Logline
A girl meets his boyfriend's parents, but they make a bad impression on her
Synopsis
Joel takes his girlfriend, Katie, to meet his parents for Thanksgiving. Joel’s parents greet him with hugs and kisses, but when they get to Katie, they size her up.
Later, the four of them sit down for a nice dinner. Joel’s parents ask him how he met Katie and he tells them how they caught each other after church and got breakfast together in the cafeteria. Joel’s mother then asks Katie where she’s from. Katie tells them she’s from Long Island, but Joel’s mother asks in a manner that hints at Katie’s “other-ness.” Joel tries to change the subject, but his Dad is still interested in learning about Katie. He asks her what her major is (a seemingly harmless question) but he spins it into a comment about how “Hispanics are taking all the jobs.” Katie asks if she can use the restroom and politely excuses herself. Joel is very upset with his parents but respects them too much to confront them.
On the ride back to campus, Joel apologizes to Katie and tells her he’s willing to be with her, even if it means calling out his parents. Katie respects Joel’s honesty and they make up.
Director's Statement
“Manners and Morals” is a short film about meeting your potential in-laws and the cultural implications that often get ignored.
While films like this have been made in the past, especially regarding race and class, the prejudice depicted in these films was much more overt and the couple were the heroes who forced those around them to change. But what sets this film apart is that Joel, the boyfriend, is largely complacent in the face of his parents’ ignorance. He loves his parents but fears standing up to them. At the same time, he also loves Katie and wants her to be happy.
Additionally, the prejudice conveyed by Joel’s parents comes in the form of microaggressions, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group. It shows that no matter how progressive some people may claim to be, they can still say something offensive.
We here at Snow Day Media believe this story is still relevant today and hope you will come to love it (and possibly learn from it) just as much as we have.
Sincerely,
Emmanuel Day Beatty, Writer/Director/Producer
Meet the Cast!
Carter Sachse, "Joel"
Carter is a Junior Musical Theatre Major and has been actively involved in DeSale’s Act 1 productions. Past roles include George Gibbs in Our Town, Algernon U/S in The Importance of Being Earnest, King Louis in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and more. Carter will be making his feature film debut in “The Hail Mary'', coming to theaters in 2024. When not performing, Carter makes and sells replica Star Wars helmets as BlueBanthaProps.
Melanie Palenzuela-Gross, "Katie"
Melanie Palenzuela-Gross is a Junior Acting for Stage and Screen major at DeSales University. Her past roles include MInnie Fey in Hello Dolly!, Sarah in Love/Sick, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, and Carmen Bernstein in Curtains.
Laura Swanson, "Joel's Mother"
Laura Swanson is a professional actress, director, producer, filmmaker, and teacher. She currently serves as the Artistic Director for River Union Stage (RUS), a not-for-profit professional theater serving the Delaware River Valley.
As an actress, credits include film, off-Broadway, regional theater, and touring shows in the U.S. and Germany. Her favorite on-screen performance is as the Charwoman in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol filmed for a multi-media stage production produced by RUS.
Laura received her MFA in Acting from Rutgers University and has taught Acting, Movement for Actors, and Playwriting for Rutgers University, Kean University, Stockton College, Action Theatre Conservatory, Playwright’s Theatre of New Jersey, Somerset County Vo Tech Theater Arts Program, DeSales University, and RUS's Outreach Program in local grade schools.
Keith Strunk, "Joel's Father"
Keith has made his career as an actor, teacher and writer. He received an MFA in 1985 from Rutgers University and has taught at Ursinus College, the Walnut Street Theatre, Kean University, Stockton College, DeSales University, and River Union Stage’s Outreach Program in local schools. He has also written and produced several NYU student films, worked as an actor in commercials and corporate films, and has written numerous scripts both corporate and creative, garnering a Communicator Crystal Award in 1999 for script writing. Keith is the author of PRALLSVILLE MILLS AND STOCKTON from Arcadia Publishing.
Meet the Crew!
Emmanuel Day Beatty, Writer/Director/Producer
A multi-award-winning filmmaker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his style has often been described as "poetic" and even "avant-garde" as he finds new ways of arranging visuals and sound to create an immersive experience.
His prior credits include "Ardent One" (2022), "The Six Word Memoirs" (2020), "Hold Fast to Dreams" (2019), and "It Ain't Fair" (2019).
Patrick McMenamin, Producer
Patrick McMenamin is a senior TV/Film major at DeSales University with a focus on producing.
He has also acted in several off-Broadway productions including Mamma Mia!, Always, Patsy Cline, Once, the world premiere of Other World, and Tommy & Me.
Graeson McNamara, Director of Photography
Graeson McNamara is a Junior TV/Film major at DeSales University and the owner of Howlin Media©. He has helped on sets before as a grip, sound mixer, script supervisor, and camera operator. However, his favorite is screenwriting and script supervising.
He has worked on student films such as “Days,” “Flesh and Blood,” “On Air,” “Brothers: A Civil War Story,” “Birdhouse,” and many more.
He is currently producing his short film, “Ghosted,” which will premiere soon. He is excited to work on more projects in the future.
Behind-the-Scenes
Press Kit