Unexpected Nude

In this Dances With Films Press Junket episode of Below the Line, host Judy Nguyen sits down with filmmaker Olivia Stoker and producer/editor Brooks Yang to talk about their sharp, heartfelt comedy Nona’s Nude, a short film about art, family, and what happens when grief meets discomfort. The story follows adult siblings sorting through their late grandmother’s art collection… until they uncover one unexpected piece: a very graphic nude portrait of Nona herself, painted in her 70s. The discovery sparks arguments, revelations, and plenty of laughter as the family grapples with legacy, shame, and beauty. Stoker shares the film’s hilarious real-life origin, inheriting a nude photograph of her great aunt and how that moment inspired a story about empowerment, body image, and the line between art and taboo. Together with Yang, she discusses producing and acting in the film, collaborating with director Courtney Ulrich. Nona’s Nude proves that sometimes the most revealing art isn’t about nudity, it’s about honesty.