Orange Vests and Cigarettes
Short Narrative
Session 7: 4:00pm-6:00pm - September 14th
Completed on:
April 4, 2023
Location:
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Runtime:
0:12:27
Language:
English
Adult Language
Director(s)
Kyle Ensrude
Writer(s)
Kyle Ensrude
Producer(s)
May May Luong
Key Cast
Kristina Hernandez, Ethan Edward Highsmith, Ernesto Rey
Other Credits
Cinematographer: Ryan Galvan
Synopsis
After a failed suicide attempt injures an innocent bystander, Josiah, a socially-awkward teen from a strict religious home is sentenced to community service where he crosses paths with Teresa, a trans girl convicted of shoplifting gender-affirming clothing. She’s everything he wishes he could be — confident, assertive, and totally unafraid to be herself no matter what the world tells her. But, desperate to fit in, Josiah pretends to be someone he isn’t and is quickly accepted into the ranks of the other juvenile delinquents. After witnessing the relentless transmisogyny Teresa is subjected to by his new friends, Josiah is forced to choose between doing what is right and what is easy, and finally asserts who he is, no matter the consequences.
Statement from Filmmaker
I had the time of my life filming “Orange Vests & Cigarettes,” even though the time in my life the film is based on was full of uncertainty and angst. I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness, but because who I was clashed with the restrictive world of their religion, I began rebelling at a young age and was consequently charged with felony vandalism at the age of 13. I was the youngest kid in community service, and it was there that the older kids taught me how to smoke cigarettes by lighting up discarded butts we’d find in the ditches along the rural county roads of central Minnesota. It was then that I truly began living in two worlds, while never quite belonging in either. While my personal arc took much longer than it does for Josiah in the film, it was through my relationships with other marginalized, fringe, and queer people that I eventually became more comfortable with myself and my place in the world. As always, I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many great artists and filmmakers to realize the vision for this film. If “Orange Vests” can resonate with just one person, whether it be for an appreciation of the language and little rituals of these juvenile delinquents, or a kid who doesn’t quite feel like they belong, the countless hours invested will have been well worth it.
Student Film
No
First Time Filmmaker
No