David Tarleton
Still from Karen
← All work
Short Film · 2020

Karen

Silver Telly Award, Social Impact · A Tarleton / Dawn film

Excerpt

In modern-day suburbia, a white woman calls the police on an unfamiliar Black man in her neighborhood.

Shot during the pandemic in support of Black Lives Matter, Karen offers an unflinching look at what racism can look like today, and at the white privilege embedded in an everyday encounter.

The film won the Silver Telly Award for Social Impact and screened internationally. It is used in classrooms through educational distributors including Learn360, Alexander Street and ClickView.

/ 02

Awards & Recognition

  • 2022Silver Telly, Social Impact · Telly Awards
  • 2022Best Indie Narrative Short · 8 & Halfilm Awards
  • 2022Best Human Rights Film · Philadelphia World Film Festival
  • 2022Best Human Rights Film · Tokyo Shorts Film Festival
  • 2021Best Black Lives Matter Film · Berlin Shorts Award
  • 2022Best Social Justice Film · Vienna Indie Short Film Festival
  • 2022Best Social Justice Short · Arthouse Film Festival of Beverly Hills
  • 2021Award of Excellence · One-Reeler Film Festival
  • 2021Honorable Mention, Short · Chicago Indie Film Awards
  • 2020Best International Film · Reale Film Festival, Italy
/ 03

Stills

Still from Karen
Still from Karen
David Tarleton on the set of Karen
/ 04

Selected Press

More on the Awards & Press page.

More of the work.
David Tarleton on the set of Karen