In writer-director-star Artima Sakulkoo’s It Happened in August, Aim (Sakulkoo) and Sandra (Linsy Segarra) had been dating for some time. But everything changes when Aim’s mother falls ill, and Aim returns to Thailand with her brother, Aro (Marvin Moser), to care for their father. At the same time, Sandra lands a dream role, so Aim breaks up with Sandra, believing it is best for both of them.
Sometime later, Aim returns to New York City with Aro. Their father calls to tell them how much he misses them, and Aim heads off to her job at a Thai restaurant. Suddenly, Aim is taken aback when Sandra sits down to eat. They haven’t seen one another since they broke up. What starts as idle chit-chat soon turns real, and Aim feels her life has stagnated while Sandra has moved forward in her acting career.
“…Aim returns to New York City…is taken aback when Sandra sits down to eat.”
According to Sakulkoo, It Happened in August was born from her life collapsing upon itself: losing her mother, discovering her queerness, and living as an immigrant in New York City. Working at a restaurant was not exactly where she expected to be on her journey to becoming a filmmaker. All that makes this a somewhat true story of a queer Thai filmmaker. But the heart of the short film is Aim’s connection with Sandra. Aim believed she broke up with Sandra for all the right reasons, but there’s that inevitable moment when you reconnect, whether it was your doing or not. What we see is whether Aim’s reasons for the breakup were valid or if there was something more profound. Queer or not…we’ve all been there.
It Happened in August is a profoundly emotional thought piece. Sakulkoo gives a fantastic performance, hitting the right beats for the story, and both Linsy Segarra and Marvin Moser play off her energy perfectly.
It Happened in August screened at the 2025 Reeling LGBTQ Film Festival.
"…profoundly emotional thought piece."
