The Heat Goes On

Southerners are tough, but even we start to get restless as the dog days of summer set in. 

While we see the beginning of summer as a time of possibility and exploration, as August arrives, and the days grow longer and hotter, those fantasies begin to dim. Sometimes we simply accomplish less than we thought we would, and the return to ‘normal life’ marks a small failure. Sometimes we have gotten used to a vacation version of ourselves, and even as we savor the last moments of freedom, we begin dreading our inevitable return to regular routines and frustrations. What we sometimes forget, however, is that as the magic of summer fades, it leaves behind a necessary clarity: we see now what we can change and what we can’t, who we are and who we will be in the upcoming year. 

This collection of short films captures these complex feelings of the final moments of summer. In these stories we experience the bittersweet nostalgia of backyard escapism, the discomfort and pain that arises when we are confronted with what we can’t change about ourselves and those we love, and the liberation and joy that arises when we are able to meet this building pressure with small but meaningful transformation. 

We hope these films give you a good excuse to escape the sun, and that they allow you to appreciate both the ways you have changed and the ways you have not, as we wrap up another scorching southern summer.  

Zoe Roberts
Programming Coordinator

The Boys Outside | Official Selection Carrboro Film Fest 2021
Watch Film: https://retrospectiveofjupiter.com/films/the-boys-outside 
Directed by A.J. Riggins | Runtime: 10:15
At their own device, three friends adventure outside in the rural south while discussing their finals days of 8th grade.

Toomsboro | Official Selection Carrboro Film Fest 2021
Watch Film: https://tv.booooooom.com/2021/10/08/toomsboro-by-liam-tangum 
Directed by Liam Tangum | Runtime: 14:44
Two brothers in a small Georgia town find a large sum of money in a crashed car and have different ideas about what to do with it.

The Devil Will Run | Official Selection Carrboro Film Fest 2022
Watch Film: https://noahglenn.com/film/the-devil-will-run 
Directed by Noah Glenn | Runtime: 10:23
A young boy is convinced that the Devil lives in a hole in his backyard. Can he find the courage to face down his fear?