Thank you to everyone who has supported RAT ROD and championed Jorge’s story of resilience and finding belonging.
Thank you to @jprgerf for trusting co-directors @cjakins21 and @jared_jakins to tell your story. We are so grateful to the entire filmmaking team and producers, @kelynikegami and H. B. Phillips.
Thank you to our incredible Executive Producers, @carasantanaleto and @wilmervalderrama who believed in Jorge’s story from when they first saw the film and did so much to share it.
Thank you to @switchboard.magazine for understanding the power of storytelling and for helping amplify Jorge’s story. We’re incredibly proud to have been a part of their campaign alongside @freemanvinesfilm , @savingsupermandoc and @porelessmovie .
RAT ROD will remain available to stream on YouTube. We hope Jorge’s story continues to resonate with anyone who finds it.
Breaking Down A Scene - Episode 7: Doug
In the final episode of the series, sound designer Doug May explains how the sound of RAT ROD lives between reality and memory. Through repetition, distortion, and unconventional recording techniques, the sound design drifts from the literal into something dreamlike – letting symbols, trauma, and memory quietly haunt what we see on screen.
#RatRodFilm is available to watch on @switchboard.magazine YouTube channel. Watch now through the link in bio.
A story that’s bold, haunted, and unforgettable.
Back at @filmquest , we stopped viewers to hear their thoughts and takeaways after viewing RAT ROD.
Watch #RatRodFilm now through the link in bio and let us know what resonates with you.
Switchboard is immensely proud to be the home of these four films and, more than that, these four filmmaking teams. Indie filmmaking is harder than ever and even getting a short film made in this climate is a testament to the passion, vision, and grit that all of these filmmakers possess. All four films are available to watch via our YouTube channel, as well as the Academy screening room, and we hope you will take the time to support independent filmmaking and filmmakers by streaming their beautiful works.
Breaking Down A Scene - Episode 6: Logan
RAT ROD composer Logan Anderson shares why the trumpet, with its metal body and piston valves, was the perfect parallel to the machinery of Jorge’s garage. Using extended techniques like multiphonics, he shaped chords, clicks, and breathy textures that echo the spirit of a rat rod — making something beautiful from whatever parts you have.
#RatRodFilm is available to watch on @switchboard.magazine YouTube channel. Watch now through the link in bio.
Proud to stand beside the incredible @ratrodfilm team at the Los Angeles screenings and to be part of the conversation around Jorge’s story. Watch the film now on YouTube (link in bio).
📸 David Coy II
An incredible few days in LA with @switchboard.magazine FYC Collective — from discussions with Karolina Waclawiak and Bella Racklin from @purenonfiction to time with our amazing EPs Cara Santana Leto and Wilmer Valderrama. This kind of support helps Jorge’s story reach even more people.
Last, a huge thank you to @savingsupermandoc , @porelessmovie , @freemanvinesfilm for sharing this journey with us. It’s been inspiring to support each other and celebrate storytelling as a collective.
RAT ROD, a filmed-in-Utah documentary short by local filmmakers Carly Jakins, Jared Jakins, and Kelyn Ikagami from @the.plains is up for @theacademy consideration for Best Documentary Short.
Executive produced by Cara Santana Leto and Wilmer Valderrama, the film follows Jorge Ramirez, a mechanic in rural Utah whose story of immigration and love for motors becomes a moving reflection on life, death, and what it means to find belonging in a new place.
Stream @ratrodfilm at the link in bio or on the @switchboard.magazine YouTube channel.
#FilmUtah
For Your Consideration | @theacademy | Best Documentary Short
Carly and Jared Jakins’ RAT ROD won Best Documentary Short at the 2025 Nashville Film Festival, marking its second Academy Award®-qualifying festival win. Executive produced by Cara Santana Leto and Wilmer Valderrama, the film follows Jorge Ramirez, a rural Utah mechanic whose passion for rebuilding cars mirrors his journey as an immigrant searching for belonging.
RAT ROD is available to watch in the Academy® Screening Room and on @switchboard.magazine YouTube channel.
Breaking Down A Scene - Episode 5: Carly
Co-director Carly Jakins describes the collaborative sound and score work behind RAT ROD – a team effort between composer @loganfromidaho and sound designers @brendenbytheway and @drobertmay that shaped the film’s immersive, sensory world.
Watch RAT ROD today on @switchboard.magazine YouTube channel – link in bio.
