Filmmaker Statement

In the spare, understated, rural midwest of the mid 20th century, subsistence is the name of the game. Especially on a farm. One wrong move, one wasted day, one inauspicious sign can lead to a crisis. It’s in this world that we encounter Charlotte (Colleen Madden), a gentle, visually-impaired homesteader whose earnestness and optimism propel our story forward. We first meet her rushing to attend the birth of a new colt, delivered by Addie (Kelsey Brennan), her hardened, workhorse of a younger sister. The birth itself is a promising milestone. It signifies renewal, rebirth, and because of this colt’s potential to pull a plow - relief from grinding poverty. Their hopes are misplaced - A violent birth has left the mare and her foal in agony. But Charlotte’s blindness has thrown a veil over the tragedy, and Addie needs is left with the choice of how to deal