Filmmaker Statement

This is not just another teen romance movie. Far from it - this is a raw, unfiltered, gritty depiction of a girl who is struggling to find herself and her place in the world. This is not a “happy ending” type of movie. This story deals with first loves, bad decisions, trauma, and growing up too fast. Halcyon Days is inspired by my first relationship in high school, my road trip from San Francisco to Austin, and a plethora of other influences, both from my life and from existing media. When we’re young, time seems to move differently. A week can feel like a lifetime, and a lifetime can feel like a week. The structure of this film mimics this mentality, as Stella balances on the precipice between childhood and adulthood. Ultimately, people are not objectively good or bad, relationships often toe a line between passionate and unhealthy, and the “right thing to do” rarely makes itself clear to us in the moment. Life is full of gray areas, and Halcyon Days is no exception.