Produced by Rishi Raj, the short film An Old Friend has emerged as one of the most emotionally resonant independent projects to gain international recognition in recent years. Starring Tom Skerritt and Jason Faunt, the film delivers an intimate and poignant story centered on nostalgia, connection, and the quiet power of farewell.
The narrative follows an imaginary friend who realizes that his mission to bring happiness now extends into the final moments of a 90-year-old man’s life, creating a moving metaphor for care, memory, and enduring emotional bonds. The production demanded a delicate balance between artistic sensitivity and precise execution—an approach that defines Raj’s work as a producer.
The film’s impact is reflected in its festival success, with selections at events such as Hollyshorts, Oxford, and Newport Beach, alongside notable wins including Best Drama at SISFA 2025 and Best Actor at the Puerto Aventuras International Film Festival. The trajectory of An Old Friend reinforces Rishi Raj’s commitment to character-driven storytelling with strong artistic and global appeal.
What initially drew you to the script for “An Old Friend” and convinced you that this was a story worth telling?
As a filmmaker myself, I’ve always loved stories about universal familial bonds and tugging on an audience’s heartstrings in a bittersweet way. Nuk, our director, approached me with this script and told me with full conviction “this is the one.” As a long time collaborator and friend, I trusted his faith in the script and came on board to help in any way possible.
As a producer, what was your role in shaping the emotional atmosphere of the film — the bridge between childhood, farewell, and imagination?
I was involved in all stages of production, but I think where I helped shape the emotional atmosphere most was in post-production. This short involved more VFX, SFX, music and finesse in the edit than any other short Nuk and I have collaborated on to date. The summer we produced the film, he was incredibly busy traveling for work, so I tag-teamed the edit with him remotely. We’d chat on decisions regarding the edit, music, VFX, etc constantly. There were many, many creative decisions we made in the edit to enhance the story beyond what was originally in the script. This includes when I suggested a tribute to Jason Faunt’s late father in the end credits. Jason spoke about how much the script resonated to him because of his loss. We all decided to surprise him with the tribute in the edit.
The short is standing out at festivals and earning awards. In your strategic view, what makes this film so impactful compared to many others?
It’s a film that appeals to everyone! From children to adults to seniors, they can all find something to enjoy in this sweet story about fatherhood.
Working on such a delicate narrative, what were the biggest challenges in balancing logistics, budget, and the artistic depth the story demanded?
We only had 3.5 days of principal photography for a very ambitious script. Jason flew in from LA and Tom had a very busy schedule, so we all knew we had very little time to get it done. However, most of our team met each other working on timed filmmaking competitions, so the incredible speed and efficiency of our teamwork made it happen! I really don’t think many other teams could achieve as much as we did in such little time. In addition, we’re all friends and we all pulled big favors to bring the script to reality despite the budget.
Tom Skerritt and Jason Faunt deliver contrasting yet complementary performances. What was it like watching these transformations unfold behind the scenes?
It was incredible. All of us knew Jason from his time on Power Rangers, so we were interested to see how he would perform in a radically different role. Jason pulled it off effortlessly. We could tell he put his heart and soul into the story. Tom was also a lot of fun to work with. When he got to unleash his inner child in the story, he went all out. He didn’t want to stop honestly! He was having too much fun.
“An Old Friend” invites reflection on what truly matters as time passes. Did producing this film shift your own perception of affection, childhood, or mortality in any way?
I remember when we interviewed Tom about the film, he started to get emotional. He told us how bittersweet he felt since this may be his last film. He’s loved acting all his life and he wished that he had another 10 years of it. He did not feel like his journey was at its end. It was inspiring to hear how important this experience was to him even though he already had a long career full of legendary performances.
Looking ahead, what kind of impact do you hope the short will have on audiences and on the filmmaking community?
I hope audiences of all ages and demographics find enjoyment in the whimsy and feel-good nature of this story. I don’t see many films like this one in the short film festival world and I hope everyone gets to see what we made! We also want to represent the talent and capabilities of the Seattle filmmaking community worldwide.
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