Synopsis

Mikey and Fiona are newlyweds attending their first support group for Alzheimer’s/dementia caregivers. Fiona seeks advice, and a break from Mikey’s mom, who was recently diagnosed with dementia while Mikey is reluctant to open up in the meeting. After hearing other’s honest stories of pain, exhaustion, heartbreak, hope and hopelessness, Mikey and Fiona finally feel comfortable revealing just how hard it is to care for Mikey’s mom. As the meeting wraps up, they receive crucial advice on how to survive the struggles of caregiving by also taking time for themselves.

Director's Statement - Jay Guffey

When Mikey asked me to direct I Don’t Care, I half heartily tried to talk him out of it. I loved the script and really wanted to direct it, but thought it would be prudent to voice my concerns immediately. My greatest concern was that the story wasn’t personal to me. I hadn’t gone through anything close to what any of the characters were going through. I had never even attended a group therapy session. Mikey saw right through my modesty and hired me despite my doubts. We got to work. Lots of conversations that didn’t feel like work and gave me a real sense of care giving and group therapy and how the pain and humor can coexist moment to moment and how opening oneself to strangers can be cathartic. Mikey built this beautiful boat and I just had to steer the ship to shore. With this script and the actors assembled it was such smooth sailing. After lots of conversation and working with this beautiful cast and shooting with this talented crew and just sitting with the material in my thoughts and feelings, I Don’t Care, by some strange alchemy, has become deeply personal to me. I can’t articulate why or even how, but I’m grateful for this movie and so proud to have my name attached as “Director”. 

Writer's Statement - Mike Nielsen 

18 days before my wedding, I received a phone call from my mom’s work. She hadn’t shown up nor called in sick. On the phone she told me she had no idea why she didn’t go to work that day she just…didn’t. I left my job and when I showed up at her house to check on her, she had zero memory of talking to me on the phone one hour prior. She moved in with us the day we got back from our honeymoon. My wife and I started our marriage off as caregivers. This was the inspiration behind my short film, I Don’t Care. I Don’t Care is pilot script for a television series but, after seeing some amazing short films at the 2025 Pasadena International Film Festival, I was inspired to take one of my favorite scenes and make it into a short film. While taking a course at UCLA extension, I became friends with a writer/producer, Brian J. Leitten. We met for a coffee, talked about my idea for a short film, and from there the pieces fell together. From my director, Jay Guffey, to all the cast, crew and location, everything just worked out smoothly. I’m incredibly happy with the result. I hope this film is a message of recognition for all those caregivers out there. I know caregiving can feel like throwing water out of a sinking ship, but to be your best you must take some time to care for yourself and once in a while say, “I don’t care”. 

Producer's Statement - Brian J. Leitten 

In 2024, I took the “Pitching for Film & TV” course with the UCLA Extension Writers Studio. During the class a handful of scripts really stuck out to me. One of those was a family friendly holiday romp written by Michael Nielsen. Mike and I became fast friends and eventually he asked me if I could give him some advice about creating a short film. I read Mike’s script for I Don’t Care and knew there was something special about it. We discussed what would be needed over a long lunch, which turned into emails and script reads. Very quickly we were working together, hiring crew, booking actors and finding a location for the film. Through each step of production, we found people who loved the script’s message and wanted to be a part of the film. From actors who had cared for their parents to crew members who’ve dealt with dementia and Alzheimer’s, everyone wanted the short to succeed. As we went into post production, we received an email about the UCLAxFilmFest and made that our goal post for finishing the short. We are incredibly honored to be a part of the festival and can’t wait to share the film.  

Crew & Cast

Jay Guffey (Director) is a Los Angeles based filmmaker best known for directing the feature Run For Your Life and several award-winning short films. A graduate of The Los Angeles Film School, Guffey's work is defined by unique visual storytelling and character-driven narratives that blend the dramatic and the comedic. His films have been featured in festivals nationwide earning recognition for their unique tone, compelling performances and cinematic style. 

