• A group of three individuals pose in front of a promotional step-and-repeat banner featuring the stylized text “FUEL” and the phrase “A Film by Noah Abel & Max Calzada.” On the left stands a man with short dark hair and a trimmed beard, wearing a light green button-up shirt. In the center is a young man with short black hair, facial hair, and a small hoop earring, dressed in a white t-shirt and dark blazer. To the right is a woman with long dark hair, wearing sunglasses on her head, large round earrings, a black lace choker, a burgundy top, and a brown coat with a subtle animal print. All three are smiling as they look slightly off-camera, suggesting a posed photo at a film premiere or media event for FUEL.Cole Wagner

    By: Three people stand together and smile in front of a “FUEL” film backdrop at a red carpet or promotional event.

Calzada (left), Abel (center), and Kattaura (right) pose for a photo before the screening.

Chabot Employee Screens Directorial Debut

Cole Wagner. \\ May 5, 2025.

On March 29, 2025, Chabot College television and marketing production assistant, Noah Abel, held the debut screening of his short film, “FUEL.” The film, written and co-directed by Abel, was screened for a private audience of friends and family at the historic Chabot Theater in Castro Valley.

“FUEL“ is a short film directed by Noah Abel and Max Calzada that follows the story of a young drug dealer, Vic (Kevin Prasad), as he attempts to make enough money to provide for his baby daughter. Vic is accompanied by his friend and love interest, Val (Angela Lopez), and best friend, Jonah (played by Abel himself).

The film was in development for just over two years before its first screening. “To have my film screened and having my family and friends seeing it is unexplainable, indescribable. It’s a feeling and time that I never thought would happen,” said Abel.

A theater marquee displays the words "Now Showing" in red letters. Underneath "Private Screening: FUEL" is spelled out in black lettering. Above the marquee is a large, unlit neon sign that says "CHABOT"
The Chabot Theater marquee advertising the private screening for “FUEL”

“FUEL” is set in the East Bay and was filmed locally, mostly in Oakland. Much of the crew were friends and former co-workers of Abel and Calzada. Simi Kattaura, the films producer, describes her experience filming the Bay Area. “Filming in the Bay just allowed us to have access to all the resources that you have in the Bay Area. We had access to Noah’s family and help from all of our families nearby. And we’re all Bay Area natives for the most part. So that was really important.”

She goes on to say, “Seeing it from the beginning to now, and how much of the community came together – either through donations or helping out on set, or being patient while we edited the film…and seeing them all today after waiting for so long to see the end result, it just reminds you how important that community is.”

Friends, family, cast and crew lined the sidewalk outside the Chabot Theater on Castro Valley Boulevard before the screening. Refreshments were made available and attendees were able to pose for a photo with the directors and lead actors.Before the screening, Abel and Calzada gave a brief introduction to the film, thanking everyone for their support in making the screening possible.

The film itself was dark, gritty, and raw. The story of Vic unfolds over the course of just one night and demonstrates how quickly one’s fortunes can go from bad to worse – and how our actions often have consequences beyond our control. At just 25 minutes, “FUEL” extracts every ounce of drama from it’s short runtime and leaves the audience begging for more. The style of the film is brooding and kinetic, creating a compelling tension throughout.

A young man stands between an older man and woman, all smiling and posing for a photo at what appears to be a film event or premiere. The man on the left has glasses, a beard, and his hair tied up in a top knot, wearing a black sweater. The young man in the center has medium-length dark hair, some facial hair, and is dressed in a white t-shirt and black blazer. The woman on the right has long dark hair and is wearing a plaid jacket over a white top, with sunglasses hanging from her collar. They are standing in front of a branded step-and-repeat backdrop that reads “FUEL” multiple times along with the credit “A Film by Noah Abel & Max Calzada,” indicating that the event is related to the promotion or screening of the film FUEL.
Abel poses for a picture with his parents before the screening of “FUEL”
Max Calzada (left) and Noah Abel (right) answer audience questions in the postscreening Q&A.
A woman and a man are seated onstage in director’s chairs against a neutral projection screen background. The woman, on the left, holds a microphone and appears to be mid-sentence. She has long dark hair and is dressed in a white blouse layered with a rust-red vest and matching pants. The man to her right has long curly hair and a goatee, wearing a wide-brimmed black hat, a black blazer with a satin pocket square, and dark pants. He looks attentively toward the woman as she speaks. The lighting suggests an indoor theater setting, likely during a film screening, panel, or post-premiere discussion.
Angela Lopez (left) and Kevin Prasad (right) answer audience questions during the postscreening Q&A.

“I thought it was great. There were some scenes where the shots were very close and I was kind of uncomfortable watching it. I can’t help but think that’s what the intention was. It was a very intense film, so I think that was conveyed really well,” said Howie Nguyen, an audience member.

Abel says he fell in love with directing in high school after taking a television production class where he worked on a daily news show. His love for film, he says, stems from heartbreak and his experiences in childhood:

“I really resonated with some of the most grounded and heartfelt storytelling of films such as ‘Her,’ ‘City of God,’ and David Bowie’s ‘Labyrinth.’ Some of it is grounded, some of it is escapism, some of it is just plain beautiful.”

Abel went on to study film at the University of Oregon and then UC Riverside where he met and bonded with co-director Max Calzada. After graduating he worked as a production assistant in animation, learning under industry experts and writers like Brad Copeland (Arrested Development).

“One of my first days, I asked him for advice about film and he said at my age – early 20s at the time – to throw all my logs on the fire. Which means do as much as you can. Do as many things as you can while you’re young in terms of filmmaking. So that’s what I did.”

Since the screening, Abel and Calzada have begun submitting “FUEL” to various film Festivals both domestic and international. A festival release would give the film a chance to be picked up for distribution by a larger company, and get more exposure for the directing duo and their cast & crew.

In addition to “FUEL,” Abel has and continues to produce music videos for local artists, including his lead actor, Kevin Prasad, who performs under the name KVP. Noah has also hinted at other projects to look out for in the future.

“The direction I’m going to keep going down is seeing what other sensitive topics I could express through visuals. So the next one is going to be a horror. That’s what I could tease.”

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