Actress and producer Marta Pozzan is stepping behind the camera for the first time with the dark comedy short "Down to Die," which she also stars in. The film follows two friends whose casual afternoon at an exclusive members-only club in East Los Angeles turns into a frank exchange about ageing, ambition, identity and mortality, using rapid-fire dialogue to explore themes of performative success and emotional detachment.

Pozzan plays Maria opposite Andrew Matarazzo ("Teen Wolf") as Gabriel, with support from Joe Apollonio ("Magic Farm") as a club membership curator and Lindsey Normington ("Anora") as a waitress. The short is produced with Kaley Ronayne, Nuer Taqa and Radiance Pictures, and features cinematography by Ksusha Genenfeld, editing by Sabrina Greco and casting by Kate Geller. Pozzan has spent five years working on independent films that have screened at Tribeca, Stockholm and Belfast, including co-producing "Fior Di Latte" with Julia Fox and "The Dregs" with Nava Mau.