A promising writer-turned-adjunct college professor (writer-director-producer-star Ron Najor) grapples with the harsh reality of being undervalued and disposable in academia. As he confronts mounting disillusionment, he must chart a new path forward.
A deeply personal meditation on purpose, identity, and resilience in a system that prizes flexibility over commitment.
Official Selection of the 2024 Bentonville Film Festival
"An excellent, heartfelt indie film. A film that stands out for its understated, honest approach." - Laurie Coker, True View Reviews
About the filmmakers
Ron Najor is a first generation Iraqi American filmmaker. Najor strives to tell stories with authenticity and to portray the diversity of the human experience. Najor’s Middle Eastern American background has played a strong role in shaping who he is and often finds its way into his creative work. Najor’s first produced independent feature film I Am Not a Hipster was an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival in 2012. Short Term 12, which won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at SXSW in 2013, was the next film he produced and marks his second collaboration with writer/director Destin Cretton. Short Term 12 was selected to be on over 30 top-ten lists for 2013 and garnered a Gotham Award for Best Actress for Brie Larson and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Editing. Short Term 12 was also given the prestigious distinction of being awarded The Golden Tomato Award for being the highest critically rated theatrical movie in limited release in 2013 by Rotten Tomatoes.