Mike Nielsen (Writer, Producer, Actor) is a multiracial writer, actor and comedian. He began his career at The Groundlings and with some of his fellow sketch comedians, broke off and started their own group, The Mechanicals. After making their own sketch pilot for Showtime, The Mechanicals were cast in the film “Southland Tales” from writer/director Richard Kelly (“Donnie Darko”). Since then, you might have (probably not) seen Mike as an actor in “Manswers” (Spike TV), “It’s Your show w/ Carson Daly” (NBC), “Atom TV” (Comedy Central), and the film “Cicada!” (Winner Best US Genre Film Austin Revolution Film Festival) As a sketch comedian, Mike has performed multiple times at the Los Angeles Festival of Sketch and at The Comedy Central Stage. As a standup, Mike has performed at Upright Citizens Brigade, The Comedy Store and was a regular at the Hollywood Improv. Mike hosted multiple shows at the Los Angeles Comedy Festival, showcased at the Just For Laughs-New Faces of Comedy, and ran the highly successful monthly standup show “GetALoadA” at the former House of Blues on Sunset featuring comedians such as Tig Notaro, Nick Kroll and Marc Maron. As a writer, Mike has written multiple TV pilots. From animation to dramedy, his pilots have placed as quarter, semi and finalists in multiple contests and fellowships. Mike attempted his first solo feature script with his “Home Alone” meets “Goonies” Christmas adventure, “Nick’d” and won the 2025 Chicago Script Awards category for “Best First Time Screenwriter (Feature)”. Mike writes as much from his personal life experiences as from his goofy, weird imagination. He loves and appreciates working in all genres of film and television but is absolutely terrible at writing sci-fi. Please don’t ask him to, he’ll sound like an idiot. Mike is so grateful for being a part of the 2026 UCLA FilmFest.  

Brian J. Leitten (Producer) is an Emmy®-winning producer and director. An Eagle Scout with a solid 401k and a moderate case of middle-child syndrome, he’s filmed on all 7 continents and almost died directing a documentary in the Alaskan wilderness. Music has played a distinct role in his career, starting with an internship at a classic rock station, even though his first love was The Beach Boys. Right out of college Brian found his way to New York City and started a ten year journey at MTV. He once forgot to press record filming an interview with Nelly Furtado, but redeemed himself by helping to create “Ultimate Mash-Ups with Jay-Z and Linkin Park.” Brian earned his production cred as a quintuple threat (producer/director/writer/casting director/DP) on four seasons of MTV’s “MADE”, where he brought his pop music wisdom to the show by booking artists to coach participants, music-supervising a variety of special episodes, and directing a cross-over episode with MTV’s "America's Best Dance Crew." During his five years as an executive producer at Vevo, he directed two documentaries with Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails and interviewed hundreds of musicians. Taylor Swift’s mom once told him he was the best interviewer she had ever worked with. And Jennifer Lopez’ manager doubled down two weeks later. Brian co-created and taught the Production Master Class at the University of Cincinnati for nine years. In 2014 he was honored as the university’s Outstanding Young Alumnus.  In 2018 Brian relocated to the City of Angels and started a new journey in his production career, becoming a writer. He earned a Certificate in Television Writing through the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. In 2025, his drama television pilot “Red State” won the grand prize with ISA’s Thriller Screenplay Competition and his comedy pilot “Offspring” is a semi-finalist with Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Contest. Currently Brian is the executive producer and head writer for the official Tournament of Roses broadcast of the Rose Parade. 

Phillip Jackson (Cinematographer) is a Virginian from a big family of 8, living in Los Angeles, who misses a good meal at Waffle House. He creates in multiple mediums but finds cinematography to be the most fulfilling. Finding the combination of artistic expression, creative problem solving, and teamwork is a perfect match for him. He's been selected as a mentee in the American Society of Cinematographers Vision's Program in 2020 and was a cinematographer cohort in Film Independent's Project Involve in 2022. His latest feature as a cinematographer, "Three Ways" is streaming on Hulu. He also uses his talents to help document the Black Lives Matter movement in Los Angeles as well as lensing features, short films, music videos, documentaries, and branded content. He's always up for a challenge whether it's fighting for justice or figuring out what shot best tells the story at hand.

Behind the Scenes