Experiencing Interruptions?

1-800-HE-HEALS

Jacob, a troubled young gas station worker, calls a Christian healing hotline after spotting their roadside advertisement during a moment of crisis. Throughout an increasingly tense day-long phone conversation with volunteer counselor David, Jacob reveals his obsession with his disruptive upstairs neighbor and hints at violent intentions. As David desperately tries to counsel him through scripture and compassion, Jacob's mental state unravels, leading to a confrontation that forces him to confront the true source of his pain. This psychological thriller explores the thin line between seeking salvation and seeking revenge, questioning whether redemption is possible for those consumed by rage and trauma.

  • Michael Cappelletti
    Director
  • Michael Cappelletti
    Writer
  • Madelyn Damazo
    Producer
  • Haley Stodart
    Producer
  • Sanders Stephens
    Key Cast
    "Jacob"
  • Michael Cappelletti
    Executive Producer
  • Andrew Weir
    Executive Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Thriller, psychological
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 35 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 2, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    3,950 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    17:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Michael Cappelletti

Michael Cappelletti is a screenwriter, filmmaker, and educator whose work challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths through compelling visual storytelling. A Denison graduate (Cinema, ‘05) with a concentration in screenwriting, Cappelletti brings over two decades of experience as both an educator and a narrative craftsman to his directorial work.

Throughout his career, Cappelletti has developed a unique perspective on human potential and interpersonal dynamics that deeply informs his filmmaking approach. His recent co-writing credits include the feature films Learning Curve (2024) and Project Claire (2025), both of which exemplify his commitment to authentic, relatable narratives that both rely on and disrupt seemingly conventional genres. 1-800-HE-HEALS is his directorial debut, while he has also just finished producing the short film WAVES, which he also wrote.

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Director Statement

I graduated college in 2005, certain I'd be directing films within two years. Instead, I spent nearly two decades teaching high school, coaching, and raising two daughters. Now, at 43, I've finally made my first short film.

I wrote 1-800-HE-HEALS to explore our contemporary paradox: we're desperate for connection yet sabotage our own capacity for this necessary, invisible connective tissue.

Set in our fractured post-pandemic, post-last-three-elections landscape, the film examines how trauma, resentment, and rigid beliefs shape this cultural moment.

Our main character doesn't just long for connection—he actively resists it, trapped in self-destructive cycles that mirror our very same collective exhaustion. Through Jacob's struggles, the film captures something essential about surviving multiple traumas: how we simultaneously crave and reject the very thing we need most—each other.

Our scrappy independent production embodied exactly what the film explores: genuine human connection. With $3,900 and four days in Savannah, Georgia, we didn't just make a movie. We forged friendships, solidified relationships, and created core memories that will outlast the film itself.

I believe cinema can illuminate the experiences that shape our humanity. For me, it's the most impactful way to bring about change--stories are undefeated.

1-800-HE-HEALS asks you to question assumptions and sit with difficult truths. Whether it achieves some or all of these ambitions, I'm grateful you're taking time to experience what our team created together.

Be well.

-Mike