On the night of a Winter show, Killswitch, a beloved small-town punk band performs the most decisive show of their career. When the lead singer arrives to practice, tensions build between the bandmates over respect, what songs to play, and the future of the band.
The year is 1892, the American Indian Wars are drawing to a close. 400 years of brutal conflict and rampant disease have left the native population of the Americas decimated. At Fort Assiniboine in Havre Montana, a court martial is being held, and Lieutenant Mathew Monet is being tried for the violent murder of a peaceful Cree family living at the fort. A veteran of the 7th cavalry who served at Wounded Knee, Monet is no stranger to murder, but this time was different, this time he was operating outside of orders, and on his own behalf. The events of Wounded Knee still hang over the heads of many, and so to save face in the eyes of the American public, president Harrison orders that the prisoner be transported to Washington where he will hang before the very halls of democratic justice. The old ways are drawing to a close, the age of the frontier is over. Charged with ensuring Monet is put aboard the train, is Corporal Patrick Malloy, also a veteran of the 7th Cavalry at Wounded Knee he is a skillful navigator and has been selected by Colonel Mizner to lead the prisoner down the banks of the Missouri river from Fort Assiniboine to Fort Shaw, where he will be placed aboard the train that will carry him to his death. It seems like a simple enough job, however the more he ponders the context of his life and the reality of the situation, existential doubts begin to plague him concerning the nature of good and evil.
In a dreamlike world where water holds memory, two young lovers drift between three realities as they struggle to keep love alive. Leah and Paterson navigate passion and routine through everyday moments, neon-lit surrealism, and a white void representing their shared consciousness. Interwoven with goldfish and water motifs symbolizing time and emotion, the film becomes a poetic meditation on love’s fragility and permanence, inviting viewers to rediscover the beauty of presence.
Far beyond the reaches of her comfort zone, Lana finds herself quietly cemented to a bench while in line for the bathroom at a college Halloween party—her penguin onesie providing no assistance toward her anxious state. When Marin, dressed in a near-identical costume, happens to find herself in the same situation beside Lana, the two share a brief, somewhat awkward conversation to pass the time. From beak sizes to nostalgic laundry detergent, they begin to unravel the nature of the stranger sitting beside them, slowly paving the way for the beginnings of a connection. Perhaps too soon, Lana becomes next in line for the bathroom while Marin is pressured to depart with her friends, leaving the pair in a state of uncertainty regarding their newfound bond.
Directed by Felix Todhunter
Director of Photography, Bella Colavolpe
