Excision

"An alienated teenager, obsessed with all things medical, is distraught over thoughts of her cystic fibrosis suffering sister eventually being in need of a lung transplant. She prepares to put the vast amounts of book-knowledge she's amassed over the years to good, practical use, seeking out to save her sister and prove her worth to her family in a single, selfless action.

An extraordinary film that lives somewhere in the median between Todd Solondz and David Cronenberg, EXCISION is a staggering debut from young writer/director Richard Bates Jr, who juggles painful truths, raw emotion and morbid wit with an agility that few filmmakers ever attain. Couple that talent with an astounding lead performance by relative newcomer Tessa Ferrer, who, if any justice remains in the independent film world, will soon become an indie household name, and you've got one of the best films of the year, of any genre or length. A haunting glance into the darkest shadows of suburban youth oblivion." —Mitch Davis