SATURDAY 10AM FICTION SHORTS
TURN OVER
When Kerry returns to the family farm with a money-making proposition for his estranged older brother Thad, he discovers he is the half-owner of a rusty old tractor bought by their father just before his unexpected death. If the engine is seized, the tractor is a hunk of junk. But, If Kerry can convince Thad to help him get the old beast to turn over, it could be worth more than cash to them both. Based on the award-winning screenplay, "Turn Over" is a universal story of shared familial bonds and reconciliation.
PIANO MAN
A struggling jazz pianist lands a gig at an upscale restaurant where he hopes to be offered a full-time position for his playing.
TWENTY
Nominated for the SONY Future Filmmakers Award, TWENTY is the story of the girl behind the number. The film follows Emily, a homeless ballet dancer undertaking a potentially life-changing audition. In the audition room, identified by the auditioners as the girl wearing the number twenty, Emily is graceful and poised. However, in the real world, she struggles to find somewhere to sleep, let alone focus on her artistry. The narrative alternates between the day before the audition, when Emily is desperately trying to find shelter for the night, and the audition day itself, as she faces gruelling rounds to be chosen for a highly selective ballet company. Pushed to the brink, will she be able to achieve her dreams? The film features Lorraine Ashbourne (Bridgerton, The Crown) and was partially financed by Nick Brown of Neal Street Productions (1917), with executive producer Gabrielle Tana (The White Crow, Philomena). The music, composed by Hugh Brunt (Tár, You Were Never Really Here), was mixed at Abbey Road, and the sound design was crafted by Steve Giammaria (The Bear, Theater Camp).
TINY, TEXAS
In 1980s Texas, a star player and his coach face off on the basketball court and, figuratively speaking, hard truths are revealed as the onion of their relationship is peeled back.
NEVER FREE
A desperate runaway convict hitchhikes across the rural countryside, evading capture until a chance encounter with a wise but determined local sheriff forces him to confront his past and the choices that led him to a life on the run.
THE HEART OF TEXAS
Janie May, an aspiring country singer stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck grind, gets big news that she’s a radio contest finalist while finishing her overnight shift at a local diner in Waco, TX. She must race to the station to sing for hometown country music hero Harlan Thompson in hopes of winning the opening act spot on his upcoming tour. In a chaotic dash to the studio, she collides her car into Jesús, an undocumented worker who refuses medical care or police assistance out of fear of being discovered and deported. The two engage in a struggle, each in pursuit of their own American dreams. In the end, they do the only thing they know how to do: fend for themselves.
EVY’S WISH
EVY’S WISH is a short feel-good drama that follows six-year-old Evelyn and her mom, Anna, living in Austin, Texas. Evelyn’s father passed away not long ago; a victim of the COVID-19 pandemic raging around them. Like many middle-class families, this brought immense grief and financial instability to the family. Despite all the pressures, Anna wants to be independent, and happy. Evelyn’s only wish for Christmas is to get a pair of pretty shoes to replace her old worn-out ones, and Anna’s only wish for Christmas is to make her child happy.