Switchboard Acquires Five Shorts Including ‘This Is Private’, Hires Galt Niederhoffer

EXCLUSIVE: Switchboard, fresh from striking a first-look deal with Hulu, has acquired a slew of short films and has hired an executive to oversee its narrative fiction projects.

The company, which was founded by Call Me Cleo and Beanie Mania producer Celia Aniskovich, has acquired five films: A Pocket Guide To Pigeon Watching, This Is Private, Community Theater, Mary The Widow and Oh Whale.

It comes after Switchboard hired author and producer Galt Niederhoffer as an editor, who will oversee the magazine’s fiction slate as well as its growing portfolio of narrative short films.

This group of short films will screen together at the Indy Shorts International Film Festival, which runs July 21–26, 2026 in Indianapolis.

A Pocket Guide To Pigeon Watching is directed by Adam Elliott and adapted from Rosemary Mosco’s book. Shot on 16mm and Super 8, it explores New York City’s enduring relationship with pigeons. Often dismissed as “flying rats,” pigeons emerge as resilient survivalists deeply tied to the city’s history. Moving through rooftop coops, city streets, and a mosaic of New York voices, the film invites us to reconsider the pigeon, soften our gaze, and recognize that coexistence is an act of choice.

This is Private is directed by LeAndre Thomas, who wrote and directed The Pit, an episode of  Disney+’s Star Wars: Visions. It is a film about Royce, a struggling psychology student working nights at a strip club to make ends meet. Her two worlds collide when she cunningly decides to use her private dances as therapy sessions to prevail in her class.

Community Theater, directed by Scottish director Lewis Baillie, is about a community theatre that brings to life stories from three generations of a quiet working-class town in Scotland. Through the voices of its people, the play celebrates shared heritage, resilience and the enduring spirit of place.

Mary The Widow, directed by Ryan Noufer, follows an aging widow who, at her daughter’s insistence, attends a speed-dating event — where, among a string of dud dates, one gentle stranger lingers in her mind. It stars Stephen Tobolowsky alongside Julie Ariola, Jean Villepique, and Arianna Ortiz.

Oh Whale excavates Oregon’s infamous 1970 exploding-whale incident through the eyes of journalist Paul Linnman, who broke the story at age 23 and has been answering questions about it ever since. Directed by Winslow Crane-Murdoch, it comes from Sideyard Studios, Lucky Day and Restless Productions and is produced by Luke Terrell and Cecilia Brown.

“These five films couldn’t be more different from one another — from a documentary about an exploding whale, to a drama about a psychology student moonlighting at a strip club,” said Celia Aniskovich, Founder and Editor in Chief of Switchboard. “But they all share the kind of distinctive voice and craft we built Switchboard to support. We could not be more thrilled to bring them together as a block at Indy Shorts.”

Niederhoffer has produced over 30 films including Infinitely Polar Bear and Robot and Frank.

“Galt’s work has always lived at the intersection of storytelling forms,” said Aniskovich. “Her sensibility — sharp, cinematic, and emotionally resonant — makes her the ideal person to help define the future of fiction at Switchboard.”

Niederhoffer added, “Switchboard feels like an oasis in a media landscape that’s too often lacking in bold, narrative-driven work. It’s exactly the kind of platform these stories deserve, stories that not only resonate on the page but also have real potential for adaptation to the screen. I’m thrilled to join the masthead.”