Samantha Mei Paull is an emerging filmmaker currently studying at New York University. Her latest short film, the psychological thriller Sleeping Dogs Lie, explores the darker side of the entertainment world and the power dynamics that can exist behind the scenes. It serves as a commentary on our culture at large. Samantha has self-funded the production and assembled an unusually professional cast and crew who believed in the project and signed on to tell its story. The result is a polished, personal film about the complicated relationship between ambition and power in the industry she is beginning to enter. Samantha wrote and produced her first film, BLACKBERRY, while in high school; it premiered at the Beverly Hills Film Festival in 2024. Now at NYU, she continues to develop her voice as a filmmaker, crafting scripts that serve as metaphors for the experiences of her generation.