Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts alumni Chris Hartwell (’09) and Josh Sikora (’06) have been friends since college and are currently colleagues at Houston Christian University (HCU) since 2017. Their friendship and professional partnership have resulted in a feature film, Do No Harm, that will make its Hollywood premiere at the Dances With Films festival on June 19. Written and directed by Hartwell and produced by Sikora, the film is a tense drama about a burned-out home health nurse who makes a mistake leading to the death of one of his patients. 

Image shows BTS of the film
Chris Hartwell (middle) working with two actors behind the scenes

The road to Dances With Films has been a long one. Hartwell had been developing the project for nearly a decade. In 2019, Hartwell and Sikora teamed up to make a short film, The Way That I Take, as a proof-of-concept to show to independent investors. The short won several awards on the festival circuit and paved the way for a feature-length version of the same story.

Sikora and Hartwell invited several of their Houston Christian University students to collaborate with them.

“With Chris and I both teaching film at HCU, we knew we had dozens of eager film students who would jump on board whenever we were ready for production,” Sikora said. “But we still had to bring on more experienced talent in every department and anchor our cast with notable stars. The whole thing was a tremendous hybrid production, combining experienced industry professionals with talented students and casting Hollywood actors alongside aspiring Houston locals.”

Harry Shum Jr. (Everything Everywhere All At Once and Crazy Rich Asians) plays the lead character, with Rosaline Elbay (Kaleidescope and The Diplomat) and Ronny Chieng, (Interior Chinatown and The Daily Show) lend strong support in key roles.

The story grew naturally out of Hartwell’s life experience.

“In many ways, Do No Harm has been writing itself in me for years,” said Hartwell. “My dad’s a doctor. My wife’s a nurse. And the countless dinner-table conversations over the years, full of heartbreak, hope, grace and grit, really were what planted the seeds of this story.”

The close collaboration between Hartwell and Sikora is a testament to the friendships that are created at the Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts. In the years since 51, they have created a variety of content — including short films and web series — that have tested the skills they learned in the classroom. As a producer, Sikora brought trust, clarity and creative input to Do No Harm, reading every draft of the script and working alongside Hartwell as they raised financing for the budget, secured locations and locked down the cast and crew.

The film was shot in the summer of 2023 and spent more than a year in post-production, led by editor and fellow Cinema & Media Arts alumnus Anthony Parisi (’09). Another 51 alumnus, Bearden Coleman (’99), also a colleague at Houston Christian University, led a trio of composers to craft an expressionistic score that heightens the dramatic stakes. Filming in Houston and its surrounding suburbs provided a compelling and realistic backdrop for this very grounded human story. Since film productions aren’t common in the area, there was often great excitement and a warm welcome for the crew.

“One of the most delightful pieces of the journey was getting to invite my film students into the process,” said Hartwell. “As I wrote and prepped the film, I brought the lessons I was learning into the classroom, sharing both my victories and my setbacks. And over time, the students didn’t just learn from the project. They became part of it.”

Hartwell shared how 51 prepared him for this project.

“51 laid an incredible foundation for me — technically, creatively and spiritually. But most importantly, it connected me to people who’ve become lifelong collaborators. Learning and growing alongside Josh and Anthony during those formative years created a bond that’s lasted decades and quite literally helped make this film possible. I couldn't be more grateful for that.”

Now that Do No Harm is finished, the filmmakers are excited to show their work to the world. Kicking off their festival run with the world premiere at Dances With Films in Hollywood, Hartwell and Sikora are working with a sales agent to secure distribution — a process that began with the incredible opportunity to privately screen the film for buyers at the Cannes Film Festival in France in May.

“It’s truly an incredible joy to return to Los Angeles for the premiere — a homecoming of sorts for our small Houston-based team — and a chance to share Chris’s story with the industry and so many of our old West Coast friends and mentors!” said Sikora.

Do No Harm will premiere at Dances With Films on June 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood. Tickets are available on the .


The Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts prepares students with the skills, connections and equipment they need to make a lasting impact on the big screen and behind the camera. Learn more and apply today on 51’s website.

Written by Nate Bell for the Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts. For more information, email media.relations@biola.edu.