Screenings:

Shot almost entirely on security cameras and iPhones, Dropping Off follows Thom, an aspiring musician gigging as a rideshare driver, who is unexpectedly asked by a grieving passenger to spread her grandmother’s ashes. What begins as an awkward errand becomes a strange, funny, moving encounter with grief, music, and connection in the City of Dreams.

WINNER:

Dances With Films Jury Statement:

“[Our] honorable mention goes to a film that is relatable and topical and sharp and funny, and surprisingly tender.

A young man—accustomed to curating a life for the world to watch—suddenly finds himself driving strangers through the city just to make rent (that sounds familiar). What begins as a comedic collision of two worlds becomes something much more honest about identity, humanity, and what it actually means to be seen.

The filmmakers’ smart, patent use of our current daily technology [brings] forth a perspective that makes the audience feel like a fly on the wall; the film reveals the private life and emotions of its characters in a way that feels documentarian and that much more real.

As the film moves along, its filmmaking prowess becomes solidified with how the patrons’ stories unfold, eventually building up to a beautiful, climatic portrayal of these characters’ private lives and very relatable life experiences. A simple favor brings about a healing experience in Dropping Off.”