Screwy People (2026)

Screwy People is an 18-minute American comedy about four art majors whose group project receives a disappointing grade. Convinced that their professor has failed to appreciate their work, they hatch an unconventional plan to sneak their sculpture into the Art Institute of Chicago and pass it off as a legitimate exhibit.

The short turns student frustration and artistic ego into an escalating comic scheme. Max Ortiz wrote and directed the film and also edited it, while the cast and crew combine young Chicago filmmakers and performers from the city's independent film community.

• Max Ortiz directed, wrote, produced, and edited the film.
• Luke Axvig, Link Michels, and Denzel Howard are among the principal cast members.
• Brayden Hopkins co-produced the film and also worked on cinematography.
• The production company is Birds Today Films.
• The film was released digitally in the United States on March 21, 2026 and has a runtime of about 18 minutes.