Searit (pronounced SA-AH-DEE) Kahsay (KAH-SAI) Huluf (HU-LOOF) is an anime-loving night owl turned CrossFit enthusiast who can often be found pondering the precise moment to brew her next cup of coffee (minimum three a day). Born in Fresno, CA, and raised in LA by her single Ethiopian mother, Searit pursued her passion for storytelling at UCLA’s Film School, where she concentrated on screenwriting and animation. After graduating, she relocated to the Bay Area, thrilled to join Pixar Animation Studios, where she contributed to projects like “Incredibles 2” and “Turning Red”.

In her spare time—late nights and weekends—Searit poured herself into her live-action narrative and documentary short films, including “Reward if Found”, “buna”, “GAMERS”, “Exploring Blackness”, and “19th Amendment Doc”. These films have been screened at prestigious festivals like SXSW, SFFILM, Frameline, Cinequest, CAAM, and the Pan African Film Festival.

Her work caught the attention of Pixar's President, Jim Morris, who personally invited her to join the renowned SparkShorts program. There, she directed “Self”, an Oscar-qualifying stop-motion short now streaming on Disney+, mentored by Trevor Jimenez and Domee Shi. The film’s success earned Searit an NAACP nomination (2025), Variety's "Top 10 Animators to Watch" list (2024), and won the Gold Short Film award at the Collision Awards (2024). She was also part of the 2023-2024 Women in Animation Mentorship program, guided by Mark Osborne.

When she's not writing or filmmaking, Searit indulges in her love for anime, explores new culinary delights, and enjoys solo travel.