She wrote it. She directed it. She starred in it. And she got it into Tribeca.We sat down with Isabel Lamers at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival to talk KAYA — the short film she built from scratch about a young Filipino woman fighting for a spot on a professional martial arts team where nobody was holding the door open for her.

Isabel breaks down what it took to carry every role on this film, why this story had to be told through a Filipino lens, the reality of betting on yourself when the industry doesn't hand you opportunities, and what it actually feels like to premiere your work at one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world.

KAYA is now screening in the Shorts competition at Tribeca 2026 in New York City, presented by OKX.🎙️ The Last Shot Podcast is powered by Last Shot Media Group Holdings — independent Black-owned media out of Dallas, TX, Orlando, FL, and New York City, NY. New conversations every week on film, music, and culture that matters.

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