann Warren flew in from Los Angeles, key locations like the subway and Central Park came with tight restrictions, and schedules left little room for error. “The margin for error was tiny,” Lark says. “But we were determined to make a film that felt bigger than its resources.”

A pivotal moment in pre-production came when Anthony James Faure joined as producer and 1st AD. “Anthony brought this grounding presence,” she says. “And when he brought in Guillermo Cameo as our DP, along with crew members they trusted, it transformed the production. Suddenly we weren’t just a team, we were a family. And families solve hard problems together.” Lark is quick to credit the artistry of her collaborators, Cameo’s bold cinematography, Hillary Carrigan’s emotionally attuned editing, Joanna Davis’s casting insight, and designers Chris Hynds and Taja Feistner’s careful world-building. “Everyone elevated the film,” she says. “When people truly care about the story, you feel it in every frame.”

The industry has felt it too. Olive has earned international recognition, from winning the Silver Screen at the Young Director Award in Cannes to Best Short Film at Sidewalk 2025. It also received a nomination at Flickers Rhode Island International and selections at numerous prestigious festivals. Even its poster earned high acclaim, winning the Platinum Award at the 2026 Graphis Design Awards.

But for Lark, Oscar qualification carries a weight that transcends accolades. “From day one, I wanted to push Olive as far as humanly possible,” she says. “But actually reaching this milestone, it’s emotional. It’s validation of every risk, every bit of stress, every night we wondered if we could pull this off.” She hopes the recognition will draw the film to wider audiences. “It’s a touching story. It has the potential to inspire connection. If people walk away feeling more empathetic, that’s everything.”

Looking ahead, Lark is guided by the same artistic compass that drew her to Olive in the first place. “I’m passionate about stories that explore what it means to be human, how we love, how we struggle, how we grow,” she says. “Olive reflects that so purely. It may be small in scale, but its themes of love, identity, and sacrifice are timeless.” She pauses for a moment, then adds, “I want to keep producing stories that move people and make them see the world differently. That’s the goal. That’s the joy.”

As Olive continues its remarkable festival run, Lark’s path as a producer feels newly illuminated, not just by industry recognition but by the emotional resonance of the story she helped bring to life. “This film is about holding on to fragments of who we are,” she says. “I think that’s why it stays with people. It’s a reminder of our humanity, and I want to keep telling stories that remind us of that.”