Narrative film · 2025
Ambivalence
The film
Synopsis
As graduation approaches, Ben faces the uneasy prospect of leaving the people and places that shaped him. Through moments with his friends and family, Ambivalence explores the love, loss, and uncertainty that come with growing up.
About the making of the film
I started writing Ambivalence because of the people in my life. Some of the characters were inspired by people I knew, but what I most wanted to capture was the feeling of standing at the edge of change: grateful for what you have, unsure of what comes next, and a little afraid to let go. Colten Vornbrock and I had spent film school working together, with him directing and me handling cinematography and producing. We were also living together while making Ambivalence, so conversations about the script or a scene could happen whenever an idea came up. We knew how to talk things through, and that trust helped us take on a bigger film than either of us had made before. We spent two winter months shooting a story set in spring. With so many locations and people involved, each shoot took a lot of coordination, but the cast and crew brought real care to what we were making together. The cast grew close, and many of those relationships continued well beyond the shoot. Finishing an 18-minute film with so many locations is definitely something I’m proud of, but it’s the friendships that were made that make Ambivalence especially meaningful to me.
Credits
Direction and production
Cast
Production and camera
Sound and music
Awards and recognition
From the production
