A desert teen tries to escape the consequences of a pivotal night and has to decide between telling the truth and protecting her family.

Director’s Vision for ‘The Middle’

The Middle follows Joanna Baca as she works at a local fast-food restaurant while trying to avoid the reality of the tragic event that happened a few days earlier. She’s pushed and pulled in many directions and ultimately is left to face the facts and make a choice. Life is full of choices and they can effect the trajectory of our lives and at 15, it can feel like life or death.

I want to explore these uncomfortable feelings all while showing the lifestyle, beauty, and dysfunction of a small desert town which isn’t often portrayed properly in film. This short film is a teaser for a feature film that explores Joanna’s adolescent life while she goes off the deep end with the “wrong crowd”.