Curfew

This is a surreal dark comedy about suicidal depression and drug addiction, but it's really about the characters and the way family can affect a person. Not realistic, not quite intended to be realistic, but totally believable emotionally, and the dialogue and music are terrific.

Someone who knew I was a bit battered by life told me to seek out and watch this short, and I'm so glad they did, because it went under my radar.

Without spoilers I can only say that it captures the feeling of being at the last saloon, and how the smallest thing can make you go one way or another. Trust me on this.

Shawn Christensen deserves so much praise for his understated performance as well as doing pretty much everything else, and what a find Fatima Ptacek is. A solid double header of talent.

Everyone I know that has seen it talks about the fantasy ( or is it ) sequence, that great tune, and the sureal scene in an otherwise dark tale.

Bottom line: WOW. It really is a ten out of ten. 20 minutes of your life, what have you got to loose.

"Curfew" is a nineteen minute short film that gives you enough to understand its breadth. Richie (Shawn Christensen) is a suicidal man in the midst of suicide when his distraught sister Maggie (Kim Allen) called him to ask him to watch his niece Sophia (Fatima Ptacek). It's clear she doesn't trust him at all, but it's also clear that she's desperate.

The little that you get from this drama is solid. I'm not sure if I would watch the same movie if it were a feature length film, but if it were on I wouldn't change the channel.

Well directed and acted by Christensen, and it look out for Kirsten Holly Smith of the off-Broadway hit Forever Dusty!

It is really worth the time to watch this Oscar Winning short film by Shawn Christensen. I would recommend it to anyone.