Thicket

15m • Drama • 2017

18-year-old Elliot lives and works on a family-owned New Zealand dairy farm. The dreary repitition of working life and a lack of independence cause Elliot to become increasingly resentful towards his overbearing father. His yearning for autonomy lures him into taking bait from Laura, an enigmatic checkout operator from the local store, to sneak off from work one afternoon. After being busted at her house later that day, Elliot finds inspiration in Laura’s audacious nature to finally confront his domineering father in a doorstep stand-off. The film is ultimately about Elliot’s struggle to find a voice and the moments in time that alter the power dynamic between a father and son.