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Logline

An ostracized young man faces his past when he revisits his rural Florida hometown to provide caregiving support for the family he left behind before they reach their breaking point.

Synopsis

When Jude returns to his conservative Florida hometown to care for his ailing bedridden grandmother, Frances, he must confront his unresolved struggles with identity and masculinity. As Frances faces the inevitability of her mortality, she clings to a yearning for dignity and autonomy, retreating into vivid fantasies of being a guest conductor on a 1960’s music variety show she endlessly replays. These poignant daydreams weave through the narrative, contrasting her colorful inner world with the family’s fraught and unraveling reality.

Tensions rise between Jude and his mother, Connie, who struggles with fears about her son’s safety and the realities of her mother’s decline, while Jude’s sister, Apple, dreams of escaping their small town to pursue her ambitions but feels torn between her aspirations and loyalty to her family. Baby Tooth is a poignant drama that explores the fragility of familial bonds, the complexities of trauma and generational divides, and the resilience of love and acceptance in the face of hardship. Through caregiving and shared vulnerability, the family is forced to confront buried conflicts as they fight to hold themselves together.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Drew Lewis Brown – Writer/Director
Drew Lewis Brown earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Filmmaking from The Art Institute of Jacksonville where he later returned as an adjunct professor of writing and directing. For his thesis film, Drew was awarded a Student Academy Award from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. He has written, produced, and directed a variety of films and digital content surrounding topics of gender expression, sexual identity, and social issues in the American south. The Jacksonville Mayor’s Office selected Drew as a recipient of the Rising Star Award for outstanding contributions and achievements in Jacksonville’s Film and Television Industry.

Trey McIntyre – Executive Producer
Trey McIntyre has worked over 30 years as a freelance choreographer and producer, creating more than 100 pieces with companies including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Queensland Ballet. In 2005, he founded his dance company, Trey McIntyre Project, achieving great audience and critical success. For the company, Trey raised $2M annually, created over 23 original dance works, and produced numerous film projects, interactive site-specific works, and photography collections. Trey’s feature-length documentary Gravity Hero premiered at the Dance on Camera Film Festival at Lincoln Center.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.