Our Father

A must see short film, with Michael Gross as you have never seen him before. Well written and beautifully directed telling of a true story that will stay with you for days.

"Our Father" takes a bold and honest look at the emotional and psychological devastation left in the wake of a father's crushing dementia. It also touches on other personal and social issues, bringing into sharp focus the effects of a life spent in darkness, carefully guarding secrets from the past.

In one claustrophobic scene, writer and director Linda Palmer-Cardone takes her audience on an insightful and mesmerizing journey that most feature-length films fail to achieve. Like a car crash you just can't look away from, "Our Father" holds you tight from the first moment to the last.

Michael Gross's shattering performance as John, the father, will leave you shaken to the core. Michael Worth's touching performance as Jared brilliantly captures the roller coaster of emotions and feelings a son faces when dealing with a father locked in the grip of advancing dementia.

David Topp and Eileen Grubba (Danny and Kate) also give wrenching and touching performances as a teenage boy, mature and sensitive beyond his years, who is far better equipped to handle the situation with his grandfather than anyone else, and a wife and mother who is struggling to keep herself and her family together through an impossible ordeal.

I just finished watching Our Father and it is an incredibly moving story of compassion and caring for an all too common affliction of dementia in our society today.

Jared (Michael Worth) shows an example of compassion along with his son, Danny (David Topp), that should be the standard for family care providers dealing with such an issue.

John (Michael Gross) brought an amazingly realistic portrayal to his role as the afflicted father, and his bravery to take on such a delicate subject and powerful performance is a must-see!

Linda Palmer's direction and tightly written script explore the depths of emotion and deep-seated family issues. In addition, the flashbacks fill in the void of the long missing detail from John's fractured mind that can explain and help heal his family.

This story was very touching and moving. Thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Short stories can pack a heartfelt punch - and this one certainly does a great job at that! There were some nice twists in this short film so I will not comment on the specifics of the story so as to allow the viewer to enjoy it firsthand.

I was impressed with the acting and the direction. I thought the filmmakers were very creative in how they visually shared the main character's back story through the course of the film. It was refreshing to see the filmmakers rely on the strength of the script and the acting to showcase a strong narrative. In addition to strong storytelling and direction, the title song was spot on emotionally and only strengthened the theme of the story. I would highly recommend this film for viewing. It recently started on the festival circuit and is doing very well. Continued success to the filmmakers!

Our Father is a touching, honest film about what happens when a troubled man, a father, keeps secrets bottled up all his life; if not for his dementia, they would have stayed buried forever. Lucky—or unlucky—for his son, they didn't.

The film has reenactment, pain, understanding, and perhaps a little closure. This man's son will never see him the same way again and, from a single moment of clarity, can perhaps begin to forgive his mistakes. Beautifully shot and acted, this 20-minute film (shot almost entirely in a bathroom) has more emotion in it than some features have from beginning to end.

I'm so proud of Our Father.

An amazing film about the effects of dementia. It delivers a powerful emotional experience combined with outstanding performances led by Michael Gross and Michael Worth. The atmosphere created is authentic and portrays a frustrated and exhausted family caring for a dad who suffers from dementia. The setting of a bathroom is unique and creates an intense experience. The theme will resonate with many people around the world who deal or have dealt with these issues while caring for loved ones. Our Father is an example of amazing writing, direction and acting. Linda Palmer's clear vision and superb storytelling makes this a must-see film.