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Logline

In an on-going game of “Dare,” a Beverly Hills rich kid finds himself on the mean streets of LA with no i.d., no money and no memory. His lifeline – a homeless teenage girl masquerading as a boy for her own safety, her eight-year-old brother and a transvestite former Marine Medic, now a hooker. Dare is a first love, coming of age story about accepting responsibility and the meaning of family, friendship, love and tolerance.

Synopsis

Malibu beaches and multi-million-dollar estates is the world 17-year-old Bax inhabits. With his friends, he plays the Dare Game – challenging each other to risky escapades for points. The game turns dangerous when Bax is dared to spend 48 hours on the streets of Los Angeles with no money, no credit cards and no phone. Dumped in gang territory, Bax is attacked and left for dead by a local hood. He wakes with no memory. His only lifeline, an orphaned teenage girl masquerading as a boy, her younger brother who she struggles to keep in school, and CeeCee, a transgender hooker and former Marine medic. While Mac teaches Bax how to survive on the streets, Bax’s father – a divorced, workaholic businessman – is oblivious to Bax’s disappearance. But Dave, the family chauffeur, is worried and searches for him. When Bax reveals to Mac that he knows she’s a girl despite her disguise, their friendship turns into something more. Bax’s memory returns, but he lies to Mac, determined to explore his feelings for her. Mac is easy to deceive. Their innocent flirtation turns into a romantic interlude, taking a horrible turn when they run into Bax’s high school friends. Mac realizes Bax has his memory back and has been lying to her. Betrayed, she flees. No longer disguised as a boy, Mac is abducted by the local hood. Bax, Dave, CeeCee, and Bax’s father put aside their differences to rescue her. Months later, Mac and her brother are thriving in a foster home, Bax and his father are working toward a meaningful relationship and Dave gifts CeeCee with a scholarship to get certified as an EMT. Each has put aside their fractured pasts to form new family bonds, and gain an understanding and acceptance of themselves, each other, and the world.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Shea E. Butler – Writer/Director/Producer
Shea E. Butler is, at heart, a storyteller. She’s a storyteller in many different fields: a television writer, a published author and an award-winning director/writer/producer for her short films and web series. She was that kid who huddled under the covers after “lights out” reading by flashlight. Born in Cairo, Egypt to American parents living abroad, Shea is a US citizen and Permanent Resident of Canada. Her love for traveling and exploring worlds and cultures was ignited at a young age. Shea’s most awe-inspiring trip was a horseback riding safari through the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Nothing like being charged by two lions to get your creative juices flowing!

Susan Demskey-Horiuchi – Editor
As a frequent collaborator, Susan Demskey-Horiuchi has edited most of Shea E. Butler’s award-winning films including The Trial of Ben Barry and The Waystation.

Additional editing credits include TV/Streaming (The Closer, Silo, and Hemlock Grove) and features (The Kiss List, Horror Noire, June, and Where We Go From Here) as well as several MOWs and many internet pieces.

Susan grew up in Broomall, PA which was once called the Cairo of Pennsylvania (but only by Sue herself) and has been working in the film world in NYC and Los Angeles since then.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.